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IR Emissivity Reference

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IR Emissivity Reference
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Features & Capabilities

Comprehensive Material Database

Over 48 materials with multiple surface condition variants including polished, oxidized, painted, and weathered states.

Category Organization

Organized by category: metals, non-metals, building materials, coatings, and natural materials for quick lookup.

Search and Filter

Search and filter by material name or emissivity range to quickly find the value you need.

Temperature Range Notes

Includes temperature range notes where emissivity varies significantly with temperature, so you know when published values may not apply.

Measurement Tips

Practical tips for measuring low-emissivity surfaces including the tape method and known-emissivity paint technique.

Published Sources

All values sourced from Fluke, FLIR, Mikron, and ASNT published emissivity tables with citations.

Frequently Asked Questions

Polished metals have very low emissivity (as low as 0.02-0.10). Your IR thermometer defaults to 0.95 emissivity, which assumes a dark, non-metallic surface. On shiny metal, most of the radiation reaching the sensor is reflected from the surroundings, not emitted by the metal. The reading will be much lower than the actual temperature.
In the long-wave infrared band (8-14 micrometers) used by most thermal cameras, paint color has minimal effect. White, black, and colored paints all have emissivity between 0.90 and 0.97. The visual color is a property of visible light wavelengths, which is independent of IR emissivity.
Apply a small piece of high-emissivity electrical tape or flat black paint to the target surface and let it reach thermal equilibrium. Measure the tape at 0.95 emissivity. Alternatively, use a contact thermocouple to get the true temperature, then adjust the emissivity setting until the IR reading matches.
Disclaimer: Emissivity values are representative and may vary based on exact alloy composition, surface roughness, oxidation state, viewing angle, and temperature. For critical measurements, determine emissivity experimentally using a contact thermocouple as reference or apply high-emissivity tape/paint to the target surface.

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