Monday, 1 June 2015

Factors that affect Shine / Gloss

                

Light Reflection

Surface type- reflectivity is a directional property; most surfaces can be divided into those that give specular reflection and those that give diffuse reflection. Most objects have some mixture of diffuse and specular reflective properties.

Refractive Index (RI) - by measuring the angle of incidence and angle of refraction of the light beam, the refractive index n can be determined. Refractive index of materials varies with the frequency of radiated light.

Reflective Value (RV) - the reflective value of a colour indicates how much light and heat is reflected back from the colour surface. Light reflectance value (RV) is a numerical rating assigned by paint manufacturers to each colour they make. This number is a scientifically determined assessment of the amount light and heat that colour will reflect on a scale of 0 to 100.

Refractive Index (RI) or Haze Value -when light strikes the surface of a material it bounces off in all directions due to multiple reflections

Light Reflective Value (LRV) –the average blackest black has a light reflection value (LRV) of approximately 5% and the purest white is approximately 85%. Some yellows can measure up into the 80's or 90's as well. All colours fit in between these two extremes.
As can be seen there are many factors to consider as to what constitutes optimum surface light reflection, one factor that has the most profound affect is light reflective value (LRV) or Surface colour

Optimal Light Reflection

Requirements:
  •        Clean-washed to remove oxidation, surface dirt and grime, tar and road film
  •         Reflectivity – that comes from a clean and level surface
  •         Gloss-that comes from oils and polymers with their ability to reflect light with a minimum of     light diffusion to produce surface shine
  •         Optical depth-comes from an applied product that is two-dimensional, so that light is reflected from both a high and low source, (i.e. a Carnauba waxes ‘egg-grate’ type structure) which ‘distorts’ reflected light to produce a rippling effect (warmth)as opposed to a polymer elongated and ‘chain-link’ type mesh, which exhibits a flat ‘mirror’ like shine
  •      Optimising light refraction -apply product in ‘direction of airflow’, horizontal surfaces hood to trunk, vertical surfaces front to back. This application technique affects the paints optical properties by optimising light refraction and the reflectivity of the bodylines and contours of the vehicle
  •      Transparency-or clarity of the applied product, which will enable all the above components to be clearly visible

Light Reflection

The way light is reflected from a paint surface affects the vehicles appearance after it is detailed.  Reflection of light is either Specular (mirror-like) or Diffuse (retaining the energy, but losing the image) depending on the nature of the surface. It is also possible for reflection to occur from the surface of transparent media, such as water or glass.

Transverse Waves - light is a form of wave motion, but as it travels at such a high speed it isn't possible to observe directly the way in which the moving waves vibrate. However, experiments show that the waves vibrate at right angles to the direction of the light beam, and because of this light is said to consist of transverse waves.

Laws of reflection- if the reflecting surface is very smooth, the reflection of light that occurs is called specular or regular reflection. The laws of reflection are as follows:

The incident ray -the reflected ray and the normal to the reflection surface at the point of the incidence lie in the same plane.
The angle - which the incident ray makes with the normal, is equal to the angle which the reflected ray makes to the same normal.

The way light is reflected from a paint surface affects the vehicles appearance after it is detailed.  Reflection of light is either Specular (mirror-like) or Diffuse (retaining the energy, but losing the image) depending on the nature of the surface. It is also possible for reflection to occur from the surface of transparent media, such as water or glass.

1.        Paint colours reflect light differently, i.e. a white or silver will reflect specular light. Darker colours i.e. red, black, etc absorb light and therefore the reflected light is diffused.
2.        Metallic paint reflects light from the flakes, which create micro mirrors and add a distinctive ‘shine’  
3.        A polymer sealant or a nano coating product are more suited to the reflectance properties of light colours. An organic wax suit the reflective properties of darker colours due to its imparted jetting (wet-look)

Surface type

Reflectivity is a directional property; most surfaces can be divided into those that give specular reflection and those that give diffuse reflection. Most objects have some mixture of diffuse and specular reflective properties.

For specular surfaces- such as glass or polished metal, reflectivity will be nearly zero at all angles except at the appropriate reflected angle.

For diffuse surfaces - such as matte paint, reflectivity is uniform; radiation is reflected in all angles equally or near-equally. Such surfaces are said to be Lambertian.

