Kurt P. Scott is director of research and development for Atlas Material Testing Technology LLC, Chicago, IL, a manufacturer of weathering testing instruments. He can be reached at 773.289.5770 or kscott@atlas-mts.com.
Researchers have used instrument-provided black panel temperatures to estimate the temperatures of coatings of real interest. However, such estimates are error-prone for a number of reasons. Recently, new technology has been developed to measure and provide the specific sample surface temperature of materials under test, thereby providing more accurate and reliable weathering test results.