Coating recommendations are one of the most highly debated—and even misunderstood—aspects of the industrial coatings industry. Many different factors go into making the right selection. For instance, have you ever called a coatings manufacturer for a recommendation, only to have your question answered with even more questions?
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Although it can seem counterintuitive, this initial research is a critical first step to making a proper coatings recommendation. With hundreds of industrial coatings options out there, the list must be narrowed down to the “best fit” selection by first considering a variety of factors.
Typically, the most popular types of coatings offer versatility and can perform a variety of functions—take our Carboguard 890 epoxy mastic coating as an example. However, an all-in-one solution is rarely the best choice. Instead, it’s important to consider the specific performance requirements of the project at hand—whether it’s protecting an oil tank, a bridge or a railcar—as this will greatly influence your coatings recommendation.
Below are the four basic questions a specifier, engineer or owner should ask in order to select the best possible coating for the job:
No element is more crucial to a coating system selection than its function. Consider the intended use of the coating. Is it a tank lining? Secondary containment? A flooring system? A bridge or a stadium that needs to be protected from the elements?
Tank linings, for example, have drastically different performance requirements compared to atmospheric coatings. This disparity will have a significant influence on not only the selection of a coating, but its surface preparation requirements as well.
Chemical immersion is one of the harshest functions a coating can perform, as the lining is under constant performance stress from the stored commodity. Because of this, coating manufacturers invest heavily in testing to validate linings for chemical service. A common misunderstanding is that the pH level determines a lining selection. In reality, pH level is only one piece of the puzzle in lining compatibility.
Instead, the chemical commodity should always be the determining factor due to the molecular size of the commodity and the cross-link density of the lining. In addition, the temperature of the storage commodity is almost as valuable as the commodity itself, as corrosion levels generally increase and decrease with temperature.
Although this question seems pretty basic on the surface, it can actually become quite complicated as you dig into the specifics of the environment and exposure of the coating. Coatings are used everywhere to prevent the corrosion of assets. Knowing exactly where the coating will be physically located, as well as the environment it will be exposed to, is key to providing the right coating recommendation and, ultimately, ensuring a successful project.
When selecting a coating for atmospheric service, there are several factors to consider. For instance, will the coating be exposed to an exterior or interior environment? Are there elevated temperature conditions? Is this in a rural area, a chemical plant, in a desert or near the ocean? In addition, are aesthetics or corrosion protection more critical for the given environment?
Chemical plants, for example, will require chemical-resistant coatings even in non-immersion situations, whereas coatings located near the ocean necessitate additional resistance to salt-laden air, which can accelerate corrosion. Likewise, a job in the desert will have different performance requirements than one in a coastal environment, as it necessitates a coating that is suitable for extreme UV radiation.
Everyone wants the top-rated, longest-lasting coating for every possible scenario… right? Not necessarily. Limited budgets frequently come into the equation, as material and labor costs can vary widely. The expected service life of a coating, as well as the available budget, will greatly drive a coatings recommendation.
For instance, if a temporary fix is needed, the item will be replaced in the short term or there is a limited budget, then a maintenance coating with a shorter lifespan and lower cost could be sufficient. On the other hand, an elevated water tank with a design life of 90 years would necessitate a more durable coating with a longer lifespan expectancy.
Spray application is the preferred method for most industrial coatings, but it is not always realistic in real-life situations and environments. For example, the asset that needs to be coated might be in a hard-to-reach or remote area where a pump is not efficient nor ideal. Or there could be an entire parking lot of cars just downwind of the project. In each of these situations, it is recommended that the coatings product feature better brush-and-roll characteristics to ensure it is the best fit for the challenging task at hand.
In the end, the goal of the coatings selection process is to achieve a win-win solution for everyone involved—from the owner, to the coatings manufacturer and the installer. Though it can be tedious, the information-gathering stage is one of the most vital phases of a coatings project—ultimately building the foundation upon which the project's success can either start off on the right foot or take a drastically wrong turn.
