An Aliphatic Coating Technology for High Productivity Applications

POLYASPARTICS:
An Aliphatic Coating Technology for
High Productivity Applications
Edward P. Squiller, Ph.D., Technical Director
Carl Angeloff, P.E., Manager of Market Development
Kurt E. Best, Scientist

Bayer Polymers LLC • Coatings • 100 Bayer Road • Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15205-9741

ABSTRACT What is a Polyurea?

This paper describes the development of a new class While polyurea technology has been in existence for
of polyurea polymer coating. Specifically, the use of over 40 years, it wasn’t until recently that two-
polyaspartic ester compounds, which are secondary component polyurea coatings and spray elastomers 1
aliphatic diamines, in combination with aliphatic attracted much commercial attention. To guide the
polyisocyanates to form aliphatic polyurea coatings rapid growth in this area, the Polyurea Development
are described in this paper. Polyaspartic ester-based Association or PDA (2) was created as an international
polyurea topcoats are non-yellowing, exhibit good trade association "to promote market awareness,
outdoor weathering and long potlife. The moderately understanding and acceptance of polyurea technology
fast reactivity, combined with the relatively low through the development of educational programs,
viscosity of the polyaspartic ester compounds product standards, safety, environmental and use
allows for a broader range of applications in two- recommendations" (3).
component coatings.
A polyurea can be defined as a reaction product of
BACKGROUND an aliphatic or aromatic isocyanate component and a
resin blend component, which is comprised of
The uses of polyaspartic esters for finish coats
amine-terminated polymer resins and/or amine
represent an exciting new technology called polyas-
chain extenders.
partics that enhances the use of conventional two-
component aliphatic polyurethane technology for
The PDA is in the process of developing a compre-
high build and high solids applications (1). The
hensive definition that differentiates a polyurea
polyaspartic ester technology will allow:
from other types of two-component coating/spray
elastomer systems, such as polyurethane/polyurea
• Fast cure/high productivity: 5-120 min.
hybrids and polyurethanes. The complete definitions
hard dry
for these terms can be found in reference 3.
• High film build (up to 15 mils.)
• Bubble-free film surface
The polyaspartic ester technology described in this
• Formulation flexibility
paper can be used in coatings/spray elastomers such
• Potlife: 5 min. - 2 hours
that the finished polymer falls under the definition
• Controlled cure
of a polyurea as put forth by the PDA.
• Non-yellowing/gloss retention
• Low waste
Additionally, it is possible to use the polyaspartic
• High Solids: 70% to near 100% Solids
ester technology in combination with the poly-
urethane technology to form polyurethane/ polyurea
These features allow for one to re-think how painting
hybrids. This may be advantageous when trying to
operations are carried out. Coatings can now be applied
achieve the highest levels of coating chemical
with fewer coats, thicker applications and faster return
resistance and/or owner specific properties.
to service all while using standard spray equipment.
 San Mateo Bridge Case Study
As part of a $113 million widening project by the To widen the flat trestle portion of the bridge,
California Department of Transportation (CalTrans), 120-foot concrete pilings are lowered into the bay,
the bridge received a protective coating on new capped and fitted with concrete trestles. Plates are
concrete structures that officials installed on top of the trestles to hold
expect to prolong the bridge’s life the road surface.
A fast coating
by 25 percent. The unique approach
is intended to prevent salt water and application is essential The concrete elements are prefabri-
saline fog from penetrating the con- to keep pace with the cated and coated at offsite locations.
crete and corroding the steel rein- After curing for 30 days, the concrete
forcement bar (re-bar) that adds
construction schedule. sections are water blasted at 6,000
strength to the bridge. The polyurea and psi in preparation for coating. The