Spatial reflection[:direction of incoming light (the incident ray), and the direction of outgoing light reflected (the reflected ray) make the same angle with respect to the surface normal, thus the angle of incidence equals the angle of reflection; this is commonly stated as θi = θr.]

The perfect, mirror-like reflection of light from a surface, in which light from a single incoming direction is reflected into a single outgoing direction the best example of spatial reflection is seen when reflected from a flat level surface.

If the surface is perfectly flat, light will be reflected to produce a mirror image of the surface. But if there you have matte paint or are imperfections such as swirls, surface contaminants, orange peel, or oxidation (dull, opaque or unlevelled paint) light is refracted and the reflected light becomes distorted, which mutes the shine.

Diffuse reflection [: incoming light is reflected in a broad range of directions] [1]
When light strikes the surface of a material it bounces off in all directions due to multiple reflections.. The most familiar example of the distinction between specular and diffuse reflection would be glossy and matte paints.

While both exhibit a combination of specular and diffuse reflection, matte paints has a higher proportion of diffuse reflection and glossy paints have a greater proportion of specula reflection. [1]

Reflective Value
 [: a measurement commonly used in interior decorating and design, which expresses the percentage of light that is reflected from a surface] 

The reflective value (RV) of a colour indicates how much light and heat is reflected back from the colour surface. Light reflectance value (RV) is a numerical rating assigned by paint manufacturers to each colour they make. This number is a scientifically determined assessment of the amount light and heat that colour will reflect on a scale of 0 to 100. Zero assumed to be an absolute black and 100% being an assumed perfectly reflective white. An absolute black or perfectly reflecting white do not exist in our everyday terms.

Polymer sealant- comprises an open linked molecule, which forms a bond with the paint; these open linked polymer molecules join together to create an elongated mesh like effect that reflects light efficiently due to their inherent flat surface. Because they are usually very transparent they transmit the surface colour faithfully, but they have very little depth resulting in what is perceived as a very bright, but flat silver glow

A wax or sealant can only reflect what is underneath it, so a clean, level well-prepared surface is the most important consideration (85% of a surfaces reflectivity is due to its preparation) along with applied product clarity. If you apply a product over a surface that is dirty or one that has surface imperfections a wax or sealant will not hide or disguise (unless they contain fillers) but highlight them as the light will reflect differently from the rest of the paint surface.

Refractive Index

By measuring the angle of incidence and angle of refraction of the light beam, the refractive index n can be determined. Refractive index of materials varies with the frequency of radiated light.
This results in a slightly different refractive index for each colour. The index of refraction characterizes not only the light propagation speed, but also the bending angle and the amount of radiation transmitted and reflected by a material 

Refractive Index (RI) or Haze Value -when light strikes the surface of a material it bounces off in all directions due to multiple reflections. The most familiar example of the distinction between specula and diffuse reflection would be a polymer and a Carnauba wax.

While both exhibit a combination of specular and diffuse reflection, Carnauba wax has a higher proportion of diffuse reflection and Polymers have a greater proportion of specula reflection.

          Mirror (specular) – RI: 1.00
          Water - RI: 1.33.
          Carnauba wax (diffuse) – RI: 1.45
          Polyurethane  (Dimethylsiloxane) (specular) – RI: 1.48

Light Reflective Value (LRV)

The average blackest black has a light reflection value (LRV) of approximately 5% and the whitest white is approximately 85%. Some yellows can measure up into the 80's or 90's as well. All colours fit in between these two extremes.

A colour with an LRV of 50 will reflect 50% of the light that falls on it, and one with an LRV of 23 will reflect 23% of the light, and so on. Think of a reflective value as a numerical version of a grey value scale for colours, roughly like this-

Pure White - 100, White -95, Light - 80, Low Light - 65, Medium - 50, High Dark - 35, Dark – 20

It would take too long to list individual OEM colours, i.e. Arctic White, Speed Yellow, Guardsman Red, Onyx Black, etc so you’ll need to interpolate

As can be seen there are many factors to consider apart from index numbers

Shine vs. Gloss

The reflective value (RV) of a colour indicates how much light is absorbed or diffusely scattered dependent on the colour.
·         High reflective value (i.e. white or very light colours) exhibit Spatial (Shine) reflection; a mirror-like reflection from a surface

·         Low reflective values (i.e. darker colours (black) exhibit a diffused (Gloss) reflection; incoming light is reflected in a broad range of directions

Backlighting

Clear coated paints show minor swirls and scratches more readily than pigmented paint (single stage) due to an optical effect called backlighting. Light penetrates the clear coat and is reflected from pigmented paint (colour coat) which in turn reflects any imperfections in the surface of the clear coat, making them highly visible. 