GARAMITE- is a rheology additive that offers benefits over conventional organophilic phyllosilicates (organoclays). Conventional phyllosilicates typically require incorporation at high shear forces and polar activators to support dispersion. In contrast, GARAMITE- can be easily incorporated and activated in solvents and binders under moderate shear force. The additive has a highly pseudo plastic viscosity profile. GARAMITE- makes it possible to produce formulations with high viscosity in the low shear range, which results in outstanding anti-settling and anti-syneresis properties. Applying shear force causes a strong reduction in viscosity, which significantly improves the application properties. The additive can be incorporated in different ways. Either disperse GARAMITE- directly in the millbase or add it as a 10-15% paste in solvent to the millbase or letdown. The additive should be incorporated into the solvent at sufficient shear force. When adding during the milling process, we recommend pre-dispersing in the binder and solvent at moderate shear force before adding the pigments and fillers. The effect of GARAMITE- can be further increased by adding a booster or small quantities of a polar solvent or water. Recommended levels: 0.5-2% additive (as supplied) based upon the total formulation. The above recommended levels can be used for orientation. Optimal levels are determined through a series of laboratory tests.
RHEOBYK- considerably increases the viscosity in the low shear range while at the same time maintaining very good leveling. The additive is liquid and easy to handle. Storage stability is improved. It is not necessary to adjust the pH value or control the temperature during incorporation. On account of the self-leveling and also high anti-sagging properties, RHEOBYK- is particularly recommended for use in systems for airless-/airmix-/HVLP-applications. When combined with rheology additives, which are effective in the high shear range, it enables an optimum process ability. Recommended levels: 0.2-2 % additive (as supplied) based on the total formulation, depending on the properties of the formulation to be achieved. The above recommended levels can be used for orientation. Optimal levels are determined through a series of laboratory tests.
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RHEOBYK-M VF significantly increases the viscosity in the medium shear range. Using the additive reduces spattering during application and greater layer thicknesses can be achieved which also have good leveling. The additive is liquid and therefore easy to handle. It is not necessary to adjust the pH value or control the temperature during incorporation. RHEOBYK-M VF is used in various aqueous systems that are based on acrylate, styrene acrylate, polyvinyl acetate binders as well as in PU and alkyd emulsions and epoxy dispersions. Recommended levels: 0.4-2 % additive (as supplied) based upon the total formulation, depending on the properties of the formulation to be achieved. The above recommended levels can be used for orientation. Optimal levels are determined through a series of laboratory tests.
RHEOBYK- is an aromatic- and tin-free rheology additive and used as a thixotropy-enhancing additive in solvent-free and solvent-borne systems which contain organophilic phyllosilicates or pyrogenic fumed silica. The additive reinforces the three-dimensional network structures of the phyllosilicates or fumed silica through additional bridges, thereby enhancing the thixotropy. For this reason, it achieves sufficiently high anti-sagging properties with improved leveling, even with low quantities of phyllosilicates or fumed silica. A considerable thixotropy enhancement is noticeable both in clear coats as well as in pigmented systems. RHEOBYK- can be added to the formulation before or after dispersion of the organophilic phyllosilicates or pyrogenic fumed silica whilst stirring. Recommended levels: 10-40 % additive (as supplied) based on the organophilic phyllosilicates or pyrogenic fumed silica. The above recommended levels can be used for orientation. Optimal levels are determined through a series of laboratory tests.
CLAYTONE-AF is a rheology additive in powder form based on an organophilic phyllosilicate for non-polar to medium-polarity systems to generate thixotropic flow behavior. Due to its special organic modification, CLAYTONE-AF is ideally suited to influencing the flow behavior of non-polar to medium-polarity coating systems. Using the additive produces thixotropic flow behavior, and therefore results in significant improvement to the anti-sagging properties while at the same time maintaining good leveling. This also optimizes storage stability, and prevents pigments and fillers from settling. The additive is incorporated while stirring, and is preferably dispersed in the mill base at high shear forces for at least 10 minutes. Alternatively, it can also be incorporated using a 10 % paste. The effect of CLAYTONE-AF can be increased by adding a booster or small quantities of a polar solvent or water. Recommended levels: 0.3-2 % additive (as supplied) based on the total formulation. The above recommended levels can be used for orientation. Optimal levels are determined through a series of laboratory tests.
