Mid-infrared reflectance of silicone resin coating on metal substrates: Effect of polymeric binders' absorption

This study examines the infrared reflectance of polymeric coatings of silicone resin, silicone modified alkyd resin, and alkyd resin on aluminum substrates. The Kubelka-Munk's two constants theory is applied to calculate the reflectance while considering the surface reflection. An integrating sphere, infrared spectroradiometer and blackbody source are utilized as the measurement systems, The extinction coefficients are determined and used to calculate the reflectances of coatings on aluminum. Coefficients in the mid-infrared region display the quantitative difference between the polymers' structure. Silicone content enhances the absorptance of the coating in the mid-IR region, The coefficients of miscible silicone resin/alkyd resin blends are determined as well, Comparing the measured and calculated reflectances reveals that the discrepancies in thinner coatings or at the IR transparent wavelength are higher and around 0.1. Such a discrepancy is owing to the polymers' non-scattering with absorption properties which affect the validity of the values involving internal reflectances considered in the model. The internal reflectance can be assigned a negligible value in the high absorption region and is also a variable depending on thickness and transparency. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.