As you drive towards the setting sun or oncoming headlights on a rainy night, every speck of dirt, smudge or smear on your windshield is suddenly very obvious. They are much more noticeable when sunlight or oncoming headlights back-light them.

Light Coloured Surface

For secular surfaces, such as glass or polished metal, reflectivity will be nearly zero at all angles except at the appropriate reflected angle. For diffuse surfaces, such as matt white paint, reflectivity is uniform; radiation is reflected in all angles equally or near-equally. Such surfaces are said to be Lambertian. Most objects have some mixture of diffuse and secular reflective properties.

Reflection

Reflection and refraction are terms that describe how is reflected from a surface; refraction or diffused reflection) changes due to the microscopic irregularities of the surface, each medium has a different reflective value. As light travels and strikes the paint surface, it travels through the wax or sealant then the clear coat it reflects at different angles due to their differing reflective values.

 It will also reflect back at certain points where the angle of incidence equals the angle of reflection. As the photons of light gain proximity they become more brilliant. To enhance gloss you need to reflect as much light as possible, without interfering with that proximity or brilliance.

Proving the reflective surface is level, a rotary would produce a circular pattern, and a random orbital would produce an elliptical pattern, which would tend to separate the photons, thus reducing brilliance, while the circular would combine and concentrate them, thus enhancing gloss.

Intensity is dependent on the material and the angle of illumination. In case of non-metals (coatings, plastics) the amount of reflected light increases with the increase of the illumination angle. The remaining illuminated light penetrates the material and is absorbed or diffusely scattered dependent on the colour.

Gloss Measurement

Surface gloss [: is considered to be the amount of incident light that is reflected at the specular reflectance angle of the mean of that surface.]

Materials with a higher refractive index can have a measurement value above 100 gloss units (GU), e.g. films. In case of transparent materials the measurement value can be increased due to multiple reflections in the bulk of the material. Due to the high reflection capabilities of metals values of up to 2000 GU can be reached.

Gloss is a visual impression resulting from surface evaluation. The more direct light reflected, the more obvious the impression of gloss will be. Smooth and highly polished surfaces reflect images distinctly. The incident light is directly reflected on the surface, i.e. only in the main direction of reflection. The angle of incidence is equal to the angle of reflection.

For these applications it is common to document the measurement results in % reflection of the illuminated light - 60 degree Gloss Meter (approx $2,500 -05/2011) - Micro-Gloss 60, Model SGB-4460
Colour, Depth and Clarity

[: Reflectivity is the fraction of incident radiation reflected by a surface. In full generality it must be treated as a directional property that is a function of the reflected direction]

Are the three factors Concours d’elegance judges look for when scrutinizing paint film surfaces. So much depends on proper surface preparation, a clean and level surface, and product clarity, which allow the natural properties of the paint to show through, as without transparency the true colours of the paint surface cannot be seen. Waxing a surface that has not been properly cleaned will only result in a shiny layer over dull, dirty paint - not the deep smooth, optically perfect crystalline shine that is obtainable

Gloss - is an optical property, which is based on the interaction of light with physical characteristics of a surface. It is actually the ability of a surface to reflect light into a specular direction. The factors that affect gloss are the refractive index of the material and the angle of incident lighting.

The oils that are formulated in Carnauba waxes provide gloss, which causes jetting (a ‘wetting’ of the surface) this distorts the light reflectance, giving the surface the ‘look’ of depth or liquidity (i.e. mirror in shallow water reflecting a three-dimensional deep, rich colour)

Depth – (iridescence) occurs due to the internal reflection of light within a transparent film or layer of material, where the thickness of the film or layer is of the order of the wavelength of the incident light. 

Where the wavelength of the light matches or is a low multiple of the path length through the layer it will re-emerge from the layer after a single reflection but where the wavelength is different to the path length it will be re-reflected within the layer until it emerges after several internal reflections. Changing your viewpoint changes the path length through the layer and this means that a different wavelength or colour of light will seem to be reflected.

