Understanding Polyurea Coatings
Polyurea spray is one of the most popular flooring types today. It is made of polyurethane foam that is sprayed onto concrete, metal, or wood surfaces. This spray can harden into a smooth layer on any surface by an electrochemical reaction between the polyurethane foam and a hardener called Xylan-Dry Film Lubricant. The polyurea coating hardens into a smooth layer that is highly resistant to abrasion, wear, and tear, is water, oil, and powder resistant, and that is UV resistant.
Polyurea coating provides high-quality polyurea coating, which is created by a chemiluminescent reaction between a binder and one or more resin components. These coatings are high-performance and serve a multitude of applications from flooring to garage floors, roofs, road surfaces, and bridges. There are two types of polyurea coating formulations – isocyanate and resin-based polyurea coating. Isocyanate polyurea coating is composed of higher concentrations of isocyanate than the resin-based polyurea coating. Isocyanate-based polyurea products provide faster drying times than resin-based polyurea products and are available in greater quantities. Resin-based polyurea products are slower drying and have a more consistent appearance, but they are not as powder-coated as isocyanate products.
Polyurea containment can be used for the prevention and repair of damage and corrosion to structures, for the soundproofing of rooms and environments, for the enhancement of energy performance and efficiency, for the protection of products and materials against harsh environmental conditions, for the control and growth of microorganisms, for the insulation of power systems, and for the transportation of materials and fluids. Polyurea containment can also be applied to enhance the structural integrity of structures. Some polyurea coating products include direct thermal barrier, which is an inflatable structure that contains polyurea, direct thermal distribution, which is a spray application that spreads polyurea over a structure, and cavity heat transfer, which is a sheet metal foil applied to the surface of a cavity to increase thermal conductivity. A variety of polyurea protective coatings are available.
Polyurethane coatings provide a protective coating against the ultraviolet radiation and airborne contamination of air, water, and space. It also provides soundproofing against external disturbances, such as aircraft traffic, combustion, vibrations, and general movement. Polyurethane is made by injecting resins into molds, where they become liquid at time of curing. Some polyurethane coatings contain additives that allow it to bond with other materials, creating a thermosetting polymer, such as polyurethane foam.
The polyurea spray reacts with fatty acids present in some resins, creating the isocyanate group. When mixed with water, the isocyanate group becomes viscous, like petroleum jelly. When exposed to heat, the polyurea changes from a liquid into a semi-solid form. This allows it to be sprayed on structures without drying them out or flaking. The heat-rolling process used to coat heating towers with polyurea has also become popular because the coating maintains its flexibility even after exposure to high temperatures.
Polyurea coatings provide several advantages over other common materials such as fiberglass, concrete, steel, and epoxy. The polyurea coating does not peel, decay, or stain, as other materials can do after exposure to the elements or fire. It provides a level of resistance to chemical attack that cannot be found in other types of coating. Furthermore, polyurea coating can resist hot objects and will not crack, break, or contract regardless of what type of substrate is used.
