The Dip Coater provides high-performance specifications, simple-to-use integrated software, and low costs, giving researchers the tools to coat high-quality films at a reasonable price.

Dip coating is one of the most widely-used coating processes in industry and academia for producing thin films of materials. By controlling the speed of substrate withdrawal from solution, you can vary the thickness of the deposited film. By using a high-precision motor, the rate of withdrawal - and therefore the film thickness - can be controlled with a high degree of accuracy and reproducibility.

Dip Coater isometric view：

The Dip Coater uses the same high-precision stages used in our -Die Coater and Syringe Pump to provide accurate movement. This results in high-quality films that are easily & repeatedly produced - giving you the results you want, every time. This product comes with a FREE 2-year warranty, so you can rest assured in the unlikely event of any system failure/damage.

Features：

High-Precision Motor - Building upon our motorised stages used in our slot-die coater and syringe pump, we have developed a motor with a high degree of accuracy and reproducibility. You can be sure that each time you coat your sample, you will get the same results every time.

Smooth Motion - With the micro-stepping motor, your substrate will be immersed and withdrawn using smooth and precise movements, ensuring high-quality film coatings.

Versatile Substrate Compatibility - You can dip coat substrates of various sizes, shapes, and materials

Wide Range of Speeds - Our Dip Coater can withdraw a substrate from solution at rates varying from as low as 0.01mm/s to as high as 50mm/s. This gives a wide range of coating thicknesses - all from a single dip-coating system.

Compact Size - The small footprint of the system enables you to perform measurements even in the smallest and busiest labs! With a total bench area of 20 cm x 30 cm, you can be assured that the Dip Coater will fit in your lab.

Sturdy, Non-Slip Design - With rubberised feet, the Dip Coater will remain in place where you want it to!

Simple-to-Use Software - The in-built software and controls on the Dip Coater have been designed to make it easy for you to programme an experiment. By setting the immersion speed, dwell time, withdrawal speed, and drying time, the entire dip coating process can be completed.

Full Colour Display - In any lighting condition, you can easily read the Dip Coater's coloured screen! The angled screen has been cleverly designed for comfortable viewing in the lab.

In-Built Safety - Ensuring the highest degree of safety, the Dip Coater has a crash detection system built into the software. This will detect when the substrate or arm crashes into the base of the coater or a beaker. Upon detecting this, the motor will stop. This reduces the chance of damaging your samples, glassware, or the Dip Coater itself.

Variable Withdrawal Speeds - The speed of withdrawal can be varied across the substrate length. This enables you to produce thickness gradients across a film for the quick optimisation of film thicknesses.

Saved Recipes - The dip coater is capable of saving up to 20 different coating recipes. This saves time by allowing you to store working recipes for future use - perfect for busy labs, where multiple scientists share the same piece of equipment!

Quick-Release Clamp - Our quick release clamp design allows the user to quickly load and unload samples onto the dip coater arm.

Magnetic Attachment for Rulers - Built-in magnets are strategically located beside the clamp, so you can conveniently secure a metal ruler in place for storage or for easy measurement. (A ruler is included with this product.)

Software：

The Dip Coater's in-built software (no PC required) allows for both manual and automated control. Manual coating allows you to set the immersion and withdrawal of the system independently. The system has a total of 10 individual user profiles, with each profile allowing a total of 20 unique recipe programmes to be saved.

  

For automated coating, the immersion and withdrawal speeds can be set independently. If variable thicknesses across the substrate are needed, a gradient of withdrawal speed can be set across the substrate length. Both the time that the substrate is immersed for and the time of drying can be controlled, while the routine can be repeated using the 'Repeat Cycles' function.

 

Additionally, the Dip Coater has multiple in-built safety features, including a software-based crash detection system. This will stop the movement of the system if it detects the crashing of the substrate into a beaker - saving the user from damage to the sample or beakers.

Theory：

Dip coating utilises the behaviour of the solution meniscus, at the withdrawal point of the substrate from the solution bath, to control the thickness and properties of the deposited film. The interaction between the gravitational force acting on the withdrawn solution, the capillary forces of the solution, the surface tension, and inertial forces ultimately determine the amount of solution deposited onto the substrate. Although there are many factors involved in determining the strength of these forces and how an equilibrium between them is reached, almost all of these are constant for a given solution.

The thickness of the films formed during dip-coating is most closely given by the Landau-Levich equation. 

The values c, ρ, γ and η are properties of the deposited solution; where c is a constant that is dependent upon the behaviour of a solution, ρ is the density of the solution, γ is the surface tension at the liquid-air interface, and η is the viscosity of the solution. The value g is the gravitational constant and U is the withdrawal speed.

Please note that in practical circumstances, these equations do not give completely accurate theoretical determinations for thin-film thicknesses.

This is because the exponent of the withdrawal speed can vary due to solution properties. When trying to optimise the processing conditions, calibration curves should be taken for the solution in use.