While science has developed sophisticated measurement instruments that can assess the properties of a given material, this equipment is still no match for human sensory perception.
Polyurethane coatings experts at Bayer MaterialScience (BMS) LLC know that a coating layer only a few hundredths of a millimeter thick can drastically alter the tactile perception of a material or a component.
“Coating manufacturers can elicit just about any tactile sensation by varying the formulation and by their choice of raw materials,” said Dr Torsten Pohl, director, business development industrial coatings, BMS LLC.
“The variability and versatility of coating technology are major advantages over the use of plastic skins to improve the way objects feel, the sensation experts refer to as ‘haptics.’”
It is clear that haptics plays a decisive role in purchasing decisions for consumer goods such as mobile phones or MP3 players. But automakers have long known that it is not just technology or appearance that determines how well a vehicle model is received. One prominent example: In its R8 sports car, named “Sports Car of the Year 2007” by a panel of experts at the AutoBild monthly, Audi uses “soft-touch” coatings formulated with raw materials from BMS. Other car makers have also used soft-touch coatings to finish the surfaces of such components as consoles, door handles, door trims, arm rests and glove box covers, to lend a feeling of quality to their cars’ interiors.
“Today’s soft-touch coatings based on raw materials from Bayer MaterialScience stand out in comparison with the first generation introduced to the market in the 1990s,” according to BMS. “Their haptic characteristics and their resistance to cleaning agents change only minimally after years of exposure to moist, hot air. Light and contact with hand creams or sunscreens also have a much-reduced impact compared with previous soft-touch coatings. Waterborne soft-touch polyurethane coatings formulated with BMS raw materials also have very low emissions. In addition, they are applied only in thin coats and, unlike some plastic skins, they contain no plasticisers.”
Poll says intensive development work by BMS’ Coatings, Adhesives and Specialties Business Unit has resulted in the determination of raw materials for waterborne soft-touch coatings that satisfy even the most stringent requirements for resistance to moisture, yellowing and chemicals. “The fact that these coatings also have very low VOC emissions only adds to their allure in today’s ever-greener automotive market,” he said.