2 polyaspartic coatings epoxy primer is spray applied at a

The three-part coating system being thickness of 10 mils, followed by 50
used includes an epoxy primer, a are sufficiently dry in a mils of polyurea (MDI/amino poly-
polyurea intermediate coat and a matter of minutes. ether) and then 10 mils of the poly-
polyaspartic aliphatic polyurea aspartic ester-based aliphatic topcoat.
topcoat.
A fast coating application is essential to keep pace
The role of the polyaspartic topcoat is twofold. One, with the construction schedule. The polyurea and
it provides an additional layer of protection against polyaspartic coatings are sufficiently dry in a matter
the destructive effects of salt water, and two, it of minutes.
prevents discoloration of the polyurea intermediate
coat, which is sensitive to the ultraviolet rays of The epoxy provides an anchor for the polyurea,
sunlight. The coating has the additional environ- which adds durability and toughness to the concrete
mental benefit of being nearly free of VOCs, thereby surface. The polyaspartic topcoat provides water
meeting California pollution-protection standards. resistance, chemical resistance and protection from
the discoloring effects of ultraviolet light.
The current project is widening the bridge, which
carries 29 million vehicles per year, to six lanes CalTrans included the protective coating application
from four — three in each direction. It is part of a in the widening portion of the project in anticipation
larger program underway in California to provide of extending the bridge life by 25 years, to 125
bridges throughout the state with additional seismic years. The agency’s foresight will help ensure that
stability as protection against earthquakes. The San the historic and aesthetically pleasing San Mateo-
Mateo span is receiving a seismic retrofit in addition Hayward Bridge will continue to serve the bay
to the widening project. region for generations to come.

Concrete girder with aliphatic polyurea topcoat being

placed on substructure.
 Millerbernd Manufacturing Case Study
For years, Millerbernd engineers searched for a sys- The surface of the poles, which reach 90 feet in
tem that would provide the required toughness and length and weigh up to 1,000 pounds, are prepared
durability without the inefficiencies inherent in the with steel-shot blasting and then moved immediately
application of powder-based into the two-part coating
and acrylic enamel coatings. A new aliphatic polyurea process. The powder coating
system Millerbernd had used
A new aliphatic polyurea is
is providing Millerbernd previously required additional
providing Millerbernd with with huge savings in energy pre-coating steps of caustic
huge savings in energy and and time. At the same time, baths and washes using harsh
time. At the same time, the chemicals.
non-yellowing, good-weather- the non-yellowing, good-
ing and high corrosion-protec- weathering and high After shot blasting, an acrylic
tion characteristics of the urethane primer coat is applied 3
corrosion-protection
polyurea topcoat meet or at 3.5 mils dry film thickness
exceed the requirements of characteristics of the (DFT), followed in 15 to 30
Millerbernd’s customers. polyurea topcoat meet or minutes by the topcoat of the
aliphatic polyurea at 2-3 mils
The powder and liquid coating
exceed the requirements of DFT. On average, the topcoat is
systems that had been used pre- Millerbernd’s customers. dry to the touch in 5 minutes.
viously required heating in The topcoat is formulated in a
ovens and a long cooling time on the line. Before variety of pigments and gloss ranges to meet specif-
the company switched to the aliphatic polyurea coat- ic customer needs.
ing, poles were heated to an average of 300ºF to
350ºF. The varying thicknesses of the metal made
uniform heating difficult and increased the amount
of energy required.

Light pole showing high gloss and rapid surface hard-

ening that allows pole to be moved in 30 minutes.

The rapid surface hardening provides immediate

Spray application of polyurea topcoat impact resistance, so the pole can be moved from
the line in just 30 minutes. The coating system’s
The aliphatic polyurea system has enabled latent inner-cure properties, meanwhile, also offer
Millerbernd to shut down its natural gas-fired another benefit after the coating process is complete.
infrared ovens. As a result, energy consumption at Millerbernd is able to bend the poles, as required by
the facility has been reduced by 75 percent. Time some of the company’s most-popular designs, with-
savings have been impressive as well, with poles out cracking or otherwise damaging the coating.
being moved off the line nearly 70 percent faster.
 side will result in a wrap-around coating of 0.5 to
0.75 of a mil on the opposite side of the pole.

The coating system also has provided advantages in

the field. While the high degree of impact resistance
helps ensure that Millerbernd poles arrive in excellent
condition, any touchup that might be required can be
brush applied on site. In addition, the surface can be
easily cleaned of graffiti using a special paste-like
solvent material.

The polyaspartic coating system has been

Light pole supports engineered to provide excellent ultraviolet (UV)
protection. In addition, the system’s abrasion
Another important property of the system is its resistance is critical for a product that is subjected
application performance. Electrostatically spray to harsh conditions, particularly in the Northeast,
4 applied, the coating has demonstrated exceptional where the combination of sand, road salt and wetness
transfer efficiency, with overspray reduced by more creates a highly corrosive sand-blast effect from
than 75 percent. On most pole styles, spraying one fast-moving traffic.

