Introduction
'Surface coatings' or otherwise just simply known as 'coatings', or even more simply 'paints', are ubiquitous across many aspects of everyday life. They are used in architectural, general industrial, household and automotive applications, to name but a few areas of application. It is the aim of this website to provide more information on the composition of coatings, with specific focus on the component that is generally termed the ‘The Binder’, ‘Resin’ or ‘Polymer’, that is the common ingredient in the majority of solvent based coating systems, and contributes significantly to the performance properties of the coating.
Audience
I have attempted to keep this website as broad as possible for a wide audience. Within the confines of the website is information that might be considered pertinent to:
- Home and building owners, who are interested in what to expect from the performance of the paints they are using.
- Architects and other coating specifiers, requiring the optimum finishes for their projects.
The more advanced topics might be beneficial to:
- People involved in the marketing and sales of resins and coatings.
- Students studying undergraduate chemistry or specialised courses in polymer science
- Paint Chemists requiring more in-depth knowledge of the binder components they are using.
The data on specific polymer types has been split into 2 major sections for each resin type:
- General: Suitable for casual readers and those and those who want a little more information on the selection of coating types.
- Chemistry: Suitable for university students, paint, and polymer chemists.
This website contains quite a sizeable amount of information on different resin types used in the coatings industry. I have attempted to keep a certain amount of the informations comprehensible to as broad an audience as possible, by limiting the chemistry of these polymers as much as possible except in those areas where the actual chemistry is unavoidable.
Please note that there is still a lot of information still to be added to this website so please regard it as a 'work in progress'. Additionally, there will be revisions on the contents of this website as the current contents are more or less 'off the top of my head' at present. In other words, if the contents are found beneficial, it might be worth while reopening the website on a weekly, or so, basis, to see what has been added and/or updated.
To gain more background into what the website comprises, and if further reading might be useful to the individual concerned, may I suggest that potentially interested viewers first read the Coatings section which provides a general synopsis of the various resins that are described on this website.
Please note that there are a number of fairly large tables within the website and the web pages are best viewed on larger screens as found in tablets, laptops and computer monitors.
Background
There are many types of coatings, each one designed for a specific reason. The overriding consideration being the purpose of the coating and why a coating is necessary in the first instance. Selecting a coating for a specific application depends on many variables, such as:
- Conditions: Indoor or Outdoor or both.
- Environment: Tropical, Subtropical, Temperate, Arid, Marine etc.
- Use: Decorative, Anti-corrosion, Conversion, Primer, Undercoat, or sometimes even a combination of these.
- Application method: Brush, Roller, Spray etc.
- Substrate: The ‘surface’ to which the coating will be applied (E.g. Cementitous, Metal, Plastic, Wood etc.).
The components of a coating vary depending on the use, for example:
- Pigments to provide aesthetic rendering.
- Anti-corrosion pigments to help prevent the corrosion of the underlying substrate.
- Extenders that can help to reduce the cost of the coating and help provide some opacity.
- Solvents to reduce the viscosity of the coating to suit the method of application of the coating.
- Additives to enhance performance, such as flow, gloss, adhesion etc
- The binder which forms the base for the above components and contributes a significant amount of the performance properties of the coating.
Disclaimer
uti in suo periculo: The information contained on this site is based on my own personal experience and knowledge, unless otherwise indicated. Whereas I have tried to ensure the accuracy of the information, it is provided 'as-is' without warranty or liability of any kind.