Whiteness Standards FTS White Acrylic Standards FTS Comparison to Ciba-Geigy Whiteness standards High Brightness Standards Medium Brightness/Low Tint Standards FTS Acrylic Whiteness Standards Avian Technologies is excited to announce that it is the sole manufacturer of the line of acrylic fluorescent standards formerly known as CCS (Color Control Systems) standards. Developed by the late Professor Frederick T. Simon, these standards can be ordered in a wide range of CIE whiteness, and are also available in high gloss or diffuse surface treatments. The sets described in the table below represent only a few variations. Please contact us to customize a series that meets your requirements. The fluorescent properties of the FTS tiles make them ideal for applications involving the measurement of fluorescent whitening agents (FWA) common in office papers. In measurement it is always good practice to use similar standards whenever possible. See the plot below for a direct comparison of office paper and AT-FTS-15a. Part # Description AT-FTS-XXa Single standard (where XX is 9 to 17), 2"x3"x0.1". Provided with nominal spectral reflectance and individually measured CIE whiteness values. AT-FTS-917a Full set of nine standards, including one each from level 9a up to and including 17a. Provided with nominal spectral reflectance and individually measured CIE whiteness values. CIE Whiteness and TAPPI Brightness Standard CIE Whiteness/Tint TAPPI Brightness   SCI SCE SCI SCE 9a 90.1/1.01 85.8/1.02 91.7 87.8 10a 98.2/0.03 94.7/0.13 93.5 89.7 11a 106.6/-0.05 104.0/0.00 96.3 92.6 12a 120.5/-0.45 119.1/-0.25 101.3 98.0 13a 126.0/-0.73 124.9/-0.58 104.6 101.3 14a 127.7/-0.75 126.5/0.38 104.2 101.0 15a 132.5/-0.39 132.1//-0.06 106.6 103.6 16 127.4/3.63 127.5/4.00 108.3 105.6 17a 140.9/1.24 141.4/1.39 111.5 108.8 Spectral and Colorimetric Data click on images for larger views Spectral reflectance factor d:8 SCI CIELAB a* b* (D65, 2° observer) Spectral reflectance factor d:8 SCE CIELAB a* b* (D65, 2° observer) Comparison of Office Paper and AT-FTS-15a Standard office paper and AT-FTS-15a, each measured under illumination approximating D65. The plot shows very similar properties, especially in the critical absorption region (350-400nm) and emission region (400-475nm). The 15a is an ideal reference standard to use for qualifying paper with OBAs. The range of available FTS tiles means that there will be a standard available that will closely approximate the fluorescent properties of your paper.

FTS Comparison to Ciba-Geigy Whiteness standards

Historically the Ciba-Geigy whiteness standards have been important references for industries interested in whiteness and fluorescence by optical brighteners. Their whiteness scale used the nomenclature of levels 1 to 12. Avian FTS files 9a to 14a approximate the upper end of Ciba-Geigy scale. The FTS standards match well in whiteness as well as spectral reflectance. The table below lists Ciba-Geigy standards and the corresponding AT-FTS standards. Note that because of different formulations and optical brighteners, the matches are not exact. Please contact us if you have specific requirements and we will have a more detailed discussion on how we can best meet your needs. For large lot sizes, it is even possible for us to develop a custom blend for your application.

The upper chart below show the spectral reflectance factor of the entire Ciba-Geigy set. The lower chart compares a few AT-FTS stadards with Ciba-Geigy standards of similar apectral reflectance. These comparisons differ from the table above because the best spectral matches do not necessarily correspond to the best whiteness (colorimetric) match.

High Brightness Standard

The high brightness fluorescent standard possesses the highest CIE brightness of any currently available plastic material. The acrylic substrate is doped with an optical brightener and opacifying agents to give a CIE brightness of over 150. Tint values are in the range of 7. These standards are 52 mm x 75 mm and come in a convenient black Delrin holder with an anodized aluminum cover.

Medium Brightness/Low Tint Standard

Similar to the Ciba/Hoehenstein plastic standard, this standard displays a CIE brightness of approximately 125+/-5 with a tint of less than 1. The standard is available either as a 52 mm x 75 mm chip or in a Delrin holder with an anodized aluminum cover.