A new ASTM International standard will be used to help determine the abrasion resistance of coatings on the touchscreens of smart devices. ASTM’s committee on paint and related coatings, materials, and applications (D01) developed the new standard, which will soon be published as D8380.

“Consumers have come to appreciate the difficulty of transferring fingerprints to touchscreens on smart devices, all the while expecting a good touch sensation when interacting with the device,” ASTM International member Chad Meserole said. “Meeting consumer expectations and answering these difficult challenges often relies on hydrophobic, oleophobic, or omniphobic thin-film coatings. Of course, consumers also demand that the attributes afforded by these coatings are not fleeting.”

According to Meserole, the new standard formalizes a highly effective method for determining the relative durability and effective performance of these coatings.

“Using this method, commercial or contract testing laboratories will be able to provide their customers with a standard way of determining thin film coating durability or performance,” said Meserole, senior applications technologist, Daikin America, Inc. “It is also conceivable that consumers could use data derived from tests performed with this method during their decision-making process.”

This effort relates to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals No. 4 on quality education and No. 9 on industry, innovation, and infrastructure.

“In the era of the COVID-19 pandemic, more pupils than ever are relying on long-distance learning, which requires internet connectivity,” said Meserole. “This method will be critical for manufacturing the best devices that ultimately become the nexus between pupil and instructor.”