Ask Anything
In this section, you can find answers to some frequently asked questions. If your question is not listed here, please click “Ask a Question.”
FAQ
Ships and Anti-Corrosion Coatings
Can you recommend an additive to stabilize zinc powder in solvent-based systems—one that both prevents the zinc powder from agglomerating and ensures good electrical contact?
Application:Ships and Anti-Corrosion Coatings
Reply: To ensure uniform dispersion, we recommend adding 0.5% of Tech-598, Tech-5011, or Tech-5076 based on the total formulation. None of these additives have a negative impact on salt spray resistance, and they perform well in gas evolution tests with zinc powder.
We are developing various epoxy topcoats for ballast water tanks and coatings. Do you have any additives that can improve cleanability or reduce fouling?
Application:Ships and Anti-Corrosion Coatings
Reply: We recommend Tech-2310, Tech-2320, or Tech-2340, which are silicone molecules containing epoxy groups. Because they contain epoxy groups, they can be incorporated into coatings to produce a permanent effect that positively impacts both ease of cleaning and stain resistance.
We are looking for an additive that can prevent sagging in epoxy heavy-duty anti-corrosion coatings.
Application:Ships and Anti-Corrosion Coatings
Reply: In medium- and high-polarity systems, Tech-9030—a polyamide powder that provides anti-sag properties—and Tech-9020 polyamide wax paste offer distinct thixotropic flow characteristics, pseudoplastic flow behavior, and rapid viscosity recovery after use, thereby providing excellent anti-sag performance. Tech-9020 has already been activated and does not require a temperature-controlled activation step.
We are developing a 2K water-based epoxy coating, and we are currently seeing pinholes on the paint film surface in our lab. Do you have any suggestions? What type of surface additive should we use?
Application:Ships and Anti-Corrosion Coatings
Reply: The main cause of pinholes is the presence of air bubbles, so it is necessary to select an appropriate defoamer to resolve this issue. We recommend the following tried-and-true method: Start by using Tech-3901 and Tech-38101 to test defoaming and pinholes. To extend the open time, adding 0.5–1.0% of the surface-active agent Tech-2849N will also improve substrate wetting.
I need to disperse a high concentration of fumed silica into liquid epoxy resin to thicken the resin and stabilize its viscosity as a rheological additive, while ensuring it retains good flow properti
Application:Ships and Anti-Corrosion Coatings
Reply: Tech-5103 is a dispersant for silica. This product imparts good flowability to the system, and its strong viscosity-reducing properties allow for the addition of more fumed silica to the system.
I am developing a high-solids epoxy system and have encountered the following problem: the viscosity is very high, but the pigments and fillers tend to settle. What can I do?
Application:Ships and Anti-Corrosion Coatings
Reply:
To improve flow, we recommend using the viscosity-reducing wetting and dispersing agents Tech-598 or Tech-5108 in anti-corrosion coatings. Typical recommended dosage: TiO₂ 2% SOP (additive solids based on pigment), inorganic pigments 5% SOP, and fillers 0.5% SOP. To prevent settling, we recommend Tech-9030 or Tech-9020, with an initial addition of 0.5% based on Component A. These rheological additives exhibit excellent shear-thinning properties.
We are developing a two-component polyurethane coating, and the cured coating exhibits mottling and color unevenness. This problem is more severe when the coating is dark blue, gray, or green. Do you
Application:Ships and Anti-Corrosion Coatings
Reply:
Organic pigments such as phthalocyanine blue, phthalocyanine green, and carbon black are among the most difficult to wet, disperse, and stabilize; a key factor is using the correct wetting and dispersing agent to aid in stabilization. If a co-grinding process is used, a single additive should be capable of stabilizing all pigments and fillers; we recommend using Tech-5541 Super Dispersant. If color floating does not meet expectations, an additional 0.5% of Tech-504S anti-floating additive may be added. For phthalocyanine blue and green, a pigment synergist is also required; we recommend Tech-5550, a synergist at 3–5% based on the pigment weight. The synergist should be added before the grinding stage to be effective.
I am developing a solvent-free epoxy using TiO₂ as the pigment. After curing, I noticed a significant loss of hiding power. The TiO₂ is already well dispersed in the epoxy—it disperses even better in
Application:Ships and Anti-Corrosion Coatings
Reply:
This problem is primarily caused by flocculation of titanium dioxide. Even though the titanium dioxide appears to be fairly well dispersed in the ground slurry, selecting the correct additives and dosages is crucial to prevent this phenomenon. During the grinding of the pigment, you can try adding Tech-598 to the epoxy component at a dosage of 2% additive solids by weight relative to the titanium dioxide.
