Research and Development Center
In Every Detail of Research and Innovation
At the Akcoat R&D center, adopting a single solution partner approach beyond the value-added coating solutions it develops, Akcoat analyzes the expectations of each sector its customers are in, taking into account human and environmental needs. It develops value-added products to support its customers in improving their lives and adapts different innovations it develops according to its customer's needs.
Patent Application
Registered Design
International Publications and Papers
Completed R&D Project
The R&D center is a center that researches, designs, develops, and produces new materials, processes, and technologies in the field of coating for white goods, construction sector, cooking utensils, and industrial sectors. While continuing innovation studies focused on market and technology in existing sectors; it closely monitors global developments in various sectors such as telecommunications, automotive, defense industry, agriculture, and aviation.
Mission
For Akcoat, striving to be the sole solution partner across all sectors, from design to production support, to contribute to enhancing its customers' lives, the R&D Center stands as a cornerstone of the singular solution partner vision.
Architectural Approach
The R&D building has taken on a new form through the renovation of an old warehouse and spatialization for different functions. Natural light from the existing outer shell's skylight windows illuminates the entrance courtyard in the interior after being filtered by the new internal ceiling windows. This orientation symbolizes both maximizing the use of existing daylight for energy savings and the idea that a better future can only be achieved through the light of past and present experiences, guided by research passion.
Functions
Operating in a closed area of 6,000m2, the center, which is located on a total area of 10,000m2 and is one of the most equipped R&D centers in the chemical coating sector, aims to be a source of inspiration for new ideas.
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Laboratories
Research on Glass Structures, Ceramic Structures, Glass-Ceramic Structures, Advanced Technological Ceramics, Colorants, and Organic Structures forms the basis of R&D. Our departments, which are based on these subject headings and shape and direct global industrial developments while also covering academic studies, demonstrate their activities in this industry academy and R&D hub ecosystem.
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Ceramic R&D Laboratory
Ceramic frits are semi-products of an amorphous structure obtained by melting and subsequent quenching of the oxidic raw materials to enable fast firing in ceramic tile production. They are used in glazes for coating all kinds of ceramic structures to provide a functional surface with improved chemical and mechanical resistance, as well as aesthetics and hygiene. Mechanical (i.e., abrasion resistance), thermal (i.e., thermal expansion coefficient), physical (i.e., opaque, transparent, matt) and chemical properties of ceramic coatings can be tailored by compositional design and controlled crystallization according to the demanded application.
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Enamel R&D Laboratory
Enamel coatings are obtained by applying glass-ceramic systems, which are obtained by vitrification and subsequent recrystallization of oxides on the metal substrate. Glass ceramic coatings provide chemical, mechanical, and thermal protection for the surfaces of kitchen utensils, household appliances, pipes, boilers, etc. The chemical content and phase formations of the coatings are used to generate the desired engineering properties for the application.
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Non-Stick and Decorative R&D Laboratory
The non-stick and decorative coatings department focuses on research and development activities to protect, extend life span, and increase functional features of small household appliances, cookware, and bakeware utensils with organic, inorganic, and hybrid solutions such as PTFE, Sol-Gel ceramic, silicone, aluminum enamel, and acrylic coatings.
Available in a wide variety of colors and textures, these high-performance coatings meet all needs in both the consumer and industrial segments. They are formulated without the use of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and comply with FDA, LFGB and other worldwide regulatory standards.
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Glass R&D Laboratory
In the Glass R&D department, products for glassware, decorative, automotive glasses, packaging glasses, glassware sectors are studied with the methods of screen printing, roller, pad printing, spray, curtain and digital ink application of organic-inorganic hybrid coatings applied on glass. In addition to the aesthetic and visual perception of coatings on glass, they are diversified in line with the demands of the customers according to the mechanical and chemical resistance expectations.
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Pigment R&D Laboratory
Crystalline complex inorganic pigments (CCIP) are obtained by high temperature calcination (800 - 1300°C) and slow cooling of metal oxides. The development of Ceramic Ink Pigments (High Temperature), Enamel coating pigments, Glass and digital coating pigments, Plastic colorant (Masterbach) pigments and innovative pigments for application are made by the Pigment R&D Laboratory.
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Characterization R&D Laboratory
Equipped with state-of-the-art devices capable of organic and inorganic material analysis, chemical, mechanical, thermal, and surface analysis, the Akcoat R&D Characterization laboratories support stakeholders at every stage of the research and development cycle, from basic research to prototype production. Located at the heart of the building, the Characterization and Analysis Laboratory offers a 360-degree investigation of materials, from sample reception to archives, including thermal, chemical, mechanical, X-ray analysis, microscopy laboratories, and test chambers.
Test Infrastructure Devices
Most of the devices in the R&D center are planned with sustainability principles in mind for recycling resources. One of these devices, which performs hot water wear resistance test, operates 24/7 and enables a total water saving of 10,512 tons per year with recyclable source infrastructure; saving 20 liters per minute and 28.8 tons per day.
Mechanical Test Lab.
Taber Abrasion Tester
The Taber abrasion test device is used to determine the abrasion behavior of organic/inorganic coated material surfaces.
X-Ray Analysis Lab.
XRF, XRD
There are X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (XRF) to determine the chemical compositions of samples and X-ray diffractometry (XRD) devices to detect crystal structure and phase transformations.
Chemical Analysis Lab.
AAS/GC/FTIR/OES
The following analyzes are performed in the chemical analysis laboratory: Atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) is used to determine the concentration of elements, Gas chromatography (GC) separates and analyzes mixtures of volatile (VOCs) or semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) determines bond types and bond tensions in samples, Optical emission spectrometry (OES) determines the chemical and elemental compositions of metal surfaces/materials.
PSD Lab.
Mastersizer and Zetasizer devices are used to measure the size of particles and their distribution rate in a powder, liquid, or other granular material and to find the size of particles in colloidal solutions and zeta potential and molecular weight. The Air Jet Sieve system used for submicron studies provides high accuracy in studies.
Thermal Analysis Lab.
TGA, DSC, Heat Microscope, Dilatometer, TG/DTA
The Thermal Analysis Laboratory is equipped with TGA, DSC, heat microscope, dilatometer, and TG/DTA devices to determine the thermal properties of organic materials as a function of temperature and time.
General Analysis Lab.
Potentiostat, Density Meter, Contact Angle Measurement Device, Surface Roughness Measurement Device, pH Meter, Viscometer
The surface behavior of the researched material in terms of hydrophobic/hydrophilic, density, and surface roughness can be detected respectively with the contact angle measurement device, density meter, and surface roughness measurement device. A pH meter is available to measure the activity of hydrogen ions in aqueous solutions to detect acidity/base. A viscometer is used to measure the viscosity and flow properties of fluids. Impedance and corrosion tests can be performed with a potentiostat. Quantitative information about the surface properties of organic/inorganic coatings can be obtained based on the results obtained.
Microscope Lab.
Sample Preparation Equipment, SEM, Smartzoom Digital Optical Microscope
In the laboratory, there are sample preparation equipment (Cutting, Embedding, Polishing) along with a scanning electron microscope (SEM) and a Smartzoom digital optical microscope. SEM enables the visualization of materials' surfaces in sub-micron size, and the energy-dispersive spectrometer (EDS) determines the chemical compositions of materials with local resolution.