Hybrid Coating Systems

Hybrid coatings are constructs consisting of two constituents at the molecular level. Often one of these compounds is inorganic and the other organic. Organic compounds are generally defined as containing one or more Carbon atoms and they are essential to life. Inorganic compounds are generally defined as those not having a Carbon atom.

Some compounds are simple but the majority are complex, so combining them can often be difficult. For coatings it is found that mixing at the molecular scale leads to a more homogeneous product.

If the resultant coating exhibits new properties it is classed as a hybrid, rather than just a composite.

Two examples of hybrid coating chemistry would be:

Epoxy-Polysiloxane Hybrids: these coatings create weather and corrosion resistant systems. They provide superior resistance to weathering over other conventional epoxy coatings. Its unique physical characteristics make it useful as a durable binder for protective coatings. The net result is a simpler coating system which results in reduced application time, less overspray and a much simplified maintenance programme for corrosion protection. It has been suggested that the reduced number of coats and associated overspray in turn reduces solvent emission to the atmosphere by as much as 70%.

Acrylic-Polysiloxane Hybrids: these coatings have a low Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) level and offer a top coat with high weatherability, especially when compared with Polyurethane. The cured coatings behave like inorganic ceramic with good abrasion resistance and excellent scratch resistance. They also tend to have better chemical and mechanical performance than epoxy coatings yet retain excellent flexibility.

The chemistry of hybrid coatings is complex and is constantly developing.  Blocksil is at the forefront of this chemistry.