What is a glass flake coating?
Glass flake coatings, as the name implies, is paint with glass flake added. The flakes are only microns thick and make the coating much tougher than ordinary industrial paint.
The principle types of glass flake coatings are epoxy and vinyl ester.
Epoxy
Epoxies are hard, tough coatings with good chemical and solvent resistance.
Their main disadvantage is they chalk and discolour with UV radiation. This can be overcome by a polyurethane or acrylic epoxy topcoat.
Vinyl Ester
Vinyl ester coatings provide the ultimate in performance. The chemical resistance properites are better than epoxy. It also offers increased service temperature range.
Leighs Paints DuraGlass coatings are vinyl ester.
How does it work?
Glass flake particles form dense, inert barriers within the paint film. Overlapping layers of glass resist water and chemicals permeating the paint film.
The addition of glass also increases the flexibility, hardness and abrasion resistance of coatings.
Advantages
Some of the benefits include:
- High solids, low VOC
- Tough, flexible, abrasion resistant coatings
- Extensive track record includes: offshore, subsea, chemical tanks and process vessels
- Specifications up to 25 years to 1st major maintenance are achievable
- Chemical resistance to a wide range of cargos
- Specifications can be tailored to customers end requirements
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