Waterborne Epoxy Curing Agent for Industrial Maintenance Introduced
Excellent Performance with Waterborne Chemistry
Reichhold has introduced a patented waterborne epoxy curing agent, EPOTUF® 37-685, for industrial maintenance applications providing the corrosion protection of solventborne coatings with waterborne chemistry.
Coatings based on this new curing agent and EPOTUF 37-143 epoxy resin aqueous dispersion perform well on metal substrates providing excellent corrosion resistance equivalent to many solventborne systems, but at lower VOC levels. Where other waterborne epoxy systems tend to exhibit blistering and/or delamination when exposed to moisture, EPOTUF 37-685 produces coatings with exceptional adhesion to steel.
Description
EPOTUF 37-685 is an amine-functional dispersion which can be used to formulate two-component, waterborne epoxy systems with properties comparable to conventional solvent-based, two-component epoxy coatings. Coatings based on EPOTUF 37-685 are used in direct-to-metal applications with low VOC (volatile organic compounds), good corrosion resistance, high hardness, good adhesion in humid conditions and good chemical resistance. EPOTUF 37-143 epoxy resin aqueous dispersion is recommended as the coating epoxy component for optimum performance.
Applications
EPOTUF 37-685 is designed for industrial maintenance or "field applied" applications where customers require solventborne epoxy performance, but need to meet ever tightening VOC regulations. Applications based on EPOTUF 37-685 include spray, brush or roll-applied coatings such as:
- Medium-Heavy Duty industrial maintenance primers
- Light-duty, direct-to-metal coatings
- Rail & transportation coatings
- Concrete sealers, primers & topcoats
End-use applications for these EPOTUF 37-685 based coatings may include industrial maintenance of storage tanks, pipes, steel structures, rail cars, railings, gratings, and stairways among others.
Features & Benefits
"EPOTUF 37-685 provides excellent solvent and corrosion resistance, equal to or better than many solventborne systems," explains Business Development Representative Tim Takas. "The fast drying times exhibited by coatings based on EPOTUF 37-685 allow for early return to service in the field," Takas continues. "Its stable performance over a four-hour pot life provides more user-friendly coatings that yield better job consistency and far less wasted paint."
"The adhesion to steel substrates of these coatings after exposure to humid conditions is far better than any water system I've seen in my twenty years developing and applying epoxy coatings," concluded Takas.
Meeting VOC Regulations
Primers based on EPOTUF 37-685 and EPOTUF 37-143 meet the new SCAQMD requirements in California by exhibiting VOC levels of 100 grams per liter or less. EPOTUF 37-685 can be used to produce both primers and topcoats that meet VOC limits anywhere in the United States.
Lower Applied Cost
"Another strong point of EPOTUF 37-685 is that it will allow end-users of coatings based upon this curing agent to apply thinner 'film builds' at low VOC," explains Reichhold Specialty Resins Business Manager Bob Gilliam. "The low application viscosity allows a coating DFT of 2.0 mils with good corrosion protection for light-medium duty applications and up to 8-10 mils for heavy duty applications. The lower film build can result in reduced applied cost for coatings based on this product."
"Reichhold customers who have formulated coatings using this product have enjoyed great success with it," Gilliam says, "gaining the best of both worlds in that they are getting solvent-like performance in a waterborne epoxy curing agent, something other suppliers have found difficult to deliver."
For more on Reichhold's coatings industry products, visit our website at www.Reichhold.com/Coatings.
