This study aims to characterize the mechanical and tribological properties of three different polymeric coatings—polyurethane, 2K, and melamine—deposited on steel by analyzing the hardness, elastic modulus, and scratch resistance of each coating. This was accomplished by making indentation and scratch tests on each sample with a nano-indenter and analyzing the results with a Scanning Probe Microscope (SPM). Results of indentation tests show that melamine, with a hardness of 0.164 GPa and a modulus of 3.367 GPa, was both the hardest and stiffest of the three coatings, while the 2K coating, with a hardness of .104 GPa and a modulus of 2.721 GPa, was both the softest and most flexible. Scratch test results showed that the highest average critical load, at which the adhesion to the substrate steel failed, was 100.03 mN for the 2K coating, thus indicating that the 2K coating had the greater adhesion strength.
","abstract_html":"<p>This study aims to characterize the mechanical and tribological properties of three different polymeric coatings—polyurethane, 2K, and melamine—deposited on steel by analyzing the hardness, elastic modulus, and scratch resistance of each coating. This was accomplished by making indentation and scratch tests on each sample with a nano-indenter and analyzing the results with a Scanning Probe Microscope (SPM). Results of indentation tests show that melamine, with a hardness of 0.164 GPa and a modulus of 3.367 GPa, was both the hardest and stiffest of the three coatings, while the 2K coating, with a hardness of .104 GPa and a modulus of 2.721 GPa, was both the softest and most flexible. Scratch test results showed that the highest average critical load, at which the adhesion to the substrate steel failed, was 100.03 mN for the 2K coating, thus indicating that the 2K coating had the greater adhesion strength.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Neill, Dustin"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Master of Science (MS)","degree_level":"Open Access Thesis","degree_discipline":"Physics and Astronomy","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Weidian Shen, Ph.D, Chair","Alexandria Oakes, Ph.D.","Patrick Koehn, Ph.D."],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2012,"date_issued":"2012-01-01T08:00:00Z","date_published":"2012-01-01T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:16:51Z","subjects":["melamine","adhesion","mechanical","tribological","polymeric coatings","Physics"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://commons.emich.edu/theses/416","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Weidian Shen, Ph.D, Chair","Alexandria Oakes, Ph.D.","Patrick Koehn, Ph.D."]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Neill, Dustin"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2012-09-06T07:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Physics and Astronomy"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Open Access Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Science (MS)"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["melamine","adhesion","mechanical","tribological","polymeric coatings","Physics"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://commons.emich.edu/theses/416"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["This study aims to characterize the mechanical and tribological properties of three different polymeric coatings—polyurethane, 2K, and melamine—deposited on steel by analyzing the hardness, elastic modulus, and scratch resistance of each coating. This was accomplished by making indentation and scratch tests on each sample with a nano-indenter and analyzing the results with a Scanning Probe Microscope (SPM). Results of indentation tests show that melamine, with a hardness of 0.164 GPa and a modulus of 3.367 GPa, was both the hardest and stiffest of the three coatings, while the 2K coating, with a hardness of .104 GPa and a modulus of 2.721 GPa, was both the softest and most flexible. Scratch test results showed that the highest average critical load, at which the adhesion to the substrate steel failed, was 100.03 mN for the 2K coating, thus indicating that the 2K coating had the greater adhesion strength.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Characterization of mirco/nano mechanical and tribological properties of polymeric coatings deposited on steel"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Weidian Shen, Ph.D, Chair","Alexandria Oakes, Ph.D.","Patrick Koehn, Ph.D."],"dc:creator":["Neill, Dustin"],"dc:date.available":["2012-09-06T07:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["This study aims to characterize the mechanical and tribological properties of three different polymeric coatings—polyurethane, 2K, and melamine—deposited on steel by analyzing the hardness, elastic modulus, and scratch resistance of each coating. This was accomplished by making indentation and scratch tests on each sample with a nano-indenter and analyzing the results with a Scanning Probe Microscope (SPM). Results of indentation tests show that melamine, with a hardness of 0.164 GPa and a modulus of 3.367 GPa, was both the hardest and stiffest of the three coatings, while the 2K coating, with a hardness of .104 GPa and a modulus of 2.721 GPa, was both the softest and most flexible. Scratch test results showed that the highest average critical load, at which the adhesion to the substrate steel failed, was 100.03 mN for the 2K coating, thus indicating that the 2K coating had the greater adhesion strength.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://commons.emich.edu/theses/416"],"dc:subject":["melamine","adhesion","mechanical","tribological","polymeric coatings","Physics"],"dc:title":["Characterization of mirco/nano mechanical and tribological properties of polymeric coatings deposited on steel"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Physics and Astronomy"],"thesis:degree_level":["Open Access Thesis"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Science (MS)"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:16:51Z"}