ABRASION TEST DATA

Taber Abrasion Testing

Polyfuze® Polymer Fusion Label Technology—evaluating surface durability with and without Nano-Shield™.

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REPORT OVERVIEW

Brand for labeling to be used in extreme distribution environments.

Test Objective

This abrasion resistance evaluation was conducted to compare the surface durability of Polyfuze® Polymer Fusion Labels, standard vs. Nano-Shield™ enhanced, using Taber Rotary Abrasion methodology per ASTM D4060.

The purpose of this test was to measure surface material wear under mechanical friction. Two samples were tested:

  • Sample 134a—Standard Polyfuze label

  • Sample 134b—Polyfuze label with Nano-Shield™ surface enhancement

Both were fused to polyolefin-based plaques and tested using CS-10 wheels under a 1,000 g load for up to 2,000 cycles.

Why This Test Matters

Abrasion resistance is commonly viewed as a measure of label toughness. However, high abrasion scores don’t guarantee real-world durability, especially on polyolefin plastics like HDPE or PP.

Traditional label technologies often apply hard surface coatings that test well in labs, but these fail in the field due to poor adhesion or edge lift. Polyfuze labels are different:

  • They molecularly fuse with the plastic, meaning no adhesive layer to separate.

  • They maintain integrity even after surface wear, because the label is the plastic.

  • Nano-Shield™ further enhances surface abrasion resistance without affecting long-term fusion performance.

Test Methodology

Parameter

Details

Test Standard

ASTM D4060—Taber Rotary Abrasion

Equipment

Taber Model 5155

Wheels

CS-10 Abrasive Wheels

Load

1,000 grams per wheel

Cycle Count

500–2,000 cycles (measured in 500s)

Vacuum Nozzle

1/8” gap

Test Conditions

71°F / 55% Relative Humidity

Operator

Taber Industries—Cliff Fee

Substrate

Polyolefin plaque (center-drilled)

DOWNLOAD REPORT

RETURN TO TEST DATA

TEST RESULTS

Both labels demonstrated strong abrasion resistance after 2,000 cycles. Nano-Shield™ provided improved surface retention without any structural failure or separation from the polyolefin substrate.

SAMPLEDESCRIPTIONTOTAL WEIGHT LOSS (g)VISUAL NOTES
ASTM D4060 · 2,000 cycles
134aStandard Polyfuze Label0.0329 gSlight breakthrough at top by 2,000 cycles
134bPolyfuze + Nano-Shield™0.0348 gNo breakthrough observed
ASTM D4060 · 2,000 cycles
SAMPLE
134a
DESCRIPTION
Standard Polyfuze Label
TOTAL WEIGHT LOSS (g)
0.0329 g
VISUAL NOTES
Slight breakthrough at top by 2,000 cycles
SAMPLE
134b
DESCRIPTION
Polyfuze + Nano-Shield™
TOTAL WEIGHT LOSS (g)
0.0348 g
VISUAL NOTES
No breakthrough observed

Visual Performance: Standard Polyfuze

Standard Polyfuze label, sample 134a, before abrasion testing

Before testing · 0 cycles

Standard Polyfuze label, sample 134a, after 1,000 abrasion cycles

After 1,000 cycles

Standard Polyfuze label, sample 134a, after 2,000 abrasion cycles
Standard Polyfuze label, sample 134a, after 2,000 abrasion cycles

After 2,000 cycles

Sample 134a (standard label) at 0, 1,000, and 2,000 cycles. Shows minor wear at 2,000 cycles.

Visual Performance: Nano-Shield™

Nano-Shield enhanced Polyfuze label, sample 134b, before abrasion testing

Before testing · 0 cycles

Nano-Shield enhanced Polyfuze label, sample 134b, after 1,000 abrasion cycles

After 1,000 cycles

Nano-Shield enhanced Polyfuze label, sample 134b, after 2,000 abrasion cycles
Nano-Shield enhanced Polyfuze label, sample 134b, after 2,000 abrasion cycles

After 2,000 cycles

Sample 134b (Nano-Shield™) at 0, 1,000, and 2,000 cycles. Shows improved surface retention over standard.

Performance Summary

Polyfuze labels, both standard and Nano-Shield™ enhanced, demonstrated excellent surface durability under repeated abrasion.

  • No edge lift, peeling, or delamination occurred.

  • Surface wear was minimal, and Nano-Shield™ offered enhanced abrasion resistance.

  • The label remained fused and readable throughout testing.

In contrast to traditional label methods, Polyfuze provides abrasion resistance plus permanent fusion, essential for durable goods made from soft, low-energy plastics.

Laboratory Measurements

The following measurements are retained from the laboratory report embedded in the supplied source PDF.

Sample 134a—Standard Polyfuze (Yellow 134a Clear)

Measurement

Result

Initial weight

30.5735 g

500 cycles—final weight

30.5667 g

500 cycles—weight loss

0.0068 g

1000 cycles—final weight

30.5586 g

1000 cycles—weight loss

0.0081 g

1500 cycles—final weight

30.5490 g

1500 cycles—weight loss

0.0096 g

2000 cycles—final weight

30.5406 g

2000 cycles—weight loss

0.0084 g

Total weight loss

0.0329 g

Sample 134b—Nano-Shield™ (Black 134b Clear)

Measurement

Result

Initial weight

32.0613 g

500 cycles—final weight

32.0556 g

500 cycles—weight loss

0.0057 g

1000 cycles—final weight

32.0490 g

1000 cycles—weight loss

0.0066 g

1500 cycles—final weight

32.0362 g

1500 cycles—weight loss

0.0128 g

2000 cycles—final weight

32.0265 g

2000 cycles—weight loss

0.0097 g

Total weight loss

0.0348 g

Laboratory Qualification

For better statistical analysis, more samples from different lots and batches provide better statistical information. Due to the limited number of tests performed, the laboratory cautions against drawing conclusions without additional testing. Samples will be returned for the customer’s further investigation.

Laboratory contact: Cliff Fee, Sales Application Engineer, Taber Industries. Fee_C@TaberIndustries.com. 455 Bryant St., North Tonawanda, NY 14120. Phone: (716) 694-4000 ext. 118 or (800) 333-5300.