To prevent application-related micro foam we recommend our BYK- ,-,-,-,- family. This family is highly effective in aqueous systems, especially in systems with airless or airmix application. It offers the coating outstanding protection against microfoam and does not impact the transparency or the gloss in high-gloss systems. The products can be used in both pigmented systems and clear coats. BYK- and BYK- are 100% products based on polyether-modified polydimethylsiloxane with hydrophobic solids. BYK- and BYK-, are emulsion defoamers based on a polyether-modified polydimethylsiloxane with hydrophobic solids. We recommend as an orientation 0.3-1 % additive (as supplied) based upon the total formulation. Sufficiently high shear forces must be applied during incorporation to ensure a good distribution of the defoamer and to prevent cratering.
BYK-014 shows an excellent defoaming performance in various dispersions such as acrylates or VAE´s (vinyl acetate ethylene). BYK-014 is emission-free and creates no fogging. It is recommended for aqueous interior and exterior dispersions in a PVC range from 30 to 85 and it is suitable for a wide pH range from 3 to 12. Being quite universal BYK-014 works equally well in plasters and adhesives. It has no negative influence on yellowing, color acceptance or odor. BYK-014 is highly economical and easy to incorporate.
For the development of VOC-compliant pigment concentrates we highly recommend the use of the DISPERBYK-,-,- family. Within this family there are no limits to the variety of pigments for color mixing systems when using waterbased and glycol containing pigment concentrates. Excellent colour acceptance, compatibility and colour strength developments in waterbased systems and high solid alkyds are successfully tested. DISPERBYK- is recommended to stabilize Titandioxid and effect pigments. DISPERBYK- is recommended to stabilize organic pigments. DISPERBYK- is recommended to stabilize inorganic pigments. We provide starting point formulation on our website.
DISPERBYK- is a VOC and solvent-free wetting and dispersing additive which consists 80% of renewable raw materials. The use of this additive increases the compatibility of the colour paste in non-polar systems and leads to an improved colour strength and pigment stabilization, without any negative influence on the coating properties. The wetting and dispersing additive can be added as post addition or directly to the grinding process. We recommend as a starting point a dosage of 0.3% - 1.0% additive in delivery form on the total formulation. DISPERBYK- has a broad compatibility and can combined with many other wetting and dispersing products.
DISPERBYK-108 is a solvent-free 100% product. The additive deflocculates pigments by steric stabilization. As a result of the small particle sizes of the deflocculated pigments, high levels of gloss can be achieved and the color strength is improved. Transparency and hiding power also increase and viscosity is reduced. The product can be used as a stand alone product or as a combination partner. Additive dosage as supplied based on pigment: Inorganic pigments: 3-5 % Titanium dioxides: 0.8-1.5 % Organic pigments: 5-8 % Carbon blacks: 8-10 %
BYK- is formulated based on polyamide particles and highly branched polymers and it is a widely used defoamer for aqueous systems. The additive is especially recommended for the production and application of emulsion paints and plasters in the PVC range of 30-85. BYK- is free of mineral oil and especially suitable for VOC-free systems. The product can be used in the pH range 3-12. BYK- can also be added after production process and shows a very good compatibility with a excellent spontaneous defoaming effect.
BYK- is a VOC- and APEO-free mineral oil defoamer for aqueous architectural coatings. The additive is especially recommended for use in the production and application of emulsion paints and plasters within a PVC range of 30-85. BYK- contains small quantities of a coating-compatible silicone, is APEO-free with excellent storage stability and no separation of the product itself. We recommend as an orientation 0.1-0.5 % additive (as supplied) based on the total formulation. Sufficiently high shear forces must be applied during incorporation to ensure a good distribution of the defoamer and to prevent cratering.