North Carolina Highway Tunnel Case Study

The purpose of the Beau Catcher Tunnel renovation amine functional products reacted with aliphatic
was two-fold: to seal the tunnel to stop leakage and polyisocyanates to provide improved adhesion,
reduce the risks of rock slides; and, second, to outstanding weather and chemical resistance, fast
improve the appearance of the tunnel by adding a cure and low-temperature applicability.
high-gloss coating that would resist graffiti and
environmental pollutants. Another key reason polyaspartic
ester-based aliphatic polyurea
The walls of the Beau Catcher Another key reason coatings were selected for this
Tunnel are comprised of concrete polyaspartic ester-based project is because the materials
over rock. Prior to applying the can be applied in low tempera-
coatings, the surface was sand- aliphatic polyurea coatings tures or high-humidity condi-
blasted, general patchwork was tions without problems. As is
were selected for this
completed, and a base primer typical in all structures, when
was applied. Next, a conven- project is because the the tunnel experiences higher
tional 100% solids polyurea temperatures, the substrates
materials can be applied expand; and, when the tunnel
(light buff color) was spray-
applied to approximately 50 in low temperatures or experiences lower tempera-
mils (DFT) using a plural tures, the substrates contract.
component spray system. Then,
high-humidity conditions These environmental effects
a coating of polyaspartic ester- without problems. can cause the joints to move
based aliphatic polyurea was anywhere from 25-30 percent.
roller-applied to 16 mils (DFT)
to a height just below the tunnel lights, providing an The coating system provides elasticity between the
anti-graffiti coating that is easy to clean and maintain. joints, allowing movement. The two-component
aliphatic polyurea topcoat, which provides "weather-
This new generation of aliphatic polyurea coating proofing" features (keeping rain, snow, wind, etc.
called polyaspartic is made from a new class of from between the structure’s panels), is ideal for
 tunnel applications because it bonds to a variety of
substrates, including metal, brick, and concrete, to
name just a few.

Another attractive feature of the polyaspartic ester-

based aliphatic polyurea coatings is that they contain
near zero VOCs and their reaction times can actually
be slowed down to 15-45 minutes gel time for
rolling or brushing.

High performance “fast track” coating used in tunnel

renovations

5
Floor Coating Case Study
Polyaspartic topcoats are used as part of a floor topcoat. The chemical resistance of this coating is
system in combination with conventional only moderate, therefore it is not recommended for
polyurethane and/or epoxy primers. Polyaspartic floors requiring a high level of chemical resistance.
ester-based topcoats can be formulated as pigmented However, modifications to the formulation to
or clear-coats and applied with roller, squeegee or achieve higher chemical resistance are possible.
plural component spray equipment.
A clear, light stable floor topcoat can also be formu-
An example of a pigmented light stable floor coating lated and squeegee-applied up to 15 mils, producing
based on polyaspartic esters in shown in photo #1. a high gloss finish. This flooring topcoat can be spray-
This ultra-high solids floor coating can be squeegee- applied using plural component spray equipment.
applied 5 to 15 mils thick producing a high gloss Because of the moderately-long potlife, a mixing
smooth finish. This example illustrates the fast dry manifold can be used at the unit, allowing for use of
characteristics combined with the common roller a long whip hose and conventional spray guns. These
application method, thus making it useful as a floor coatings would be tack free in about 30-45 minutes.

Aliphatic polyaspartic topcoat used for floors

 High Productivity Painting Concepts
Fast-cure coating systems are a requirement where
painting schedules are greatly shortened. The
cleaning and repainting of structural steel overpass
bridges in urban areas is a good example. Complex
regulatory requirements and the added cost of lead-
based paint abatement have dramatically altered how
field painting of bridge structures is conducted.
Traditional methods used to prepare the surface,
contain the debris, and carry out the painting require
the contractor to close one or more lanes of traffic
while equipment and personnel are deployed.

6 It is not uncommon for each lane of traffic to be Ohio Department of Transportation Project
closed for several days while the contractor prepares
painting projects is the next generation coating for
and paints the bridge structure above the roadway.
these applications. The fast cure topcoat will permit
This is particularly troublesome in metropolitan
earlier demobilization of the rapid deployment
areas where lane closures can lead to traffic gridlock.
equipment without contaminating the wet paint with
dust and blast grit.

