WACKER will be presenting several silicone products and solutions at this year’s tradeshow. “South Africa is a sophisticated and growing market for paints and coating applications. We are working closely with our customers to develop improved formulations and to offer customized solutions in this evolving region“, says Dr. Sascha Klengel, Regional Business Manager for WACKER SILICONES in Middle East & Africa. “Our experts at our technical center in Johannesburg have already assisted many clients and helped them formulate suitable coating solutions for their customers”.
One of the highlights at this year‘s coatings show will be SILRES® BS 6920. The alpha-silane-terminated polyether cures on contact with moisture and has a very low viscosity. As a result, the binder penetrates deep into the pores of a cement-bound floor, filling the pores completely and forming a thin, shiny film on the surface. After the binder has cured, fluids containing water or oil are unable to enter the pores. The new binder therefore offers highly effective stain protection. Even substances that are left on the surface for some time – red wine, cola, coffee, mustard, ketchup and engine oil stains or tire marks – can be removed without any lasting stains.
Impregnating agents based on SILRES® BS 6920 are usually applied twice. The first coat strengthens the floor, the second produces a homogeneous surface that increases scratch and scrub resistance and makes the floor polishable. To accelerate curing, SILRES® BS 6920 is usually formulated with an aminofunctional silane that also ensures good adhesion to cement-bound substrates.
SILRES® BS 6920 offers formulators considerable flexibility. Its low viscosity makes solvent-free processing possible, although a solvent may be added if required. Formulators can use pigments, reinforcing fillers and matting agents to broadly vary the properties of their end products. These ready-to-use, one-part end products can be applied using a mop, roller or airless spray gun. Transparent formulations intensify the color of the substrate and accentuate the grain of the stone. The binder has a high flash point, so no special precautions need be taken.
Impregnating agents based on SILRES® BS 6920 are suitable for treating cement-bound floors in industrial, commercial and private residential buildings. Such flooring can be installed in parking garages, car repair shops, train stations and logistics centers, as well as in showrooms, restaurants, event and convention centers, and museums.
Anti-Graffiti Coatings
WACKER will also present its new anti-graffiti concentrate SILRES® BS 710. The one-part silicone rubber formulation cures to form a silicone elastomer at room temperature and upon exposure to moisture. The difference between SILRES® BS 710 and traditional silicone-based anti-graffiti coating compounds is its unique formulation concept, which completely eliminates the need for tin catalysts and oxime crosslinkers.
Coating materials made from SILRES® BS 710 can be sprayed onto surfaces or applied with a roller or brush. A single treatment is generally enough. Surfaces will be reliably protected from graffiti and posters after a curing time of one day. Furthermore, the silicone film is permeable to water vapor. Studies conducted on adhesive properties have shown that porous mineral substrates like concrete or bricks do not need to be primed prior to the application of a coating material made from SILRES® BS 710.
The cured silicone film is strongly abhesive, which means that other substances adhere either poorly to its surface or not at all. Graffiti can be easily removed from the surface, and stickers, posters or signs either fall off on their own or can be peeled off effortlessly. Cleaning the surface with cold water using a sponge or a pressure washer is all it takes to remove graffiti.
The cured film is elastic and resistant to any impact that weather or temperature could have under real circumstances. Thanks to its flexibility and good adhesion to the substrate, the film remains intact even during the processes of washing off graffiti or removing stickers. Typical applications of SILRES® BS 710 include anti-graffiti and poster release coatings for residential areas, schools, pedestrian underpasses, parking garages, train stations, freeway bridges and noise barriers.
Visit WACKER at Coatings for Africa 2018, booth B07.
