Resin migration tracking via real-time monitoring FTIR- ATR in a self-stratifying system

The importance of self-stratifying coatings in attaining two layers by one coat application makes it a point of interest to understand the mechanism of self-separating of resins into two distinct layers. Attenuated Total Reflectance Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR-ATR) is a good analysis method with the facility of real-time monitoring for tracking the position of components during the film formation. The migration of main components of silicon/epoxy as a self-stratifying coating system during film formation is followed on ZnSe and Ge cells as substrates. By following up the spectra of real-time monitoring during the film formation it was found that the mechanism of epoxy chains movement toward surface in a self-stratifying coating can not be diffusion.