Pennsylvania Turnpike Project

Recent developments in coatings technology

Mobile containment platform in place.
combined with the integration of state-of-the-art
mobile containment platforms and a complete
specification now allow for rapid mobilization into
and out of lane closures. This high productivity
painting concept allows for the complete removal
of existing paint by open nozzle abrasive blast
cleaning, compliance with environmental regulations,
followed by the application of a two-coat, high-build,
high-performance paint system while fully contain-
ing debris. All this can be carried out in one shift,
with a one-night lane closure.
Completed Section
The polyaspartic ester-based polyurea technology
used as the fast cure topcoat for rapid deployment
 DTM Case Study
Aliphatic polyaspartic ester technology has been achieve high performance protection in a single
developed as a direct to metal (dtm) coating for use application. High-gloss polyaspartic coatings offer
in railcar fabrication shop painting because of the superior color and gloss retention as well as excel-
advantages it offers over the conventional two-coat lent corrosion and chemical resistance. The potlife
epoxy/polyurethane system where gloss and color of these coatings can achieve 2 hours at 77°F (25°C).
retention are important.

Polyaspartic technology produces ideal coatings for

railcars because these coatings offer many perform-
ance advantages. Fast-dry polyaspartic coatings dry
quickly (less than 4 hours). They are aliphatic and
can be applied directly to properly prepared steel
surfaces. Polyaspartic coatings can be spray applied 7
by conventional or airless spray to 2-15 mils DFT to

Gloss topcoat.

Typical railcar paint shop.

Smooth topcoat finish.

Excellent edge coverage.

Stenciling within 3 hours of topcoat application.

 The Coating Chemistry of Polyaspartics
The development of polyaspartic esters is relatively act to slow down the reaction of the amino group of
recent with the initial work being reported in 1990. the polyaspartic ester compound and the isocyanate
Zwiener, et.al., first showed the applicability of group of a polyisocyanate. Practically speaking,
polyaspartic esters as co-reactants for polyisocyanates slower reaction speed between the isocyanate and an
(4, 5). This patented technology (6) was initially aliphatic diamine results in longer gel times and
used in two-component polyurethane solvent borne thus, a longer application window.
coating formulations because the polyaspartic esters
are excellent reactive diluents for high solids The reaction speed of the polyaspartic ester com-
polyurethane coatings. They can be blended with pound and the polyisocyanate can be altered by
hydroxyl functional polyester and polyacrylate changing the structure of the polyaspartic ester. For
co-reactants, thus allowing for reduction of VOC in example, as we decrease the steric crowding in the
relatively high solvent containing coating systems (7, 8). structure of the polyaspartic ester (going down the
8 column in Figure 1), the reaction speed with a given
More recent developments have concentrated on isocyanate increases. Thus, the polyaspartic ester
achieving low or near zero VOC containing polyurea compound designated Desmophen® NH 1520 is
coatings where the polyaspartic ester is the main slower reacting than Desmophen® NH 1420, which
component of the co-reactant for reaction with a is slower reacting with a polyisocyanate than
polyisocyanate. Because of the moderately fast Desmophen® NH 1220.
curing feature these coatings can provide money-
saving productivity improvements, along with high- Some specific data illustrating the gel times of
build, low temperature curing, abrasion and corrosion different polyaspartic ester products and a polyiso-
cyanate is shown in Table 1. Additionally, it is
REACTIVITY possible to blend polyaspartic ester products to obtain
mixtures with intermediate gel times (Table 2).
Polyaspartic esters have an unique reactivity with
polyisocyanates because of their chemical structure. Table 1. Gel Time Reactivity Data for Aliphatic
These secondary aliphatic diamines can be prepared Polyaspartic Clears Based on HDI Trimer *
from a variety of different primary aliphatic diamines
and dialkyl maleates via a Michael Addition Reaction. Polyaspartic Gel Time @ Gel Time @ Gel Time @
Ester 100°F (38°C) 72°F (22°C) 32°F (0°C)
Thus, it is possible to provide a whole family of
products based on structural variations that result in Desmophen®
different reactivity with a polyisocyanate (Figure 1). Did not test 40 min. Did not test
NH 1520
Figure 1. Structures of Polyaspartic Esters
Desmophen®
15 min. 20 min. 23 min.
O O
NH 1420
RO OR

