Welcome to

BYK-Gardner

The ultimate way

to measure BLACK
Let’s light up the darkest Black
WEBseminar, December 2023, Henrik Folkerts

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 Your speaker today..

Henrik Folkerts
Technical Marketing Instruments
BYK-Gardner GmbH

General information about the WEBseminar

• General „mute setting“ initiated by speaker.

• Please document your questions with the chat function.

• Recording on website

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 Agenda

• How can BLACK be described

• Special Indices for BLACK
• The challenges about measuring BLACK
• Technical improvements of PRO-Series
• Sample Preparation
• Summary

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 PD / Surrey Nano Systems

BYK Instruments PRO-Series

How can we describe BLACK?

Black can be lighter or darker –

from black, to deep black to deepest black

Black can have an undertone – bluish or brownish

Black can be more or less “deep”, “rich” or “jet” –

depending on the colored undertone

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 BYK Instruments PRO-Series
Visual evaluation

According to „Analytical colorimetry – Part 3:

Special indices (DIN ISO 18314-3 )“:
• D65 / 45°:0° →
corresponding to the measurement geometry
• achromatic surrounding →
matte black and a dark room recommended

➢ byko-spectra Pro offers the best daylight

simulation available on the market to analyze
the blackness & undertone

➢ Orion Engineered Carbons uses additionally

strong flashlight (as as seen in the picture)

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BYK Instruments PRO-Series

How can we describe BLACK?

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 BYK Instruments PRO-Series
How can we describe BLACK?

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BYK Instruments PRO-Series

Instrument Geometry for Measurement of BLACK

According to „Analytical colorimetry – Part 3:

Special indices (DIN ISO 18314-3 )“:

• 45°:0° for deep blacks

• XYZ Tristimulus Values
Four digits behind decimal point
• Reflectance data
Five digits behind decimal point

➢ Are these criteria sufficient to define a suitable

instrument to measure Blackness?

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 BYK Instruments PRO-Series
Is Black a Color?

• Color: „The appearance that an object has as a result of reflecting light of a

certain range”

Incident Light Diffused Reflection Specular Reflection

(Gloss)

Absorption

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BYK Instruments PRO-Series

Is Black a Color?

• Color: „The appearance that an object has as a result of reflecting light of a

certain range”

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 BYK Instruments PRO-Series
Is Black a Color?

• Black: “Results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light”

• Are L*a*b*values suitable to describe black?

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BYK Instruments PRO-Series

Special Indices

L*a*b* are not suitable to describe black

➢ Special indices need to be used

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 BYK Instruments PRO-Series
Special Indices

• Carbon Black:
• Pigment in paints, coatings and plastics to impart a deep black color → higher tinting strength compared to
iron black or organic pigments
• Material with a long history → Initial uses can be traced back to the days before Christ (China, Egypt, India)

• 1976: W. Schumacher introduced the Indice “M” for blackness measurement

• The used modified multi-filter photometer (Zeiss) was withdrawn → a general application could not be
realized in the market because no suitable measuring device was available

• 1986: K. Lippok-Lohmer introduced the new “My” and “Mc” indices based on the study by W. Schumacher
• Two existing procedures were combined by :
• Black measurement based optical density (Printing industry)
• Black measurement based on light reflection (Coating/Plastic industry)

• 1989: “DIN 55979 – Testing of pigments; determination of the black value of carbon black pigments”

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BYK Instruments PRO-Series

Special Indices

Blackness My - Hue independent black value

 100 
M Y =100  log 
 Y 

Blackness Mc - Color depending black value

 X  Z   Y 
M C = 100   log  n  − log  n  + log  n  
  X  Z   Y 

Undertone dM - Absolute contribution of hue

dM = M C − M Y
My = 300 dM = 0 => Mc = 300

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 BYK Instruments PRO-Series
The challenges of measuring BLACK

L*
Y Jetness My
(CIELAB)
100 0 100.00
10 100 37.84
1 200 8.99
0.10 300 0.90
0.01 400 0.09
0.001 500 0.01

Leading carbon black manufacturers like Orion promote

carbon black pigments that absorb up to 99.98% of light

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BYK Instruments PRO-Series

The challenges of measuring BLACK

Remission of White
100
96
92
88
84
80
76
72 Remission of Deep Black
68
64 1,00
60 0,90
56 0,80
52 0,70
48 0,60
44 0,50
40 0,40
36 0,30
32 0,20
28 0,10
24 0,00
20 400 420 440 460 480 500 520 540 560 580 600 620 640 660 680 700
16
12
8
4
0
400 410 420 430 440 450 460 470 480 490 500 510 520 530 540 550 560 570 580 590 600 610 620 630 640 650 660 670 680 690 700

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 BYK Instruments PRO-Series
The challenges of measuring BLACK

Remission of Deep Black

1,00

0,90 What is electronical “noise”?