LAPONITE grades are highly recommended for this technology. We have particularly successfully tested LAPONITE S 482 and LAPONITE RDS in this application. LAPONITE RDS is a synthetic layered silicate incorporating an inorganic polyphosphate peptiser. It hydrates and swells in water to give clear and colourless colloidal dispersions of low viscosity known as sols. At 10 % concentration in water, these will remain free flowing for 24 hours. On addition of small quantities of electrolyte, highly thixotropic gels are formed rapidly. LAPONITE S 482 is a synthetic layered silicate modified with a patented dispersing agent. It hydrates and swells in water to give translucent and colourless colloidal liquid dispersions known as sols. At 25 % solids concentration in water, these will remain free flowing for up to 1 year. On addition of small quantities of electrolyte, or on addition to formulations containing e.g. resins, surfactants or pigments, highly thixotropic gels are formed rapidly. Our experts are happy to provide starting point formulations.
RHEOBYK-T VF and RHEOBYK-T VF are both associative polyurethane thickeners to generate newtonian flow behavior. Both products increase the viscosity in the high shear range with an extremely low impact in the low shear range. The additives are liquid and therefore easy to handle. It is not necessary to adjust the pH value or control the temperature during incorporation. Recommended levels: 1.0-4.0 % additive (as supplied) based upon the total formulation, depending on the properties of the formulation to be achieved. The above recommended levels can be used for orientation. Optimal levels are determined through a series of laboratory tests.
RHEOBYK- considerably increases the viscosity in the low shear range, stabilizes the viscosity when adding the colorant, and improves the color acceptance. Considerable anti-sagging in conjunction with a good leveling is achieved. The additive is liquid and, due to its composition, it is also very compatible with the systems, which makes it easy to incorporate and handle. The sagging tendency and the storage stability are improved. It is not necessary to adjust the pH value or control the temperature during incorporation. When combined with rheology additives, which are effective in the high shear range, it enables an optimum process ability. Recommended levels: 0.1-1.5 % additive (as supplied) based on the total formulation, depending on the properties of the formulation to be achieved. In exceptional cases, the dosage can be increased to 2 %. The above recommended levels can be used for orientation. Optimal levels are determined through a series of laboratory tests.
Our high shear thickeners, RHEOBYK-L VF, RHEOBYK-T VF and RHEOBYK-T VF reducing spattering during application. Greater layer thicknesses can be achieved along with an excellent balance between the flow properties and leveling. The additives are liquid and therefore easy to handle. It is not necessary to adjust the pH value or control the temperature during incorporation. When combined with rheology additives, which are effective in the low shear range, such as the RHEOBYK-H series, it enables an optimum process ability. Recommended levels: 1.0-4.0 % additive (as supplied) based upon the total formulation, depending on the properties of the formulation to be achieved. The above recommended levels can be used for orientation. Optimal levels are determined through a series of laboratory tests.
OPTIGEL-WX is a rheology additive based on an activated phyllosilicate for aqueous systems to generate thixotropic flow behavior with moderate impact on the mid shear range as well. It is recommended to grind the OPTIGEL-WX with the pigment to achieve the best results. Recommended levels: 0.3-2.0 % additive (as supplied) based upon the total formulation, depending on the properties of the formulation to be achieved. The above recommended levels can be used for orientation. Optimal levels are determined through a series of laboratory tests. Second option will be RHEOBYK- ES is a liquid rheology additive to generate thixotropic flow behavior without impact on the mid shear range to improve the anti-sagging and anti-settling properties. Addition under controlled stirring ensures optimum distribution and the best possible effectiveness and reproducibility in applications. The additive is also suitable for subsequently adjusting the viscosity by incorporating it as a post-additive. Recommended levels: 0.3-3.0 % additive (as supplied) based upon the total formulation, depending on the properties of the formulation to be achieved. The above recommended levels can be used for orientation. Optimal levels are determined through a series of laboratory tests. Both additives can be combined to achieve best results for storage stability and preventing syneresis and settling.
Our high shear thickeners, RHEOBYK-L VF, RHEOBYK-T VF and RHEOBYK-T VF increases the viscosity in the high-shear range with a low impact in the low-shear range. It improves process ability and greater layer thicknesses can be achieved along with an excellent balance between the flow properties and leveling. The additive are liquid and therefore easy to handle. It is not necessary to adjust the pH value or control the temperature during incorporation. Recommended levels: 1.0-4.0 % additive (as supplied) based upon the total formulation, depending on the properties of the formulation to be achieved. The above recommended levels can be used for orientation. Optimal levels are determined through a series of laboratory tests.
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