Choosing a 9H Ceramic for car paint protection? How to tell a fraud or a fake from the real McCoy?

The saying ‘you get what you pay for’ certainly applies to nano-ceramic coatings. While you may feel it a reasonable risk in a grocery shop to swap to a lesser-known brand of tea or coffee, when it comes to sourcing functional nano-ceramics, it’s crucial to choose knowledgeably to ensure that the performance lives up to the billing.

Here below is a four-point check list that allows you to sort the fake  nano-ceramics from the genuine article , thus avoiding disappointment from a lack-lustre performance. First and foremost, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is, so it always pays to be cautious.. Once you know what to look out for in the product description and how to check for the key performance parameters, it becomes simpler and easier to spot a fake which might claim to have true nano-ceramic strength performance – but actually contains much lower specification active ingredients. So here are those four points for the checklist :- 

1) What does it smell of?

A true nano-ceramic will smell of ammonium hydroxide.  This is because polysilazanes, which are crucial for effective bonding, can only be manufactured using it; if it doesn’t smell of ammonium hydroxide you should start to be concerned.

2) Is it sensitive to humidity?

A  nano-ceramic is sensitive to air humidity and will react accordingly  as it  creates a chemical bond – no reaction to air humidity  leads to  one conclusion – it’s not a  nano-ceramic

3) What type of container does it come in?

 Nano-ceramic coatings cannot be packaged in plastic bottles as the liquid may expand during transportation and temperature change.  Which may compromise the plastic bottle. Therefore, the “genuine article” will   be packaged in aluminium or glass bottles, an easy visual check.

4) Take another sniff

There should be no ethanol or solvent smell, as the silane or polysiloxane technology that is used to make nano-ceramics doesn’t require the use of ethanol. Ethanol is however associated with “normal” SiO2 (quartz) nano-coatings, so it may well be that the product doesn’t contain the actual nano-ceramic element.

While we live in an age of digital communications and websites, nothing beats having a conversation with a person. Speak to the supplier  with the following checklist and look behind the web-content :  :-

• What ISO standards and other parameters has the product  been tested to? 
• Is there a range of strengths?
• Where and for what is it already being used?
• Is the company knowledgeable?
• Any case studies available?
• Is the SDS sheet readily available?
• Are they a credible supplier with a track record the nano-ceramics/coatings market?

Finally, comes price:  Is it what you would expect to pay for the performance claimed? If it’s much less –  why,  what’s  the difference? If much more – what are the added performance benefits – do you need them?

Irrespective of how much you plan to use, or the purpose , take the time to ensure that you approach your product selection from an informed viewpoint.