::: Application Report

Rheology of Paints and Coatings

Comparison of the 'thixotropic behavior' of two textured coatings with

the Anton Paar Rotational Rheometer for quality control RheolabQC:
Structural regeneration, surface leveling and sagging behavior

Rheological measurements of paints and coatings build the basis for the
evaluation of their quality. This application report can offer you a brief
insight on typical measurements with the RheolabQC.

1 Introduction 3.2 Test Procedure

All measurements were performed with an Anton Paar

The application behavior of two textured coatings is
investigated. Structural regeneration, surface leveling and
sagging behavior are significant quality characteristics for
coatings.
These characteristics are also referred to as 'thixotropic
behavior' and contribute substantially to whether a product
is viewed negatively or positively by the end user.
RheolabQC rheometer with cylinder measuring system
CC27 according to ISO 3219.
ISO 3219 describes the construction of the cylinder
geometry and defines the ratio of measuring cup diameter
to measuring system diameter as 1.0847. This guarantees
an industrial standard for shearing in the measuring gap,
independent of the cylinder size.

To keep cleaning to a minimum, disposable aluminum

2 Keywords measuring cups can be used. This means the measuring
cup no longer requires cleaning. High sample throughput
with minimum required cleaning is guaranteed.
3-interval thixotropic test (3ITT), flow cup, sagging
behavior, ISO 3219 for cylinder measuring systems, The measuring system is heated or cooled either in a water
surface leveling, layer thickness, structural regeneration, bath or directly in the instrument via a
viscosity. temperature-controlled measuring cell. The temperature of
the measuring cylinder can be controlled using the
RheoplusTM software. The use of defined temperature
3 Experimental Setup profiles allows diverse options for investigating coatings.

3.1 Samples 3.3 Test Conditions

Textured coatings and textured dispersion paints are
special-effect coatings with the properties of a top coating.
They form, in contrast to base coats, a thick layer of coating
which can be structured after application using a special
roller, spatula or brush.
The shear rate in intervals 1 and 3 is 0.1 s-1 with a
measuring point duration of 5 s in the first interval
(reference) and 1 s in the third interval (regeneration). In
the second interval (shearing) the sample is sheared at
100 s-1 with a measuring point duration of 5 s.

A top coating is the final layer which seals the coating

layers and protects them against weather conditions and
other influences. One- and two-component formulations
are used in waterborne and solvent-borne variants for
general industrial coatings. Fig. 1 Settings in the RheoplusTM Software

C04IA006EN-A 1 www.anton-paar.com
::: Application Report
4 Results and Discussion
The thixotropic behavior of the investigated textured
coatings cannot be determined from flow curves (spindles
or cylinder systems) or from efflux viscosities (flow cup,
DIN-EN-ISO 2431). A suitable test for directly measuring
the structural regeneration after shearing is described in
this report.
The required information is provided by the 3-interval
thixotropy test (3ITT). The test procedure simulates the
application process with the following three measuring
intervals:
1. Rest: Evaluation of the structure at rest as the initial
state before the processing step
2. High shearing: Evaluation of the structural
decomposition behavior during application
3. Rest: Evaluation of the structural regeneration over
time after application
The third test interval describes the structural regeneration
over time and therefore enables an evaluation of the
surface leveling and sagging behavior. In this example, the
percentage regeneration of the viscosity is evaluated
after 120 s (2 min).
In Interval 3, after 120 s the structure and the viscosity of
Sample A (blue or dark symbols) reaches 82 % of the initial
value. It can therefore be concluded that the sample almost
Fig. 2 3-interval thixotropic test as a rotational test with 3 intervals. Measurement of the time dependent viscosity: before, during and
after shearing, using two textured coatings as an example.
C04IA006EN-A
completely regenerates its structure after shearing.
However, after 120 s the viscosity value of Sample B (red
or light symbols) reaches only 62 % of the initial value.
Further values for structural regeneration within the first
30 s are given in Table 1.
Table 1: Structural regeneration of the investigated samples in the third
interval (after releasing the load)
Sample ETA, I3 [30s] ETA, I3 [120s]
A 64 % 82 %
B 45 % 62 %
The structural regeneration is calculated with the analysis
method '3-interval thixotropic test (3ITT)'.
Sample A, with its rapid structural regeneration, showed
less sagging but inadequate leveling, as its structure
regenerated relatively quickly after structural processing.
Sample B, however with its slow structural regeneration,
has a better leveling behavior. Due to the strong tendency
to sag, it must be expected that sample B produces an
inadequate layer thickness.
It must be taken into account that structural regeneration
and drying behavior influence the leveling and fixing of the
used pigments, too.
2 www.anton-paar.com
::: Application Report

5 Summary 6 About the Anton Paar RheolabQC

The 3-interval thixotropic test (3ITT) allows the
application-specific evaluation of a coating in a few
minutes. Application specialists can use the progress of the
viscosity function over time to evaluate the leveling and
sagging behavior of a sample ('thixotropic behavior').
RheolabQC is a rotational rheometer designed especially
for the quality control, featuring a high precision encoder
and a highly dynamic EC motor.
• You can choose between operating the rheometer man-
ually or using the RheoplusTM software, which can be di-
rectly connected to a network.
• RheolabQC can be operated with a huge variety of ac-
cessories. The automatic component recognition
ToolmasterTM ensures error-free selection of the mea-
suring geometries.
• Measurements with the concentric cylinder measuring
systems accord to ISO 3219 and DIN 53019 (for paint
and coating samples we recommend for example the
measuring system set CC27 or CC39).

The suitable liquid temperature control system for paint

and coating samples is the C-LTD80/QC (-20 °C to 80°C).

Text: Klaus Wollny, 2005

Measurement: Simone Will, 2005
Translation: Sarah Knights, 2005
Layout: Margot Brandstätter, 2011

Contact Anton Paar GmbH:

Tel: +43 316 257-0

Fax: +43 316 257 257
info@anton-paar.com
Fig. 3 The Anton Paar Rotational Rheometer RheolabQC www.anton-paar.com

C04IA006EN-A 3 www.anton-paar.com