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Paul Oman, MS, MBA - Progressive Epoxy Polymers, Inc.
Member: NACE (National Assoc. of Corrosion Engineers), SSPC (Soc. of Protective Coatings), Dept of Defense Corrosion Exchange (www.dodcorrosionexchange.org)
"Professionals helping Professionals"
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Aluminum Filled Urethane Topcoat/Primer (classification: metallic coating)
A moisture cured urethane, aluminum flake filled, that non-epoxy was specifically formulated as a primer over less-than
perfectly prepared surfaces. Use in temperatures down to 40 degrees F. However, this coating often ends up as an
aluminum colored topcoat. We're impressed with the ‘fresh galvanized' look it gives back to boat trailers. Also
makes aluminum masts and booms look new. Gives engines and other mechanical equipment that dealer fresh look (or
primed and ready to repaint status). On smooth surfaces it has a 'flat' galvanized look. On rough surfaces it has
a shiny silvery look. Unique penetrating urethane chemistry seals and covers rust, keeps it from ‘rusting back
through.' We know this is a great product - we can't get it off your hands even after days of normal washing and
wear. The real aluminum flakes can handle temperatures of several hundred degrees (and resists burning better than
regular paint). Used industrially on large metal tanks, bridges, and piping with or without topcoating. A truly
unique primer AND/OR attractive metallic topcoat. Because of their
amazing bonding, commercial painting contractors use moisture cured urethanes on surfaces that they cannot prep
as well as they would like to. You should too! One quart units cover
up to 100 square feet (about 75 square feet on rough surfaces and 100 on smooth).
It is recommended to sand if topcoating and it has been over 16-24 hours since the application of the aluthane
(although personally, I don't).
My favorite uses: makes boat trailers look showroom fresh! Bonds to wooden porches and RR ties like nothing I have
ever seen.
When restoring/repairing old boats this is my favorite product. I put it on over the old wood or fiberglass after I've done a first pass fix on the serious problems. It goes on quickly and easily and without drips or sags, common with epoxy primers. With the hull now a uniform silver color I can easily see spots that need more work or sanding. The aluthane sands well and quickly. It becomes darker when sanded. With sanding imperfections really stand out.
It dries quicker than epoxies and I can use it in winter at 40 degrees (maybe) less without problems (unlike epoxies).
Will withstand temps of over 300 degrees F.
Note: latex paints don't go
over aluthane nicely (like latex over oil based paints). Solvent based coatings (urethanes, enamels etc.) do cover
aluthane nicely.
This product is officially considered a "metallic coating." This is good news because such coatings have
higher VOC acceptable levels than all other coatings (see www.epoxyproducts.com/voc.html) Some of the nice properties
of this product are a result of those solvents and can no longer be found in non metallic coatings. As a metallic
coating this product can even be sold in all parts of California. Without the aluminum filler, this product could
not be sold in the USA at all (too much solvent). Products like Aluthane are both unique and becoming rare in the
USA. This could well be a new 'coating' experience for many of you!
STORAGE - cures with moisture from the air, so an open can will thicken and harden within a few days. Trick to
long storage is to squirt in an inert gas into the opened can (I use my shop propane torch). Then s sheet of plastic
wrap between the lid and the can rim - or you will not be able to remove the lid next time you attempt to open
the can!
Can also be used as a thin, hard/durable (harder than epoxy)
1 part cement floor coating. See
our b_floor.html catalog page.
TESTING RESULTS: I coated an Armstong brand commercial floor tile
(12 inch by 12 inch), as well as a piece of plywood, with one coat of Aluthane and submerged it in a freshwater
pond for 5 months. Both samples were perfectly intact (no peeling, bistering, softening, etc. at the end on the
test. While urethanes are generally not considered suitable for immersion applications, this product appears to
work fine underwater We cannot officially warranty it for immersion, but I personally now feel comfortable enough
that I would use it on a dinghy boat bottom, boat mooring, submerged pump, etc.
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I've found it also makes a great primer and sealer under latex or enamel (an alternative to a solvent thinned epoxy
primer) - although because of its medium dark color it may take 2 coats to cover.
aluthane being applied to boat hoist
Aluthane on an old mower deck
read about the 2007 Aluthane™ coating of Thunder Bridge
- About 5500 sf and 18 gallons of Aluthane™ -
http://www.chichesternh.org/Public_Documents/ChichesterNH_Historical/HistSoc/ThunderBridge
Before and after aluthane shots
(works just as well on old boat trailers too!)
Knowledge is Power - We like informed consumers!
Learn the basics of epoxy at our educational EPOXY 101 page - Click Here.
Finally, email us back with your questions or comments before you buy - EMAIL HERE
More Tech Info:
Millions of dollars are spent each year on the maintenance of painted
steel in this nation. To reduce such costs, the use of climate-tolerant, durable coatings has become essential
to ensure extended painting seasons and coating lives.
Moisture Cure Urethane Aluminum Primer / Finish Product Description
Progressive Epoxy Polymers Moisture Cure Urethane Aluminum Primer / Finish (Aluthane™) is a single package High
Performance Coating designed to give you unsurpassed performance over hand tool cleaned, marginally prepared surfaces.
Moisture Cure Urethane Aluminum Primer / Finish Product Features
For all types of surfaces, steel, weathered galvanized steel, aluminum, select plastic substrates, wood, concrete,
Fast recoat 1 - 2 hours
Cures down to 18 Degrees F.
