Polyaspartic Coatings from Bayer MaterialScience Demonstrate Productivity-Enhancing Rapid Cure and Long-Lasting Durability in Real-World Applications

Philadelphia, PA, November 22, 2013 --(PR.com)-- Building and construction professionals want coatings that protect substrates such as metal and concrete without a time-consuming drying process that delays fabrication schedules. Rapid-curing polyaspartic coatings using Bayer MaterialScience LLC raw materials provide increased productivity while maintaining high performance and offering long-lasting durability.

To demonstrate the performance of one-coat direct-to-metal and two-coat polyaspartic coatings, Bayer recently completed a white paper on three different applications – a museum, a highway bridge and a fleet of exterior hopper railcars.

In 2005, the National Museum of the Marine Corps was being constructed with a tight timeline and budget. Its centerpiece was a huge, soaring atrium skylight supported by steel beams. To keep to the rapid construction schedule and avoid the cost and difficulty of painting the beams after they are lifted into place, the beams were coated with a direct-to-metal polyaspartic system in the fabrication shop. The coating was selected because its fast cure led to productivity enhancements that made a more efficient steel coating process possible. The coating also provides good weatherability as well as light stability – even during direct sunlight exposure through the skylight. After eight years of service, a recent inspection revealed that the coating retains an excellent appearance with no fading or loss of gloss.

As another example, a field-applied two-coat polyaspartic coating was used to replace a traditional three-coat system on a bridge overpass along Interstate Highway 84 in Connecticut. After more than a decade of service, a recent inspection showed that the coating remains in excellent condition, with no plans for additional maintenance in the near future.

In another illustration, approximately 50 railroad cars were coated using a one-coat direct-to-metal polyaspartic formulation at 8 dry mils. Compared with a traditional coating, the polyaspartic coating formulation increased productivity and contributed to cost savings during the application. The polyaspartic coating also exhibited excellent corrosion resistance and weathering performance even after 11 years in the field.

These applications demonstrate the benefits of polyaspartic coatings, including:

· Excellent ultraviolet-, chemical-, and abrasion-resistance
· Low volatile organic compounds (VOC) demand
· Color stability

“Polyaspartic coating technology provides contractors with premium, yet cost-effective, formulations that offer rapid cure and quick return to service that can enhance productivity and help reduce labor costs,” said Todd Williams, corrosion manager, Coatings, Adhesives & Specialties, Bayer MaterialScience LLC.

Attendees at the Greenbuild International Conference and Expo visited Bayer’s booth (#2407) to learn more about the benefits of polyaspartic coatings for sustainable construction. As a global leader in the development and manufacture of advanced materials for industry, Bayer demonstrates leadership through advancement of health, safety and environmental awareness initiatives, and through development and adoption of best practices for the transportation, storage, handling and disposal of these materials.

About Bayer MaterialScience LLC:
Bayer MaterialScience LLC is one of the leading producers of high-performance plastics in North America and is part of the global Bayer MaterialScience business with approximately 14,500 employees at 30 production sites around the world and 2012 sales of 11.5 billion euros. The company manufactures high-tech polymer materials and develops innovative solutions for products used in many areas of daily life. The main segments served are the automotive, electrical and electronics, construction, medical, and sports and leisure industries. Sustainability is central to Bayer MaterialScience LLC’s business and is based around the key areas of innovation, product stewardship, social responsibility and respect for the environment.