Polyaspartic Ester Products: RO X OR

Desmophen®
1 min. 1-2 min. 2 min.
N N
NH 1220
O H H O
X Raw Materials
Diamine Name
cycloaliphatic Desmophen NH Desmophen®
CH2 1520
XP 2528 Did not test 30 sec. Did not test
H3C CH3
(Flex ASP)
PACM Desmophen NH
CH2 1420
*Desmodur® XP-7100 is an HDI based polyisocyanate adduct: NCO 20.5%,
CH3
2-methylpentane Desmophen NH viscosity ca. 1000 cps @ 25°C.
diamine 1220

The unique structural feature of the polyaspartic

ester is a sterically crowded environment around the
nitrogen. Additionally, the ester portion of the struc-
ture provides inductive effects. These features both
Table 2. Gel Time Reactivity Data for Aliphatic Table 3. Gel Time Reactivity Data for
Polyaspartic Clears Based on HDI Trimer * Aromatic Polyaspartic Clears

Gel Time @ 72°F Gel Time @ 32°F Polyaspartic Aromatic Gel Time @ Gel Time @
Polyaspartic Ester
(22°C) (0°C) Ester Polyisocyanate* 72°F (22°C) 32°F (0°C)
Desmophen® NH Desmophen® MDI Prepolymer
40 min. Did not test 1 min. 4 min.
1520 NH 1420 16% NCO
Desmophen® NH Desmophen® MDI Prepolymer
1520/NH 1420 27 min. 27 min. 5 min. Did not test
NH 1420 8% NCO
(50:50 by wt.)
Desmophen® NH Desmophen® MDI Prepolymer
<0.5 min. ca. 0.5 min.
20 min. 23 min. NH 1220 8% NCO
1420
Desmophen® NH Desmophen® TDI Prepolymer
40-60 min. >90 min.
1420/NH 1220 4 min. 6 min. NH 1420 3% NCO
(50:50 by wt.) Desmophen® TDI Prepolymer
5min. 9 min.
Desmophen NH ® NH 1220 3% NCO
1-2 min. 2 min.
1220
*The MDI prepolymers are high in 2,4’-isomer content and based on
polypropylene oxide based polyols. Desmodur® E 743 is 8% MDI prepolymer.
DETDA*** 15 seconds Did not test Desmodur® E-23 is 16% MDI prepolmer. Desmodur® E-14 is a solvent free, 9
linear isocyanate prepolymer based on toluene diisocyanate (TDI);
*Desmodur® XP-7100 is an HDI based polyisocyanate adduct: NCO 20.5%, monomeric TDI content is less than 0.5%.
viscosity ca. 1000 cps @ 25
C.
** Clearlink 1000‘ is a secondary aliphatic diamine sold by UOP.
***Diethyl toluene diamine It is interesting to note the catalytic effect of water
on the gel times of polyaspartic ester/aliphatic
For comparative purposes, we also conducted these polyisocyanate mixtures, see Table 4. It is a rather
gel tests with some aromatic polyisocyanates, both dramatic effect that can be used to further tailor the
MDI (diphenylmethane diisocyanate) and TDI pot life/dry time of a given system. This also has the
(toluene diisocyanate) based prepolymers/adducts. potential to provide the unusual combination of
This data is shown in Table 3. The time to gel is, as rather long pot life and fast dry time because the dry
expected, much shorter for the mixtures of aromatic time of a coating system can be decreased dramatically
MDI polyisocyanates and polyaspartic esters com- because of humidity in the atmosphere.
pared to the aliphatic polyisocyanate based on HDI.
Interestingly, the TDI based prepolymer shows Table 4. The Catalytic Effect of Water on Reactivity *
rather long gel times as compared to the MDI based
prepolymers. While the lower NCO content of the Polyaspartic Ester Water Content (%) Gel Time @ 72°F
(22°C)
TDI product certainly accounts for some of the slow
down effect, we believe that the steric hindrance Desmophen NH
0.08 65 min.
1420
around the NCO group of this prepolymer is also a
significant factor. Desmophen NH
0.12 31 min.
1420

Desmophen NH
0.17 21 min.
1420

* Polyurea Clears Based on Desmodur® N-3300 which is an HDI based

polyisocyanate adduct: NCO 21.5%, viscosity ca. 3000 cps @ 25
C.

