Coatings and Laminations
Coatings and Laminations is a special material category typically used to add function to another material. In these cases, the full material will be a multi-constituent blend composed of the coating or lamination layer(s) and the additional substrate layer(s). When creating a multi-constituent custom material using a coating or lamination, begin by selecting and customizing a raw material from another material category (such as Textiles) to create the substrate layer. Then, select the desired coating or laminate and customize it as an additional constituent part of the material blend.
Materials in the Coatings and Laminations category can also be specified as the single constituent of a product, as in films and membranes with no substrate. In these cases, begin by selecting the Coatings and Laminations material category when creating a custom material.
Coatings and Laminations can be customized at the following Production Stages:
- Raw Material Source
- Membrane/Film Creation
- Bonding
- Chemistry Certifications
There are six different material types in the Coatings and Laminations material category. These can be differentiated first by deciding if the material is a coating or a laminate, and then by selecting the function type of the coating or laminate (BiComponent, Microporous, and Monolithic).
- Coating should be used for polymeric layers that are bonded directly to a substrate surface after being applied in a liquid form, with the thickness of the coating commonly controlled by adjusting the height of a knife or blade.
- Laminate should be used for polymeric layers that are formed through a membrane creation step.
For films and membranes, the resulting material is not necessarily bonded to a substrate but should still be selected as a laminate. Extrusion coating and lamination should also be specified as a laminate, as the impacts of extrusion are incorporated in the Higg MSI as part of the membrane creation production stage.
- BiComponent Coatings and Laminations should be selected when the coating or laminate layer is composed of two different material types that are combined together.
- Microporous Coatings and Laminations should be selected when the coating or laminate layer is composed of a single material type and has a network of physical microscopic pores to enhance air and moisture permeability.
- Monolithic Coatings and Laminations should be selected when the coating or laminate layer is composed of a single material type but does not have any physical microscopic pores. Breathable hydrophilic membranes of a single material type but without pores are part of this material type.
If it is not known whether the material is a coating or laminate, then Laminate should be selected to avoid underrepresenting manufacturing impacts.If the function type is not known, then Monolithic should be selected. If both are unknown, then Monolithic Laminate should be selected.