Nippon Marine Paint Colour Card July 13, 2008
Posted by admin in : Colour Chart, Marine Paints , add a comment
(click picture for Colour Card)
The Nippon Marine Coating Colour Card has been uploaded. The standard colours use the BS (British Standards) system. The Technical Datasheet and the MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) for the topcoat are already available here.
Jotun Epoxy Paint (Penguard Topcoat) June 19, 2008
Posted by admin in : Marine Paints, Recommendations , add a commentI’ve been asked on many occasions to recommend good epoxy paints for concrete floors. I can name a few from past projects, such as Ameron’s
Amerlock 400, Berger,s Epilux 218 and Nippon’s Copon EA4. I have added another to my range. I do that when a product solves a problem I have. For Amerlock, it was its surface-tolerance. For Epilux 218, it was its sheen. For Copon EA4, it was its stock availability. Jotun Penguard Topcoat qualifies for its performance and colour. I’ve seen completed projects and results are usually quite good. Also, most colours in the RAL range, the BS range and the NCS range can be produced. For the uninitiated, that’s easily a thousand colours.
Jotun Penguard is a two-pack epoxy topcoat based on a polyamide-cured epoxy resin. In other words, it is an epoxy base with a polyamide curing agent. Epoxies are heavy-duty coatings and are much more lasting than conventional coatings such as alkyd paints. When fully cured, which takes about 3 days for this product at 35 degress Celsius, it is very hard and tough. It is resistant to water, chemicals, oils and many types of solvents.
Some Technical Details
Penguard has a volume solid of 50%, DFT of 50 microns when dry and 100 microns when wet, a theoretical coverage of 10sq m per litre, dries in 4 hours at 35 degrees Celsius and can be re-coated after 3 hours. Like I mentioned earlier, it only becomes fully cured after 3 days. Pot life is 8 hours at 23 degrees. I suppose it gets reduced to about 1 - 2 hours at 35 degrees. It is a good practice to always do the mixing of any 2-pack products in a very cool place so as to prolong the pot life. Remember never to mix more than you can paint on. Once mixed, 2-pack products cannot be kept longer than the pot life.
Priming
On concrete flooring, besides the standard surface preparation, I would recommend priming with Jotun Penguard Primer. The primer is white in colour and can be top-coated in 2 hours (assuming 35 degress Celsius and good ventilation).
Colours
Penguard Topcoat is available in its standard 40 colours (see colour card here), and can also be tinted to over a thousand colours from the BS, RAL or the NCS range. Some colours, especially the dark ones, cannot be reproduced. So, please check first. Price Depending on whether it is a standard colour or a premium colour, the price ranges from $60 - $80 per 5-litre set (this consists of a 4-litre base and a 1-litre curing agent)
Let us talk about Natural Color System or NCS next time we meet….
Fluorescent paint vs Luminous paint June 1, 2008
Posted by admin in : Marine Paints, Painting Tips , 2comments
There is a general misunderstanding with the terms fluorescent paint (not to mention the common misspelling of the word) and luminous paint. Most people when asking for or referring to luminous paint actually mean paint that glow in the dark. Fluorescent paint does not glow in the dark. It requires light to glow. Paint that glow in the dark are actually phosphorescent paint. Let me offer my view of the terminology. Luminous paint is a grouping of paint that basically "glow", regardless whether they do it in the light or in the dark or by themselves. Within this group of paint are the fluorescent paint (glow-in-the-light), the phosphorescent paint (glow-in-the-dark), and the radioluminescent paint (radioactive, self-glowing). Fluorescent paints are widely used in industries for purpose of marking. In some countries, these are also known as UV Fluorescent Paint or Blacklight Paint. Under UV or blacklight, the sensitive pigments embedded in the fluorescent paint absorbs the UV light and emits off visible light, thus causing the "glow". This paint is available in 1-litre and 5-litre pack sizes and comes in a handful of colours, the most common of which are yellow, green, orange and red. In my line, I’ve seen practical applications in road-marking, in safety signages, and in marine buoy markings. Fluorescent paint can either be water-based or solvent-based. Phosphorescent paints are also used for markings and signages. However, one increasingly popular application is in novelty items. Toys and wall-coverings coated with the paint or have materials mixed with phosphorescent powder make very eye-catching gift items. Have you come across soft rubber cut-outs of shapes of planets and stars glued on ceilings of children’s room? They glow when the lights are off and give children their first taste of star-gazing. These are materials that contain phosphorescent pigments such as zinc sulfide or strontium. Though these pigments or paints glow in the dark, they actually have to be "charged" with light. The pigments in the paint absorbs the light and when the lights are off, slowly emits light. Phosphorescent paint are not easily available locally. I used to have a few cans in stock but they had rather limited shelf-life. They hardened after about 6 months even though they were not opened. They were promptly discarded. Radioluminescent paints were used in the past on clocks, watches, compass, toys, fish baits, weapon aiming site etc. Due to its radioactivity, its application is presently rather limited. I have not come across radioluminescent paint in Singapore. I’m also not aware if this stuff can be brought in in your usual Fedex packing. Certain certification would probably be required. Of the 3 types of luminous paint, the most common here must be blacklight paint or fluorescent paint. However, the fluorescent product we are most familiar with is not the paint, but the pen - the common highlighter!
