How ceramic-like films form, how to interpret cure data and what a production trial should measure.
Polysilazane coatings start with polymers that contain silicon and nitrogen in their backbone. A suitable formulation can form a thin, hard film with useful surface properties after curing. Depending on the grade and substrate, a manufacturer may evaluate it for lower friction, easier cleaning, optical clarity or another defined surface function. The chemistry is particularly interesting when a product needs a coating that can be applied and cured within the limits of an existing manufacturing process. [1] [2]
Nanize, based in Narvik, Norway, develops PFAS-free polysilazane formulations and rapid curing technology. It has published examples of short cure times on steel and aluminum and described applications involving selected plastics and films. The value for a factory comes from the relationship between the chemistry, the finished part and the time needed to make it. An accurate comparison considers all three. [2] [3]
What a Polysilazane Coating Is
Polysilazanes are a family of materials. The backbone contains alternating silicon and nitrogen, while the groups attached to it can vary. Those variations help explain why two grades described by the same family name can behave differently. The choice of polymer, additives and application method influences how a film forms, what it bonds to and which performance properties a supplier can design into its surface. [1] [4]
During cure, suitable formulations can react to form networks rich in silicon-oxygen bonds. The resulting layer can have a glass-like or ceramic-like character. In this context, the description refers to the chemistry and character of a thin cured film on a substrate. A coating on steel, a finish on a flexible film and a fired bulk ceramic are different material systems with different performance requirements. The data for the actual stack and thickness matter when comparing them. [1] [5]
The surface of a cured film is what a customer touches or cleans. The structure below that surface helps determine whether the film stays attached and intact. A formulation designed to release residues may still need to tolerate scraping or repeated wiping. An optical coating needs to maintain appearance even if it achieves the desired wetting behavior. Designing for the complete part is how a promising chemistry becomes a useful functional coating.
An engineer can begin by asking what the existing finish does well. The answer might be clear appearance, good wear life, dependable release or compatibility with a specific line. Make those useful properties part of the baseline. Then define what needs to improve, such as shorter cure time, better stain release or less sliding resistance. A formulation should be assessed against the combined specification.
How Cure Differs From Drying and Handling
Drying and curing occur in a coating workflow and describe different events. A coating can lose solvent or carrier as it dries. During cure, chemical changes form or strengthen the network. A part may feel dry to the touch before a chemical cure has reached the level the supplier specifies. A production team can define release criteria for the coating step and a separate point at which the part can be handled, stacked or shipped.
The cure depends on the chemistry and the conditions the coated surface actually experiences. The temperature set on an oven or curing station may differ from the temperature reached by a part. A thin metal coupon can heat faster than a thick assembly, and a film may have a lower heat tolerance than a metal panel. Measuring the relevant process conditions on a representative part helps determine which recipe can be repeated on the line.
The application step matters as well. Changes in wet film thickness, surface preparation, coverage or the interval between application and cure can affect the result. A lab sample may be coated on a flat, clean surface with a convenient orientation. A production part may have corners and recesses, or it may arrive with a surface treatment applied by an upstream supplier. Recording those differences makes it easier to understand why apparently similar trials produce different results.
Temperature and time are the numbers engineers notice first because they fit neatly in a specification. Cure consistency across locations and batches is important. A plant needs to know whether areas at edges, on thick sections or near handling points reach comparable performance. The right inspection plan is the one that catches variations that would be visible or costly in the finished product.
What Nanize Reports About Rapid Curing
On its technology page, Nanize reports full cure in less than one minute below 100 °C on tested metal samples and describes a catalyst-free process. Its technical feature gives a more specific example of coatings applied to stainless steel and aluminum that reached the reported cure endpoint in 30 seconds at 70 °C. Those are published results for particular samples and conditions. They give manufacturers a starting point for determining what an evaluation on their own substrate would need to show. [2] [5]
Nanize uses Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, known as FTIR, to compare chemical groups before and after curing. In its published example, the spectra show changes in signals associated with silicon-hydrogen and nitrogen-hydrogen bonds and a strong silicon-oxygen-silicon signal in the cured material. Comparing the spectra gives the technical team evidence about chemical changes under the tested conditions. The measurement is valuable because the appearance of a dry film tells a different story from the chemistry taking place inside it. [5]
Separate performance tests answer the buyer’s remaining questions. Adhesion tests address whether the coating stays on the substrate. Wear tests address how it responds to repeated contact. Optical measurements address clarity or haze. Cleanability tests show whether particular residues release under a realistic cleaning method. A material can be chemically well cured and still require changes to meet an application target.
When comparing reports from different suppliers, ask how each defines cure and how the sample was prepared. Record the coating grade, substrate, thickness and time at the relevant temperature. Ask whether the result comes from a laboratory coupon, a pilot run or a part produced at scale. Those details let the buyer compare results that mean the same thing and identify the differences that require a new trial.
