Why this test matters
Photocatalytic materials are used to reduce pollution, control odors, and create self-cleaning surfaces. A photocatalytic test verifies that these materials perform as claimed under real light exposure, so you don't overpromise an environmental or self-cleaning benefit your product can't deliver. It applies to coatings, composites, and plastics, and matters most wherever photocatalytic performance needs to be proven, not assumed, whether that's a water-treatment coating or a self-cleaning surface.
How the test works
We offer two methods, chosen based on what your coating is designed to do. For coatings used in water treatment, we use the methylene blue test: a small sample is placed in a methylene blue solution and irradiated with UV light, and as the photocatalytic surface breaks down the dye, the blue color fades. Tracking that discoloration over time gives us the sample's photocatalytic activity. For self-cleaning coatings, we use the contact angle test instead: a thin layer of oleic acid is applied to the surface, and as UV light drives the photocatalytic breakdown of that layer, we track the change in water contact angle, a faster change means a more efficient coating.
What you learn from this test
From the methylene blue test, you get a direct measure of photocatalytic activity, useful for validating a coating intended to break down pollutants in water. From the contact angle test, you learn how quickly and effectively a self-cleaning coating restores its hydrophilic, water-sheeting surface after contamination. Either way, you receive quantitative data you can use to compare formulations, validate environmental or self-cleaning claims, and support certification, backed by evidence rather than a marketing assumption.