Chromatics - the science of colour is sometimes called chromatics. It includes the perception of colour by the human eye and brain, the origin of colour in materials, colour theory in art, and the physics of electromagnetic radiation in the visible range (that is, what we commonly refer to simply as light).
Optical depth-comes from an applied product that is two-dimensional, so that light is reflected from both a high and low source, the light waves are distorted (diffuse reflection) which creates a three dimensional illusion of depth to produce jetting (a rippling effect, the so-called ‘wet-look)

The oils that are formulated in Carnauba waxes provide gloss, which causes jetting (a ‘wetting’ of the surface) this distorts the light reflectance, giving the surface the ‘look’ of rippling liquidity, like a mirror in shallow water reflecting a three-dimensional deep, rich colour, in contrast, bees wax, paraffin and many synthetic waxes and polymer sealants tend to occlude (cloud)

Shine – a perfectly ‘flat’ levelled surface is obtained by polishing the paint surface. Shine an easily understood concept of light reflection / refraction (in simple terms the light reflectance from a mirror) I wanted to expand that concept so that the shine would be optically perfect as well as multi-dimensional. The bright shine of a polymer sealant is often criticized as being “sterile” (a flat silvery-white reflection) good reflective properties but without ‘depth’ or jetting (wet-look) of an organic wax.

·         Optimising light refraction - apply product in ‘direction of airflow’ to vertical surfaces roof to floor and then left to right, on horizontal surfaces bumper to trunk and then left to right, over-lapping panels to ensure complete coverage. Then apply in direction of airflow, horizontal surfaces hood to trunk, vertical surfaces front to back. This application technique affects the paints optical properties by optimising light refraction and the reflectivity of the body lines and contours of the vehicle.
·         The aesthetics- of a vehicles appearance is very subjective to say the least, the only best wax or sealant that really matters is what looks 'best' to you. In the final analysis it all come down to; 85% preparation, 5% product, 7% application method and the balance is in the ‘guy’ of the beholder
·         Optically Clarity – [: its refractive index (RI) allows a majority of the incidental light to be transmitted]         [The term ‘optical clarity’ is difficult to define, and the boundaries between ‘transparent’ or ‘clear’ and ‘translucent’ or ‘opaque’ are often highly subjective. What is acceptable for one observer is possibly not acceptable for another observer.] Zeus website
·         An optically perfect shine comes from a clean, clear (i.e. the applied products do not occlude the surface underneath) prepared and level surface; it improves the desired optical properties i.e. surface reflectance. The other requirements are surface gloss, depth of shine and applied product transparency (clarity), which allows all of the components of an optically perfect shine to be visible.
·         The best light reflection is obtained from a perfectly flat highly reflective surface, i.e. glass over a silver metallic material(a mirror)
·         A polish would need to level a paint surface; this will provide a surface without distortion
·         To provide protection to our theoretically perfectly distortion-free surface we would need to apply a wax or a polymer sealant, which in turn would need to be optically clear

Shine is an easily understood concept of light reflection / refraction (in simple terms the light reflectance from a mirror) I wanted to expand that concept so that the shine would be optically perfect (a majority of the incidental light is transmitted) as well as multi-dimensional. The bright shine of a polymer sealant is often criticized as being “sterile” (a flat silvery-white reflection) good reflective properties but without ‘depth’.

A clean polished paint surface will exhibit a bright shiny finish, which is great on light colour paint. On darker colours I prefer not just a bright shine but rather a deeper, darker gloss.

Similar to a car's black paint rippling as if it was under water. Carnauba in today's wax formulas functions as a carrier, it is used to keep the polymers and oils on your car's surface. Only a small portion of your vehicle's shine comes from the "wax" (i.e. carnauba) itself. Carnauba is translucent at best with only minimal light reflection.