How a Shorter Cure Could Change the Coating Line
A shorter residence time can matter when curing limits throughput or consumes valuable floor space. Consider a hypothetical continuous line moving at 10 meters per minute. A 45-second treatment would correspond to 7.5 meters of travel during that step. A three-minute treatment at the same speed would correspond to 30 meters. That is a residence-length calculation, useful for seeing the size of the opportunity before a factory tests the actual process.
Real line layouts also include time and space for heating, application, cooling, handling and quality checks. A coating may need time between application and cure. A shaped part may need fixtures. A coil or film may have limits on tension and winding temperature. If the cure is already faster than another stage, the output of the whole line may be governed by that other stage. Measuring total cycle time and the rate of accepted parts gives a more useful economic comparison.
A lower temperature can be attractive when a polymer changes shape, a stack includes an adhesive or a display cover has an optical finish sensitive to heat. The customer’s material limits set the window. Ask the supplier which temperature it reports, how it was measured and how the proposed process controls it on the part. An evaluation can include dimensions, appearance and adhesion after the full sequence, including any later assembly or lamination.
Energy savings are also a measurement question. A shorter or cooler cure may change energy use, but the equipment, production rate and standby time determine the result. A plant can compare energy per accepted unit or per area of finished material. That measurement captures the cost of rework and wasted batches in addition to the nominal cure setting.
Selecting a Process for Metal Glass and Film
Spray application on formed parts
Spray application can reach complex shapes, but the part geometry and orientation affect coverage. A team evaluating a formed component can compare the face, edges and recesses for thickness and appearance. It can also record how the part is held and where handling marks appear. That information is valuable for deciding whether an existing station can be used with the candidate formulation.
Roll to roll and slot die application
Nanize identifies roll-to-roll, slot-die and spray as possible industrial application routes. A film converter needs data across the width of the web and along the length of the roll. The team can inspect for defects, monitor web temperature and assess what happens during winding, storage and later lamination. A finish that works on a small sheet should be evaluated for handling and yield on the scale the converter intends to use. [2]
Transparent covers and display parts
An optical cover brings another set of priorities. Transmission, haze, gloss and color may need to stay within a narrow range after cure. Cleaning tests should use the products and materials customers will use. An electronics manufacturer can run sample comparisons before moving to the complete cover stack. The final evaluation should include any interaction with adhesives, printed borders or an underlying optical treatment. [3]
Contact surfaces on industrial equipment
A guide or fixture requires evidence about what happens when the coating repeatedly touches the actual product, cleaner or process residue. Low friction and easy release can be useful, but their value depends on the contact and what it is costing the plant. A representative test can record force, wear, residue and the amount of time needed to return the part to service.
How to Build a Useful Qualification Plan
Begin with the existing part and an acceptance statement. A good example is a transparent cover that keeps its current haze and adhesion specifications while requiring fewer wipes to remove a defined residue after repeated cleaning. The example gives the coating team something it can formulate for and gives the buyer a way to assess the result. Record any conditions that must be preserved, such as the maximum part temperature or a named cleaner.
Run a matched comparison on more than one sample. Use a current production reference and document how the candidate was prepared. Measure initial properties, then test after a service-relevant exposure. A flexible film may need bending and winding. A cladding panel may need weathering and cleaning. An industrial guide may need repeated sliding with the current counterface. Choose measurements that reflect how the customer will use the part.
A pilot run adds questions about consistency. Track the condition of material arriving at the coating station, the actual cure conditions, defects and the number of usable pieces. If the line is shared, include setup and changeover. A manufacturer may be able to make an attractive sample with a process that takes too long to change over for small orders. Finding that early lets the parties compare realistic alternatives.
After the trial, document the useful range of conditions and any open question. A specification can identify the coating and substrate versions, the target application and cure range, the inspection method and the service tests that support acceptance. Agree how to handle later changes to the formulation, part or plant. Those decisions help keep the customer’s evaluation relevant as the process moves from development to supply.
The buyer can then compare total costs on a consistent basis. Add preparation and coating labor, materials, cure energy, inspection, rejects and any application-specific equipment. Include the benefit the change is intended to deliver, such as lower cleaning effort or increased available line time, using measured results from the pilot. A simple cost per accepted part or per finished square meter often makes the choice easier to discuss.
Reading a Coating Data Sheet Before a Trial
Start with the conditions attached to each result. A hardness result is more useful when it identifies the test, coating thickness and substrate. A friction value needs the material it slid against, the speed and the load. An optical result needs the thickness and construction of the sample. The same number can lead to different conclusions when those inputs change. Use the data to define reproducible comparisons.
Read the process instructions as a sequence. Establish how the part arrives at the coating station and which preparation the supplier expects. Ask when the coating is ready for the next operation, when it can be tested and whether the finish changes further during storage. Define a separate response if a part misses its cure conditions or is interrupted mid-process. The objective is a production record that makes a batch useful to the people responsible for quality.
