NEI Corporation Introduces Self‐Healing Anti‐Corrosion Coating for Zinc‐Plated and Galvanized Steel

July 19, 2012

Somerset, NJ – NEI Corporation introduced today a nanotechnology‐enabled, two‐layer coating that significantly improves the corrosion resistance of zinc‐plated and hot‐dip galvanized (HDG) steel. The NEI coating is a drop‐in replacement for trivalent chromium. The coating process consists of first applying NANOMYTE® PT‐100, a self‐healing conversion coating, followed by NANOMYTE® TC‐5001. The latter is a barrier coating, designed to work synergistically with PT‐100. Both PT‐100 and TC‐5001 are liquid coating formulations that are amenable to dip coating, brushing, and spray coating. The new NANOMYTE coating technology is designed to protect zinc‐plated and galvanized steel surfaces from rusting under severe environmental and operating conditions. In salt‐fog exposure experiments (ASTM B117), NANOMYTE‐coated, zinc‐plated steel panels showed no white rust after 840 hours; no red rust was observed even after 1200 hours. In contrast, non‐coated, zinc‐plated panels exhibited white rust in 24 hours and red rust after 168 hours in the salt‐fog chamber. Salt‐spray testing can be used in conjunction with field testing and online life predictors for coatings on HDG, as prescribed by the American Galvanizers Association (AGA).

The new technology is part of NEI’s efforts to develop corrosion resistant coating systems, including pretreatments, primers and topcoats that protect steel, aluminum and magnesium from corrosion. The coatings are economical, easy to use, and provide excellent corrosion resistance compared to state‐of‐the art offerings. “Our thin, double coat solution for zinc‐plated and HDG steel represents a significant advancement in the state‐of‐the‐art that could eliminate the need for using thicker primers and topcoats,” said Dr. Fred Allen, President of the Anticorrosion Coatings Division at NEI Corporation. “The market focused activities of NEI are a key to serving the needs of customers who require high‐performance anticorrosion coatings. Our goal is to engage customers as partners in developing new corrosion‐resistant coating products.”

About NEI Corporation 

Founded in 1997, NEI Corporation develops, manufactures, and distributes nanoscale materials for a broad range of industrial customers around the world. NEI’s products include advanced protective coatings, high performance battery electrode materials, and specialty nanoscale materials for diverse applications. NEI has created a strong foundation in the emerging field of nanotechnology that has enabled the company to become a leader in selected markets. The company headquarters is based in Somerset, NJ.

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NEI Corporation introduces coating that reduces surface preparation and increases service life of steel

April 4, 2012

Somerset, NJ – NEI Corporation announced today that it has completed development of NANOMYTE® PT‐20, a chromate‐free pretreatment that significantly improves the adhesion and corrosion resistance of painted steel and reduces the level of surface preparation (grit blasting). The environmentally friendly, waterborne pretreatment promotes adhesion between the metal substrate and overlying paint layer by acting as a “double‐sided bonding agent,” while at the same time improving corrosion resistance.

The new technology has value to applicators who paint metal structures, such as bridges, ships and other steel structures, by lowering the required level of surface preparation. It is also applicable to industrial painting operations such as coil and spray coating. A winning combination of immediate cost savings plus improved corrosion resistance results when applying the thin (1‐2 micron) coating.

NANOMYTE PT‐20 has been extensively tested at a major U.S. shipyard. In one test, steel panels were blasted to an SSPC SP‐10 (near white blast cleaning) and SP‐6 (commercial blast cleaning). The SP‐6 panel preparation took less than half the time of the SP‐10, and generated only a fraction of the powdery hazardous waste resulting from the blasting process. PT‐20 was then applied to the SP‐6 panels, but not the SP‐10 panels. All the panels were then painted with two coats (8 mils thick) of a US Navy specified epoxy primer (MIL‐PRF‐23236D) and subjected to salt spray testing (ASTM B117). After four weeks of testing, the SP‐6 panels with PT‐20 exhibited half of the scribe creep compared to the SP‐10 with no PT‐20. The test results demonstrate PT‐20’s value of a dual benefit in not only accommodating a lower level of surface preparation, but also improving corrosion resistance as well.

Another shipyard trial took place in which steel parts were blasted to SP‐10 and SP‐6, and PT‐20 was applied to the SP‐6 panels. The parts were painted with a full US Navy specified paint system consisting of two coats of epoxy primer, and one coat of a silicone alkyd topcoat. After only six months of outdoor exposure in a severe marine environment, the SP‐10 parts are showing rust, while the SP‐6 plus PT‐20 parts are rust free.

“Our chromate‐free pretreatment for steel represents a significant advancement in the state‐of‐the‐art for corrosion resistant technologies,” says Dr. Ganesh Skandan, CEO of NEI Corporation. He added, “Our goal is to engage customers as partners in implementing the NANOMYTE PT‐20 technology and in developing cost‐effective coating products tailored to specific, demanding requirements.” The development of the PT‐20 coating was funded by the US Navy Small Business Innovative Research Program.

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