Standardised Metrology of Nano-structured Coatings with Low Surface Energy (NATURAL)

Project Overview

The NATURAL project will develop methods that allow rapid evaluation of surfaces at the nanoscale and correlate the measured surface structure with functional performance. This step change in measurement methodology will enable new lifetime determination methods and enhance the knowledge base for providers of nanostructured coatings and surfaces to tailor their products and technologies towards the end-user needs. This will facilitate the entrance into the market place of novel nanostructured coatings with proven capability to improve properties such as fouling resistance.

In order to achieve this, NATURAL will focus on the development of surface profilometry methods to allow the rapid resolution of surfaces at the nanoscale. These methods will be correlated with the physical and physico-chemical characteristics of surfaces to allow their rapid, reliable and accurate assessment. The change of the surface nano-morphology and the functional performance will be related to allow the estimation of durability and to enable the development of new methods for lifetime determination and, ultimately, prediction of in-service performance throughout the lifetime of the surface structure.

Partners Involved

• TWI (UK)
• Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research (TNO) (Netherlands)
• Centro Tecnológico L’Urederra (Spain)
• NPL Management Ltd (UK)
• Applied Materials Technology Ltd (UK)
• Signalgenerix Ltd (Cyprus)
• Simulacions Optiques SL (Spain)
• Dantec Dynamics AS (Denmark)
• Ochoa Maquinaria SL (Spain)
• Bright Composites (Netherlands)

  For more information you can visit the project’s dedicated website: http://www.natural-project.eu/

This project has received funding from the European Union’s Seventh Framework Programme for research, technological development and demonstration under grant agreement no 310397.