• In electronics, noise is an unwanted
0,80
disturbance in an electrical signal
0,70 • A natural consequence of the random motion
0,60 of free electrons and ions in any conductor at
a temperature that is not at absolute zero on
0,50
the Kelvin scale
0,40

0,30

0,20

0,10

0,00

-0,10
400 410 420 430 440 450 460 470 480 490 500 510 520 530 540 550 560 570 580 590 600 610 620 630 640 650 660 670 680 690 700

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BYK Instruments PRO-Series

The challenges of measuring BLACK

Remission of Deep Black

1,00
“Increasing” the Signal
0,90
To achieve reliable results, the
0,80 signal level has to be significantly
0,70
greater than the noise level

0,60

0,50

0,40

0,30

0,20

0,10

0,00

-0,10
400 410 420 430 440 450 460 470 480 490 500 510 520 530 540 550 560 570 580 590 600 610 620 630 640 650 660 670 680 690 700

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 BYK Instruments PRO-Series
The challenges of measuring BLACK

Amplified Signal of Deep Black

2,1

1,9

1,7

1,5

1,3

1,1
“Higher” Signal to Noise Ratio
Twenty times more useful information
0,9 (signal) than before with consistent noise
0,7
→ Significantly higher accuracy

0,5

0,3

0,1

-0,1
400 410 420 430 440 450 460 470 480 490 500 510 520 530 540 550 560 570 580 590 600 610 620 630 640 650 660 670 680 690 700

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BYK Instruments PRO-Series

Technical Improvements

Repeatable data for deepest blacks - very low remission Zero calibration with perfect light trap
Optimization of signal to noise ratio • Elimination of black glass standard for ZERO-calibration
Reduce Noise ↓ • Optical construction of PRO-family without any detectable diffused light →
– Highest precision electronic and optical components Black calibration set at original manufacturing process
– Adapted production process
Special calibration mode for Black
Amplify Signal ↑ • Color calibration on white standard
– LEDs powered with more energy → higher light intensity • Black calibration on dark grey standard to define max lightness for black
– Extended illumination time measurement.

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 How can we describe BLACK?
Special Indices – My, Mc, dM

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BYK Instruments PRO-Series

Highest accuracy for measuring BLACK

0,0174

0,0172

0,017

0,0168

0,0166

0,0164

0,0162

0,016
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50

Y Average

• Results of sample Tile 6:

• Average Y = 0,0166
• Range Y = 0,0008
• STD DEV Y = 0,0002

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 BYK Instruments PRO-Series
Highest accuracy for measuring BLACK

MY und Range

400

380

360

340

320

300

280

260

240

220

200
Test 1 Test 2 Test 3 Test 4 Test 5 Test 6

spectro2guide spectro2guide Pro

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BYK Instruments PRO-Series

„Jetness Mode“ for measuring BLACK

• Default setting:
Jetness Mode activated
Jetness Indices Jetness Indices

• Go to Configuration →
Measurement parameter →
Jetness indices
• Activate desired Indices →
Confirm
• Switch to prefered
measurement mode
(e.g. Quick Check) →
Measure

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Data analysis of BLACK

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BYK Instruments PRO-Series

Sample preparation

• Deep BLACK can only be measured on

high-gloss and clean surfaces

• Slightest changes to the sample surface lead to massive

deviations of measured values
• Any contaminants must be very thoroughly removed, and the panel must be
absolutely free from scratches, fingerprints, etc. before measuring

• Contaminants are barely visible under “normal” lighting conditions

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Sample preparation

Dusty Clean

MY MC dM
Dusty 314 324 9.6
Clean 378 392 14.9

• Delivery content of all PRO-models includes a flashlight to check the sample surface for
contaminations

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BYK Instruments PRO-Series

Sample preparation

Streaks

Dust

• Assessment of the sample surface under strong direct light using a flashlight
under different angles has proven to be most effective

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 BYK Instruments PRO-Series
Sample preparation

How to clean a deep black sample:

• Distilled Water
• Delicate Task Wipes

• Isopronanol
• Lint-Free Clothes
(in sufficient number)

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BYK Instruments PRO-Series

The ultimate way to measure BLACK

• Deep blacks can be measured objectively,

repeatably and reliably with the new instrument

• Measurement results obtained in the optimized

“Jetness mode” correlate perfectly with visual
evaluation of test panels

• The color2view PRO shows excellent repeatability

(σ = 0.0001) for deepest blacks (MY > 300;
reflectance < 0.1 %)

• The inter-instrument agreement is Y ≤ ± 0.003

(for Y < 0.5)

This has been proofed by the experts for

black:

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 BYK Instruments PRO-Series
The ultimate way to measure BLACK and COLOR

Color 45°c:0

Gloss 60° & 20°

Fluorescence

Jetness

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Before you leave…

Questions?

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 We will be happy to answer your Questions
NOW or LATER

Henrik Folkerts Anita Fehr

Gabriele Kigle-Böckler Technical Marketing: Technical Marketing:
Sandra Weixel
Marketing Manager Product Manager Solid Color Product Manager Color
Continuing Education Manager
Gabi.KigleBoeckler@altana.com Anita.Fehr@altana.com Sandra.Weixel@altana.com
Henrik.Folkerts@altana.com
Tel: 08171 - 3493128 Tel: + 49 8171 3493 176 Tel: +49 8171 3493 155
Tel: + 49 173 210 2768

Resul Zengin Keles Tuncay Noah Morgan Dirk Fischer

Technical Marketing Technical Marketing Technical Marketing America Technical Marketing
Application Specialist Application Specialist Application Specialist Training und Weiterbildung

Resul.Zengin@altana.com Keles.Tuncay@altana.com Noah.Morgan@altana.com Dirk.Fischer@altana.com

Tel: +49 8171 3493 347 Tel: +49 8171 3493 374 Tel: +1 301 483 6500 ext. 7242 Tel: +49 8171 3493345

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New Events – Meeting Points

Henrik Folkerts
On-site Seminar Continuing Education Manager
Henrik.Folkerts@altana.com
Tel: + 49 173 210 2768

Customized to your needs

and application

New byk-instruments Website BYK instruments live

www.byk-instruments.com
youtube.com/user/BYKvideo

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 Do you want to learn more about BYK-Gardner?
You are welcome to visit us!

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Thank you for

your attention.

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