Nano Coatings

Nano coatings are very thin film coatings, often transparent, but with very robust pinhole free finishes that act as excellent barrier coats for corrosion prevention. Typical dry film thicknesses are 5 to 10 microns.

They are available from Blocksil for both porous and non-porous surfaces.

Nano coatings are often used for anti-graffiti and for energy saving stay clean purposes. Their ability to be cleaned with all manner of detergents, solvents and wipes makes them ideal for this type of application.

Nano coatings are usually applied by special cloth or brush, but can be sprayed if suitable PPE is worn to avoid inhaling the atomised coating.

The coatings will air cure and are usually touch dry after 20 minutes at ambient temperatures. Full cure can take up to five days but can be shortened with additional heat.

The Blocksil nano coatings within the CleanProtect® family range are fire rated to EN 45545-2:2013 Railway Applications – Fire protection on railway vehicles – Part 2: Requirements for the behaviour of materials and components, set R1.

Customer despatch box for CleanProtect Base Coat and Top Coat.

Our nano coatings are also used on stonework after cleaning to keep the surface clean for longer. And some nano coatings are capable of reducing airborne contaminants by photocatalytic action. This can be important in towns and cities, where reducing the levels of NOx is of benefit. Photocatalytic action can also be used to prevent algae growth.

Based upon a careful chemistry blend, the active components of our stone sealers combine either with atmospheric moisture or the naturally occurring water contained in the substrate. Unlike topical sealers which form an impenetrable seal on the surface, our coatings provide a thin film molecular grab coating on the pore walls. These now coated walls do not allow the uptake of capillary moisture and they prevent water penetration from external sources. Yet they permit water vapour to permeate through the stone,  allowing the stone to breathe.

Freeze / thaw action is significantly reduced, thereby helping to extend the life of the stone itself.

Nano coated brick (on right) showing how water beads up on the coated surface.

Another application is onto fabrics. Here the transparent, thin, flexible nano coating is designed to bond to fabrics and makes the fabric water repellent. Cleaning of stains and marks is made much easier as a result of using this coating.

The coating is applied by a simple trigger spray, is air cured and requires no specialist training to apply it. PPE requirements are minimal.

For industrial use the applications on public seating are probably centred around locations with a high traffic content, such as rail, bus, coach and airports.

Solar panels may already be coated by the original manufacturer for non-glare, but Blocksil can improve the panel’s performance.

One of our easily applied air cured thin film nano coatings allows the solar panel to become effectively self cleaning. The coating works by making it harder for dirt or snail slime to adhere to the coated surface. The effective self cleaning comes from the action of rain washing away the dirt.

One client established a performance benefit, as measured by energy generated, of 8% by using our coating. Over time such a benefit would be magnified as less labour time would be needed to keep the solar panels clean.

Such a coating is ideal for the ground level solar panel fields found throughout the country.