The oils that are formulated in Carnauba waxes provide gloss, which causes jetting (a ‘wetting’ of the surface) this distorts the light reflectance, giving the surface the ‘look’ of a mirror in shallow water reflecting a three-dimensional deep, rich colour, in contrast, bees wax, paraffin and many synthetic waxes and some polymer sealants tend to occlude (cloud) the finish

The aesthetics- of a vehicles appearance is very subjective to say the least, the only best wax or sealant that really matters is what looks 'best' to you. In the final analysis it all come down to;
85% preparation, 5% product, 7% application method and the balance is in the ‘guy’ of the beholder

In obtaining the ‘optically perfect shine’ we should be equally concerned with ease of application, resistance to abrasion, atmospheric contamination and weathering. Products should be chosen that would carefully balance each of these considerations without focusing on one specific characteristic. A surface protection with a spectacular shine but limited durability just doesn't make sense.

a) Requirements:
·         Clean-washed to remove oxidation, surface dirt and grime, tar and road film
·         Reflectivity – that comes from a clean and level surface
·         Gloss-that comes from oils and polymers with their  ability to reflect light with a minimum of light diffusion to produce surface shine
·         Optimising light refraction -apply product in ‘direction of airflow’, horizontal surfaces hood to trunk, vertical surfaces front to back. This application technique affects the paints optical properties by optimising light refraction and the reflectivity of the bodylines and contours of the vehicle
·         Transparency-or clarity of the applied product, which will enable all the above components to be clearly visible

b) Contributing factors:

·         Cleaned- using a mildly alkaline (pH 7.5) car wash concentrates to remove surface road dirt and grime and then- using detailer’s clay to remove ingrained pollution from the paint surface, and a chemical paint cleaner (Klasse All-In-One) to prepare the surface for a polymer sealant and a Carnauba wax.

·         Polished-removal of minor blemishes, surface scratches, swirl marks and water marks with an abrasive machine polish or compound (Menzerna) to provide a level surface. A machine polish should remove surface imperfections and swirl marks, contain oils for lubrication and should not leave residue that requires extensive ‘clean-up’ to remove hazing, its solvents should evaporate moderately quickly without leaving excess wax/oils behind, and lastly should buff relatively easily.

·         Glazed- to obtain a high gloss by providing the necessary oils and burnishing the paint surface to a high optically clear gloss

·         Protected- the polymers carrier system (solvents) allows the product to fill and level the paint film surface to produce an ultra-flat surface while proving durable surface protection. A polymer (Zanio Z2PRO™) with its levels of shine, gloss, clarity, reflectivity, depth and 99% optical clarity, which doesn’t distort or detract from the paints colour or lines of the vehicle.

·         Waxed-the applications of Carnauba (Souverän Paste Wax) that will provide oils to provide a ‘wet-look’ to the surface and will also provide a transparent surface when layered without yellowing or discoloration, with a depth of shine by providing a two-dimensional surface.

·         Light coloured paint -i.e. Silver, White, etc (the exception is speed yellow) will never obtain jetting (the so called ‘wet-look’) of black or dark colours as  they do not exhibit visible depth, light colours tends to reflect light instead of absorbing it and providing a 2-dimensional look. You can obtain a good gloss provided the paint is good quality and if it’s prepared and detailed correctly; washed, cleaned, polished and a polymer sealant added (Zaino or Klasse AIO and SG, Jeffswerkstatt - Acrylic Jett ) these sealants will provide a flat silvery-white shine, but without ‘depth’ the exception is Zaino  Clear Seal (Z-CS).

By adding a Carnauba wax or a Glaze as an LSP (Pinnacle Souverän Paste Carnauba or Autoglym Super Resin Polish or Danase Wet Glaze) the oils and / or polymers that are formulated in the Carnauba waxes provide a reflective gloss, which causes jetting (a ‘wetting’ of the surface) For optimal results the surface of a light coloured paint to show gloss is very much dependent upon good / excellent paint condition, adequately prepped to remove contaminants and minor imperfections. 

Detailer’s clay (Sonus SFX Ultra-Fine Detailing Clay Bar) and / or Paint cleaner (Zaino PC or Klasse AIO) should be a regular part of the preparation process

Always be willing to learn; because the more you learn, the more you’ll realize what you don’t know.
It is said that knowledge is power, with the caveat that it includes access to a reliable information sources. I would like to think that these articles become an asset to anyone who is new to detailing and to professional’s alike, as well as industry experts who seek to advance their knowledge.

I hope the article are informative. By having some understanding of the ‘What’ and ‘Why’ as well as the ‘How’ along with a little science to help you understand how the chemicals we use react, you can achieve the results you desire.

I would appreciate it if you would share these articles as it helps other detailers further their knowledge.

Questions and/ or constructive comments are always appreciated.


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