Products & Services
Measurements of the optical properties of materials are widely used in many industries including chemical, pharmaceutical, optical components and coatings, food, aerospace, glass, energy, construction and water treatment. Other applications include materials science, thermal control in buildings and spacecraft, infrared tracking and guidance systems, and for environmental, health and military agencies.
As well as measurements in the visible part of the spectrum including colour, NPL can also characterise materials in the infra-red up to 50 μm. New research is under way in this area to assess a range of visual appearance parameters and to link these to psychological aspects of perception with the ultimate aim of developing new measurement techniques for industry.
Optical Characterisation of Materials products & services
- NPL offers a range of measurement services related to the appearance characteristics of a surface, which can be tailored to individual customer requirements through technical discussion
- NPL and CERAM research have a long history in the development of ceramic colour standards.
- NPL offers a range of measurement services related to the appearance characteristics of a surface, which can be tailored to individual customer requirements through technical discussion.
- More detailed information on the range of measurement services related to the appearance characteristics of a surface which NPL offers.
- Measurements are made using a scanning spectrophotometer fitted with an integrating sphere accessory.
- Measurements are made on high quality commercial scanning spectrophotometers whose instrument scales are traceable to national standards.
- Measurements of gloss can be carried out for any flat or pseudo-flat reflecting object.
- More detailed information on the measurements of gloss that can be carried out for any flat or pseudo-flat reflecting object.
- So-called gonio-apparent materials are materials whose visual appearance changes significantly depending on the angle at which they are illuminated or viewe
- Measurements of haze can be made for any flat or pseudo-flat transmitting material.
- Infrared optical properties are important across a range of applications.
- NPL offers a range of transmittance standards for use as calibration standards for spectrophotometers.
- NPL has been supplying individually calibrated wavenumber standards for use as part of customers’ QA/QC practice since 1992 and has subsequently achieved UKAS Accreditation (Calibration No 0478SI) for this service.
- NPL can provide and has helped to develop a range of different reflectance standards.
- Measurements of haze can be made for any flat or pseudo-flat transmitting material.
- Standard measurements are made on a high quality commercial scanning spectrophotometer whose instrument scales are traceable to national standards.
- NPL offers a suite of texture and pattern analysis algorithms facilitating a comprehensive description of the spatial variation over a surface.
- NPL is able to make regular transmittance measurements from 200 nm to 3000 nm.