Excellent wetting over sound rusty steel
High Heat up to 400 Degrees F
Single Package, easy to use
May be top-coated with most coatings
Excellent barrier coat for Epoxies and Polyurethane Coatings
Background
Moisture-cured urethanes were designed to protect steel from corrosion. Progressive Epoxy Polymers urethane aluminum
formulations originated in Germany and were brought to this country in the 1970s.
These coating systems are known for their adhesion to steel and good abrasion resistance. This coating material
consists of a single resin component that forms cross-linking polymers through a reaction with moisture from the
air.
Progressive Epoxy Polymers urethanes offer convenient application properties. It come in single packages and has
longer shelf and pot lives than most other coatings. In addition, these fast top-coaters have low-temperature and
high-humidity application properties.
Performs as a primer
As primers, Progressive Epoxy Polymers moisture-cured polyurethanes are pigmented with aluminum.
Aluminum pigments provide high resistance to water vapor transmission and gas and ion penetration.
During application, the pigments in moisture-cured urethanes align themselves more or less parallel to the substrate
in closely packed layers. After the coating has cured, the overlapping pigment particles form a dense barrier against
moisture and other corrosion promoters.
The pigment layers also reinforce the coating, relieve stresses within the paint film and improve intercoat adhesion.
Alignment of the pigments, combined with the reaction of the isocyanate group with crystalline bonded water in
rust, allow moisture-cured polyurethanes to offer enhanced corrosion resistance and strong adhesion, even to less
than ideally prepared substrates.
Minimal surface preparation
One of the major advantages of moisture-cured polyurethanes is that they can be applied to steel substrates with
less surface preparation.
Abrasive blasting to white metal is without question the best method of surface preparation, but is also the most
expensive. Most often, power-tool cleaning is all that is required for these types of urethanes.
In comparison to abrasive blasting, the amount of waste generated by power-tool cleaning is dramatically reduced,
as is the expense of shrouding the structure and cost of waste disposal.
Excellent chemical resistance
In addition to impressive physical characteristics, moisture-cured polyurethanes offer excellent chemical resistance.
Contact with liquid hydrocarbons such as xylene, gasoline and mineral spirits have little effect on properly formulated
moisture-cured coatings.
Oxygenated solvents such as ketones, esters and alcohols can soften the coatings in immersion, but the films can
quickly recover once the solvent is removed. Many of the systems on the market today are suitable for long-term
exposure to splash and spillage of these solvents.
Aluthane as a primer under a VERY HIGH END FINISH - (user notes)
Mon, 24 Nov 2003 18:42:56 -0800
From: Cal <cal-@epud.com>
"The brush marks from the brush application of the Aluthane put me off and I had to cover them before the Aluthane got to maximum hardness. The job is done now, and a nice finish, but I have a few observations for top coating to a glossy finish that I would like to share. I did my bench top a month ago, and it is different by a LOT from the boat coating I saw happening.
The Aluthane needs to be rolled on, and not brushed to flatten out well. I used a phenolic core 9 " by 1/4 " nap foam roller, 3/16" would be even better for a lot less texture than the brush streaks that were left. A good smooth roll down my bench top (or hull) faired everything in well.
Let it set until it can be over coated, and now I think for a top coat it MUST be over coated with clear to look the best. For top coating the Aluthane, the desired result is to have the clear finish help smooth out any remaining roller texture. Since there is no pigment, it is much easier to carefully polish the clear coat smoother, and leave a satin or semi gloss finish without smearing or scratching the base coat. Some tests show that a very slight "orange peel" textute is actually faster, as it disturbs the water barrier layer just next to the hull, and holds air under the hull at speed. Sounds good, saves work!!
My "test" work bench is now the bulletproof finish that you talked to me about. Thanks for the good stuff!
I will order more epoxy today.
Best wishes for Thanksgiving, and Christmas -- Cal
"I just wanted to tell you again how thrilled we are
with the aluthane paint.
I had about 1/2 gallon left in the original can from painting the boat house steel framing, I'd put a couple layers
of waxed paper between the lid and the can and sealed it as tight as I could... it worked, some of the paint settled
to the bottom, but it all remixed just fine. We used it to do some touch up painting and paint a new beam I had
to weld in to make the boat lift work. While we had the paint out, my wife looked at the abused old pontoon boat
sitting there, and before I knew it, she had painted the front of the pontoon aluminum sheet metal "siding"
with the aluthane. It looks amazing! basically no prep, and applied with a cheap disposable brush, it appears to
have been sprayed on, shows the grain of the siding beautifully, and just looks great!
We put the remainder of leftover paint into canning jars with little or no air above them, hopefully it will keep
that way for some time... I have a feeling we'll be painting all the pontoon siding at some point in the future!"
In reference to the "blisters / bubbles / pinholes" in the coating film of the moisture cure aluminum,
there are two basic reason for this occurrence.
1. Moisture on the surface or Dew* that will react with the coating to cause this occurrence. Since this is a "moisture
cure" product the presence of actual water not just humidity / water in the air, can cause the product to
bubble / blister. It is important to watch the Dew Point* during all coating applications.
2. Excessive film build, over 3 - 5 mils can cause the CO2 that escapes during the crosslinking / cure of the product
to become trapped in the film and create bubbles / blisters as it escapes during the initial curing of the film.
Dew*
Moisture that has condensed on objects near the ground, whose temperatures have fallen below the dew point temperature.
Dew Point*
(Abbrev. DWPT) - A measure of atmospheric moisture. It is the temperature to which air must be cooled in order
to reach saturation (assuming air pressure and moisture content are constant). A higher dew point indicates more
moisture present in the air. It is sometimes referred to as Dew Point Temperature, and sometimes written as one
word (Dewpoint).
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