How do LIP coatings work?

All LIP coatings except for PEOX and AC 602 have a 'polymer backbone': i.e. an acrylic, polyurethane or polyesther binder that adheres to the surface, holding particles such as PE balls or PTFE or Polysiloxane rubber particles, on the surface to reduce friction and sticking caused by van der Waal forces, ionic charge attraction, vacuum suction and/or physical hooking between molecule groups.

 

What is the effect of hardness?

A hard backbone cannot be bent, stretched or crushed without cracking, which leads to flaking and failure. It can however hold up to high pressure such as a hard edge or point exerts on the polymer without breaking or rubbing off. An allround coating such as F 27 is designed to cover most situations in automotive construction, but cannot cover all. For example: AC 612/21 is ideal for open leather or vinyl surfaces such as arm-rest sides that are completely visible and very flexible. AC 644-W is ideal for cup-holder sliders or in Tonneaux-cover rollers, on seat rails or strikers.

 

How important is film thickness?

A thick film is sometimes a disadvantage but sometimes also an advantage. A dry film coating has three important characteristics.

1. Adhesion: how strongly does it stick to the substrate?.

2. Cohesion: how strong is it inside? (How much bending and stretching can it take before it tears inside?)

3. Surface friction properties: these are a combination of how the film flows before drying, how even is it, how smooth or rough it is, how 'point elastic', meaning how easily tiny points dig into it and how quickly it regains its evenness after deformation.

A thick film can withstand higher pressures but is less flexible and dries slower.

A thin film is more flexible and less visible but can be damaged easilier. It is more effective at lower to middle pressure values.

A multipurpose coating such as F 27 combines positive attributes such as flexibility and strength, but sometimes a specialist coating is needed. F 20 or AC 644-W can withstand very high pressures even when applied thinly.