Matt black paint for spraying on resistors & capacitors priot to thermal cam reading...increase emissivity

[opampsmoker]

Hi,
Can we use cheap matt black paint for spraying on to components in order to read there temp with a thermal cam?

Farnell sells this, but its 12£ a pop...

https://uk.farnell.com/electrolube/pnm400/paint-high-temp-matt-black-400ml/dp/1743748

surely any matt black paint will do?

 

[Dick Cappels]

The engineers in the test department where I worked used to dust circuit boards with talcum powder to get consistent emissivity.

 

[rjenkinsgb]

I just use bits of black insulating tape for reading items with an IR thermometer.

If you need to see individual small components, a consistent colour may help. Be wary of matt black paints, some contain carbon / graphite and are conductive.

You could use a black "permanent marker" - that has the advantage it will wash off many things with IPA, if you do not want a permanently black PCB.

 

[atferrari]

Does black color makes any difference? Thinking of talcum powder. ¿¿??

 

[schmitt trigger]

The most important thing is to have an uniform emissivity across all the different surfaces and materials, which on a fully populated board, will be all over the place.
Matte black has the additional advantage of an emissivity approaching 99%.