FLOORED BY THE BENEFITS
Tushar Trivedi, Applications Manager at Incorez looks at why waterborne epoxy curing agents have become the go-to, user-friendly alternative to conventional epoxy systems.
Ideal for use in concrete primers and sealers, floor paints and whenever durable coatings and screeds are required, waterborne epoxy curing agents offer the specifier and applicator a wealth of benefits: from mechanical loading to fast application, low odour to low VOC, making them the optimum solution in a wide range of applications.
There are many perceived weaknesses of water-based curing agents and how they cannot achieve the same performance of solvent-based technology. From a technical perspective, two of the main challenges faced in the development of waterborne epoxy curing agents are achieving good chemical resistance and strength needed for many industrial applications. Whilst using the right materials will make it possible to achieve excellent hardness and durability, it's important to understand how to tailor the epoxy hardeners in the right way.
As long-standing water-based epoxy hardener manufacturers, Incorez has the technical understanding and expertise to be able to combat application issues whilst keeping the company’s products VOC-free. Intrinsic to this is the compatibility of the amine-epoxy components, and the company’s vast experience in this area allows it to develop hardeners with specific properties for application, such as a faster cure time or longer pot-life.
The problem with faster curing is that pot life reduces. The challenge is therefore to achieve faster curing with long pot life. This is akin to buying a Rolls Royce for the price of a Ford. The curing is dependent on the epoxy resin. By simply using a solid Bisphenol-A epoxy emulsion it is possible to achieve faster curing. For the installer, fast-cure coatings ensure floor systems can be installed within a shorter time frame, minimising downtime and enabling a faster return-to-service.
32 | FLOOR SEALS & FINISHES
One of the principal challenges in terms of installation is moisture in the substrate which can lead to blistering and poor visual qualities of the coating. Before an application, the recommendation is to check and make sure that the substrate moisture is <4%.
Another issue is yellowing upon UV exposure, but this can occur with any epoxy system, whether water or solvent based. Yellowing is difficult to repair and in most cases the floor area will need to be completely recoated. This is combated by overcoating with an aliphatic polyurethane system, which will help retain the epoxy floor’s colour and aesthetics.
ENVIRONMENTAL CRITERIA There is now a greater understanding of the increasingly stringent regulations limiting emissions from flooring systems, which is one of the reasons why Incorez hardeners are completely VOC-free. The absence of solvents and volatiles in these hardeners means they can be used in sensitive application areas such as hospitals, schools and offices where there are strict odour and regulatory constraints. Products that meet or exceed standards for low VOC emissions contribute to healthier indoor air quality and reduced impact on building occupants and the environment.
With physical characteristics such as excellent abrasion and impact resistance, together with high chemical, water and solvent resistance, waterborne epoxy curing agents are the ideal solution for decorative and industrial floor coatings. In an industry where contractors are faced with continuing time and cost pressures, they have become a commercially important technology and are gaining wide acceptance as an environmentally friendly alternative to solvent-based epoxy systems.
www.incorez.com
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