Chemical Engineering December 2014 - 24

Newsfront
Source: Tnemec
ditional products. Another example
is in deep-sea oil drilling where, as
the oil-and-gas industry is forced
to dig deeper, the environment becomes
more harsh. " They need coatings
that perform better under these
new conditions, " says Jones.
As an ingredient supplier to the
protective coatings industry, he
says, it was SiVance's job to determine
what was causing failure
under new operating conditions and
adjust the chemistry accordingly to
avoid those failures. The company
started by examining the issues exhibited
by structural coatings.
" We are a silicones producer and
we realized that many of the protective
coatings for structural applications
were epoxy-based because
epoxy provides excellent adhesion
and corrosion resistance at a low
cost. However, silicones are outstanding
for weatherability, flexibility
and thermal stability, which are
needed to increase the durability
of protective coatings used in these
applications. We decided to combine
the best of both worlds and devised
a silicone material that coatings
producers could easily formulate
into their existing epoxy system, "
says Jones. " What we developed allows
them to create an epoxy that
acts a bit like a silicone to give their
coatings a boost in the properties
that can help increase durability. "
The first product introduced by
SiVance was its C1008 (Figure 1),
a silicone curative that improves
the durable flexibility of epoxy
polysiloxane protective topcoats in
marine and infrastructure applications,
without sacrificing weatherability.
The curative solves a major
challenge common to epoxy polysiloxanes:
brittleness and cracking
that can develop over time as the
coating continues to cure.
The curative is designed for use in
coatings applied to piping, bridges,
wind turbines, offshore platforms,
tank exteriors, structural steel and
heavy equipment. It uses a proprietary
molecular structure that provides
enhanced compatibility in epoxy
systems. The product is fully miscible
with hydrogenated bisphenol-A-epoxy
resins. The compatibility of C1008 in
other epoxy resins is possible with the
Figure 2. Series 391 Tank Armor from Tnemec is a chemical-resistant formulation
for use in severe chemical-immersion environments
use of solvents or reactive diluents.
Jones says the company is preparing
to launch a second product that
will provide more compatibility with
the epoxy coatings most commonly
used in the oil-and-gas industry
where the need for higher-performing
coatings continues to grow due to the
challenges presented by hydraulic
fracturing and deep-sea oil drilling.
Good for the environment
Formulators are also faced with
the challenge of providing more durable
protective coatings for today's
oil-and-gas industry that are more
environmentally friendly, says Gary
Zinn, director of sales - industrial
markets, with Tnemec Co. (Kansas
City, Mo.; www.tnemec.com). " In the
past, a lot of the tank-lining materials
contained solvents and VOCs.
Today's technology needs to be 100%
solids with little to no VOCs or solvents,
yet still provide excellent
transfer, high-build characteristics
and protection from today's heavier
and higher-sulfur-content crude. "
In response, Tnemec, introduced
a 100% solids epoxy liner for use in
transport tanks containing chemical
blends or acids used in hydraulic
fracturing (Figure 2). Series 391
Tank Armor is a chemical-resistant
formulation for use in severe chemical-immersion
environments. " Series
391 Tank Armor meets the requirements
of customers in the oil and
24 ChemiCal engineering www.Chemengonline.Com DeCemBer 2014
gas service industries, such as rapid
return to service, one-coat application,
fast-cure, high-build capabilities,
ease of application and physical
properties for long-term durability, "
says Zinn. " It also offers excellent
corrosion protection against hydrochloric
acid and selected chemical
combinations, along with toluene
and xylene blends, which may also
be used for well-service treatment. "
Environmental friendliness isn't
just a trend in the oil-and-gas industry.
It is a requirement in almost
every industry, and, as laws and
regulations become more stringent,
the protective coatings industry
is responding to these needs with
kinder, gentler products and application
processes.
One such development is the CoCure
coating process from Henkel
Corp. (Rocky Hill, Conn.; www.
henkelna.com). This unique process
reduces the environmental impact
because it layers Henkel's coatings
with a topcoat and " co-cures " them
together in a single oven, which
reduces energy consumption and
waste-treatment costs.
" The chemistry in the first layer
allows us to dehydrate the coating
without having the need to fully cure
it at high temperatures for long durations, "
explains Omar Abu-Shanab,
technical director with Henkel. " The
second layer is applied and both layers
are Co-Cured and chemically
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Chemical Engineering December 2014

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