Include the materials that are easy to overlook. A decorative panel may carry a print or primer from a different supplier. A preassembled part may include seals or adhesive joints. A flexible film may have a protective liner on one side. Some of these details can determine which coating route is practical. An early discussion with the component owner can identify what to test before changing tooling or purchasing application equipment.
Making the Laboratory and Factory Results Comparable
For a pilot, have the laboratory retain some samples from the same batch used on the line. Match the coating grade, substrate lot and preparation as closely as possible. A manufacturing team can then compare a controlled sample with a part taken from production. If their results differ, it can look at film thickness, actual part temperature, handling or conditions at different positions on the line before making assumptions about the material.
A plant producing many different parts may value a forgiving process and quick changeovers. A dedicated high-volume line may place more weight on cure residence time and across-width uniformity. Set the trial goals for the production environment that will use the finish. A stable result in a long run can be valuable evidence for one buyer, while a successful changeover may answer the more important question for another.
Finally, have the coating supplier, equipment partner and customer agree on the next decision. For a display cover, they might advance after the part meets existing optics and adhesion specifications and demonstrates better cleanup after wear. For a mechanical contact, they might advance after the guide maintains its dimensions and shows repeatable reductions in scuffing. Each outcome gives the team a concrete reason to invest in a larger run.
Retain examples of both passing and failing parts with their process records. A failed sample can show where a future lot is drifting before buyers receive a visibly different product. A good reference sample helps train inspectors and makes disagreements about appearance easier to resolve. When a coating is visible, an agreed physical reference can be as useful as a written description of the intended finish.
The Nanize Team Behind the Technology
Dr. Kingsley Iwu, Chief Technology Officer and co-founder, has a background in chemistry, materials science and nanotechnology. He and other researchers are listed on Nanize’s U.S. polysilazane compositions patent. Iwu and co-founder Håvard Lillebo are also named on a U.S. patent assigned to Nanize AS for a polysilazane coating method and device. The records identify specific inventions, and the company publishes test data to help customers evaluate its material offerings. [6] [4] [7]
David Hogg, Chief Executive Officer, brings experience commercializing technology and running industrial operations. Jerry Stokes, Chief Commercial Officer, works with prospective customers and partners. A joint pilot gives those functions something concrete to evaluate with Iwu’s technical team. The customer identifies the required part and production conditions, the coating team proposes a candidate and the manufacturing partner assesses how the full workflow fits its equipment. [6] [8]
Frequently Asked Questions About Polysilazane Coatings
Is a polysilazane coating a ceramic coating
Some cured polysilazane films are described as ceramic-like because they form hard networks rich in silicon-oxygen bonds. In a product specification, ask for the formulation, cured film characteristics, substrate and intended performance. The term ceramic is used across many product categories and gives less information than a measured result for the part you are evaluating. [1] [5]
How fast can a polysilazane coating cure
Cure times vary with the formulation, method and part. Nanize reports sub-minute cure on selected metal samples under defined conditions. The time that matters to a manufacturer is the process window demonstrated on its part, including how the product reaches and leaves the curing station and when it can enter the next operation. [2] [5]
What does catalyst free mean in a cure process
For a supplier’s specified system, the description refers to how the cure is achieved and whether that process requires an added catalyst. Ask the supplier to define the process it is describing and provide the documents for the grade being evaluated. Preparation, application, worker handling and quality controls still depend on the complete process and the materials used. [2]
Can the coating go onto a heat sensitive plastic
Nanize publishes work with selected plastics and films, including TPU. A low-temperature cure can make some materials worth investigating. Testing the intended plastic and its other surface layers establishes adhesion, appearance and dimensional stability. The maximum allowable temperature should come from the substrate or part specification and be verified at the material during the trial. [2] [3]
Does a fast cure reduce the cost of every part
The economics depend on what limits the line. If the cure is the bottleneck, shorter residence time may help. If inspection, preparation or handling limits output, the savings may come from a different part of the workflow. Measuring time, energy and accepted units through the whole process provides the basis for calculating cost.
Start a Polysilazane Coating Trial With Nanize
Nanize welcomes materials teams, industrial manufacturers, equipment suppliers, investors and conference organizers interested in PFAS-free functional coatings. Share the substrate, the existing finish and the production or service result you want to improve. For a technical conversation, contact Dr. Kingsley Iwu at ki@nanize.com. The Nanize contact page also routes application and partnership inquiries. [9] [6]
Sources
1. 2025 review of polysilazane chemistry and coating applications
2. Nanize coating technology and test results
3. Nanize coating applications
4. US 12,129,396 B2 on polysilazane compositions
5. Nanize technical feature with FTIR and cure data
6. Nanize executive team and business contacts
7. USPTO record for US 12,643,984 B2