Indenti-Coat: Promain’s Anti-Theft Identification Coating
A non-drying coating incorporating its own unique fingerprint system
Key features are:
- Simplicity is the key feature.
- A non-drying coating.
- Easy to apply by brush.
- A unique coating colour for your company.
- Contains tracer particles offering 6, 8 or 10 layers to your own unique colour combination - offering 37 million combinations. Clients can choose their own colour combination to reflect their corporate colour scheme. See illustration 1.
- Custom codes are created for each customer. To ensure security of your unique code every code is certified and registered by Promain on the manufacturer’s database.
- Tracer particles are not visible to the naked eye.
- Optional features can be incorporated into the tracer particles – fluorescent and/ or magnetic.
- Anybody who can distinguish colours can be a field expert in identification.
- Simply to use UV light to make visual inspection to determine whether tracer particles are present.
- There is no requirement for the analysis to be undertaken by an independent laboratory, although Promain would be happy to arrange independent analysis if this is required.
- Flame retardant – see fire test (still awaiting fire test certificate).
- These are the most robust tracer particles currently available.
- A new unique code on the tracer particles can be produced in 30 days, followed by production time of the anti-theft coating of 14 days dependant upon size of batch.
- Biocompatible - meets standard for ISO 10993.
Promain’s Anti-Theft Identification Coating - Indenti-Coat Clear
A robust coating incorporating its own unique fingerprint system
- Promain are currently formulating a two component water-based, clear, extremely tough coating, incorporating the tracer particle technology.
- This offers a robust, manageable form of identifying any material or substrate coated.
Laboratory Tests
Tor Coatings have conducted the following laboratory tests:
Accelerated Weather Test
After 30 days no deterioration has been noted to either the coating or the sample cable.
Fire Test
The coated and uncoated samples were positioned vertically; a blowtorch flame (1200 oC) was trained on the bottom part of the samples for one minute. The idea being that if it did ignite then the flame would spread up the cable.
Uncoated sample – the cable melted at the point of heat producing a very small flame which extinguished almost immediately. There was no spread of flame.
Coated sample – the results were very similar, although the coating did make a slightly larger flame which existed slightly longer. There was no spread of flame.
Coating of the cable with traceable anti-theft coating does not appear to affect its fire properties.
Ratio of Tracer Particle Tests
Tests have been made to determine the quantities of tracer particles per litre required. Our laboratory tests show that one-gram of anti-theft coating will contain 200 tracer particles. One kilo of tracer particles per 1000 litres of coating.
Wipe Test
To handle cable coated with anti-theft coating, wipe onto clothing manufactured from different materials. Analysis samples of clothes to determine how many particles have been transferred to the clothing.
UV Test
Use of hand held UV scanner on clothing and other materials to establish the ease of detecting tracer particles.
Iron Filing Test
To show how the tracer particles can be identified amongst iron filings under a microscope.
Isolating Flake Test
Identification of tracer particles is possible in less than 2 hours.
Demonstrate the ease of separating the tracer particles from the anti-theft coating followed by analysis under a 100x magnification microscope. See illustrations 1 and 2.
Laboratory Visit
Promain and Tor are arranging a training day which will offer a hands-on trial to illustrate the ease of isolating and identify the tracers and to also demonstrate fire resistance and any other tests you may require either during or before the trackside tests.
We will keep you informed of any further developments as they arise.
Illustration 1 - Tracer Particles
Encoded particles magnified hundreds of times
Illustration 2 - Isolation of Tracer Particles from Anti-Theft Identification Coating
- Place the collected anti-theft coating into a small beaker.
- Dilute the sample with solvent eg Tor Thinners TH19 (xylene) or acetone.
- Extract the tracer particles using a magnet within a test tube.
- Remove the magnet from the inside of the test tube and collect the particles on a petri dish or similar.
- View the particles through their cross section under a microscope (minimum magnification = x 100) and identify the colours. Placing a magnet under the petri dish helps to raise the particles on their side to aid viewing.
- The tracer particles are magnetic and also fluoresce under UV light.
