CERAM Confirms Bonagrip’s Durability and Slip Resistance
Industries: Slip Resistance Testing
Bonasystems Ltd is a manufacturer of anti-slip floor treatments, cleaning and renovation chemicals.
The Challenge
Bonagrip, a Bonasystems product, is a non-slip chemical process applied to ceramic, porcelain and natural hard surface floors to reduce slips in wet and dry conditions. The Bonagrip treatment increases the anti-slip properties of a floor and can be applied to both new and existing floors, without altering the appearance or texture of the surface. As part of their product support programme, Bonasystems commissioned CERAM to conduct a series of White Light Interferometry investigations to compare the effects Bonagrip and other proprietary treatments have on the physical surface structure (microtopography) of ceramic floor tiles.
What CERAM Delivered
White Light Interferometry is an established optical metrology tool which quantitatively measures and characterises the microtopography and surface roughness of materials. This plays a key role in technological areas where surface quality defines product performance and leads to customer satisfaction.
The 3D images (Figures 1 and 2) display the visual comparison of conventional hydrofluoric acid (HF) etching from a competitor product and Bonagrip treatments on the same batch of ceramic floor tiles.
The images illustrate that the HF treatment produces a surface topography characterised by sharp needle-like pinnacles with deep valleys, compared to the more undulating and uniform structure from Bonagrip.
Quantitative comparison of roughness parameters Ra (surface roughness) and Ry (peak to valley distance) from the treated tiles and an untreated reference (see table) confirms that the HF treatment produces a highly pitted surface structure with peak to valley heights significantly larger than the Bonagrip treatment.
| Floor Tile Treatment | Surface Roughness (Ra) (µm) | Peak to Valley Distance (Ry) (µm) |
|---|---|---|
| Untreated tile | 0.147 | 0.93 |
| Bonagrip treatment | 0.192 | 1.16 |
| Competitor product (HF treatment) |
0.575 | 3.79 |
In practice it is expected that the microtopography created by HF treatment will result in greater retention of contamination and water which will inevitably lead to greater difficulty in cleaning. The clear benefit from the Bonagrip product is the generation of a slip-resistant surface with longer term durability.
Value to the Client
The results of the analysis enabled Bonasystems to demonstrate unequivocal, independent scientific evidence to support their claims that Bonagrip:
- Is a long-lasting product and effective for up to five years dependent upon use and location
- Creates non-slip properties on surfaces when wet
- Improves and renovates older floors to increase the long term slip resistance
- Provides an easily cleanable surface compared to acid etching treatment.