Heat Resistant Paint February 18, 2008
Posted by admin in : Marine Paints, Recommendations , 2commentsIn the week before my long holiday, I received 4 enquiries for heat resistant paints. 2 of the enquires are from the marine industry, 1 from offshore, and the last is a motor-cycle enthusiast. Of the 4, only the motor-cycle enthusiast had requirements for more colours. Unfortunately, colours are quite limited for heat resistant paint. The colours generally available are silver/ aluminium (most common), black and red.
Heat resistant paint can come in normal paint cans as well as in aerosol spray cans. Hobbyist generally prefer the latter but a can of 300cc - 400cc does not cover much area for industrial usage. Heat resistance can range from as low as 180 degree Celsius (356 degree Fahrenheit) to as high as 600 degree Celsius (1112 degree Fahrenheit). (online conversion resource : www.onlineconversion.com/temperature.htm) One product popular with some of my customers in Brunei and Indonesia is "Red Hot Aluminium Paint".
Red Hot Aluminium Paint is a product of Sheffield Bronze Paint Corp from Ohio, USA. It is available, as the name suggests, only in aluminium colour. As for its heat resistance, it boasts ability to withstand 1600 degree Fahrenheit (871 degree Celsius), much higher than most others. While I’ve not tested its ability to withstand that kind of heat, feedbacks from customers have been positive. Also, I’ve several repeat sales to a few of my export customers. Only gripe is its pack size of 1 US Gallon, which is too small for bigger projects. Currently retails for SGD$65.00.
What is AntiFouling Paint ? July 21, 2007
Posted by admin in : Antifouling, Marine Paints , add a commentAntifouling paints are paints that we apply on the underwater hulls of ships and boats. As the name suggests, it prevents fouling of the hull of the vessel. Antifouling paints come in various colours and types. Price can range from $6 per litre to over $120 per litre.
Before we go deeper into antifouling paints, let us first discuss a bit about ‘fouling’ and why it is critical to apply antifouling paints.. Where does fouling occur? Fouling in our context occurs on the underwater surfaces of marine vessels (ships, boats etc), buoys, offshore structures and any other submerged objects. Fouling can occur in both salt water and fresh water. What is fouling? Fouling is the settlement of marine organisms on the surfaces mentioned above. The marine organism can either be of plant origin such as algae and weeds, or can be of animal origin such as barnacles and tubeworms. However, the first resident in a fouling process is usually slime. Slime is a viscous and syrupy bacteriological layer consisting of billions of single-celled organism. Once this layer is allowed to establish, the surface becomes more conducive for other bigger organisms to anchor themselves. Effects of Fouling Damage Fouling causes damage to the structure. For wooden or fiberglass boats, severe fouling can cause irreparable damage to the underwater hull and can ultimately cause leakage and collapse of the hull Danger Fouling reduces the responsiveness of the vessel. This may be critical in harsh storm conditions where changing of direction speedily is extremely important in preventing capsize of the craft.
Fouling also weighs on the vessel, making it sit lower than usual. Drag Fouling causes drag which in turns reduces speed and increases fuel consumption. For oceangoing liners, this increased in fuel consumption can be very significant. When does fouling occur? Fouling occurs the moment the structure or vessel is submerged. Fouling generally happens when the structure is stationary. Since most boats remain static for 90% of their time in the water, underwater hulls make perfect feeding and breeding ground for fouling organisms. Certain marine organism such as goose barnacles can attach and grow even when the vessel is sailing.
Anti-Fouling Paints Antifouling paints have been developed specifically to combat this problem. Any vessel owner would know that fouling can be a very big problem, so much so that anti-fouling painting is the most common painting job carried out. Antifouling paints function by slowly releasing toxins into the lamellar sublayer of the vessel, protecting and preventing settlements of fouling organisms. Generally, the type of toxins used and the way these toxins are released differentiates the various classes of antifouling paints. The most common types of toxins used in antifouling paints are copper and TBT (tributyltin) or a combination of the two. Of the 2, TBT is found to be more effective. TBT antifoulings based on the co-polymer technology allows the controlled released of the toxin into the surface of the hull. This type of antifouling paint is commonly known as the TBT antifoulings (SPC). Its effectiveness in preventing growth under many varied marine conditions made it the antifouling of choice for many years. It also lasts a lot longer than copper-based antifoulings. A full system can last up to 5 years, compared to the 12 -18 months that one can get from a copper-based system. TBT-based antifoulings can also be used on aluminium hulls, where copper cannot be used. However, more than 15 years ago, the negative effect of TBT on the environment became a matter of great concern. Worst felt were species of shellfish and whelk, among others. 
In 2001, the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) called for a ban of sales and application of TBT-based antifoulings by January 2003. At the same time, the IMO also called for the total prohibition on hulls after January 2008. This means that ships could no longer be coated with TBT-based antifoulings after January 2003 and those vessels coated with it has up to January 2008 to have them removed. When the treaty comes into force next year, all vessel owners or captains must carry signed declaration that the hull is compliant. With the ban on TBT, copper has again become the toxin of choice. Research and development meanwhile has also led to newer forms of antifouling paints. International Paint has Teflon in some of their antifouling paints. Teflon has a coefficient of friction that is lower than ice and is the most slippery material in existence. It is this smoothness that reduces settlement of organisms. Other areas of research look into using organic or herbicidal compounds to counter fouling. All these research require a lot of time and money. It will be a long way more before a replacement can be found for copper.
We’ll talk about a few specific examples in future posts. Meanwhile, the following link will introduce 2 TBT-free antifouling products from International Paints. http://www.yachtpaint.com/superyacht/sy/pdf/TBT_Ban_Info.pdf