Polymer Film Properties. Coating films derived

from polyaspartic esters and a common aliphatic
polyisocyanate crosslinker, the isocyanurate trimer
of HDI (see figure 3), are hard, color stable, weather
and abrasion resistant. Additionally, they can be
formulated to provide good corrosion protection
properties on steel (Ref. 11).
 Some film properties of clear coatings are illustrated One should keep in mind that this data is provided
in Tables 5-7. In general, the data shows that these to give a general impression of film integrity and
coatings are of moderate tensile strength and, as flexibility. This helps in determining the appropriate
expected, of very low elongations. Once again, the applications for a coating and can be used for
aliphatic polyisocyanate used in these gel studies is comparative purposes.
an HDI (hexamethylene diisocyanate) based adduct
with a 1,000 cps (@25°C) viscosity product with an The hard block/soft block nature of these aliphatic,
NCO content of 20.5%. Other commercially polyaspartic ester based polyureas is expected to be
available HDI based products with higher function- very different than typical aromatic polyureas, which
alities and viscosities may vary the tensile/elongation are based on MDI prepolymers and polyether back-
data somewhat. This appears to be evident in Table 5 bones. This is probably due to the phase separation
where the HDI based polyisocyanate adduct is changed characteristics being very different. Optimization
to a 3,000 cps (@25°C) viscosity product with an experiments must be conducted for specific
NCO content of 21.5%, which also has a somewhat application requirements; additional optimization
higher functionality than the 1,000 cps product. with common chain extenders, prepolymers,
pigments, etc. may yield polyurea films of varying
10 Table 5. Property Data for Aliphatic Polyaspartic Clear performance levels.
Films Based on HDI Trimer*

Polyaspartic Ester Tensile Elongation For comparison purposes some aromatic isocyanate
Desmophen ®
terminated prepolymers (polyether based) were
6875 4%
XP-7068 crosslinked with the polyaspartic esters. The results
Desmophen® shown in Table 7 indicate that, as expected, a
6650 4%
NH 1520
prepolymer will greatly increase the elongation. It is
Desmophen®
2290 23% assumed that aliphatic isocyanate prepolymers will
NH 1220
Desmophen® also greatly add to the elongation of these systems if
1250 117% increased elongation characteristics are needed in an
XP-2528
* Desmodur® XP-7100 is an HDI based polyisocyanate adduct: NCO aliphatic system.
20.5%, viscosity ca. 1000 cps @ 25
C. Films cured 14 days @72
F (22
C)
and 55% RH.
Table 7. Property Data for Aromatic Polyaspartic
Clear Films**
Table 6. Property Data for Aliphatic Polyaspartic Clear
Films Based on Higher Functionality HDI Trimer* Amino Aromatic
Tensile Elongation
Co-reactant Polyisocyanate*
Polyaspartic Ester Tensile Elongation
Desmophen® MDI Prepolymer
Desmophen® Too brittle NA
7520 4% NH 1520 16% NCO
NH 1520
Desmophen® MDI Prepolymer
Desmophen® 2445 psi 360%
6750 6% NH 1420 8% NCO
NH 1420
Desmophen® Desmophen® MDI Prepolymer
6480 3% 532 psi 430%
NH 1220 NH 1420 3% NCO
Desmophen® TDI Prepolymer
NA NA DETDA 532 psi 430%
XP-2528 3% NCO

*Desmodur® N-3300 is an HDI based polyisocyanate adduct: NCO 21.5%, vis- *The MDI prepolymers are high in 2,4’-isomer content and based on
cosity ca. 3000 cps @ 25
C. Films cured 14 days @72
F (22
C) and 55% RH. polypropylene oxide based polyols. The TDI prepolymer has a monomeric
TDI content of less than 0.2% and are based on polypropylene oxide based
polyols. Desmoder® E-14: Desmodur® E 743 is 8% MDI prepolymer.
They are hard, tough coatings that are clear and for Desmodur® E-23 is 16% MDI prepolmer.
the most part bubble free, making them suitable for **Films cured 14 days @72
F (22
C) and 55% RH.
thin film coating applications more so than elas-
tomeric membranes.
 Curing Characteristics of Polyurea Coatings Based on
Polyaspartic Esters
The curing characteristics of polyaspartic ester based Table 8.
polyurea coatings are somewhat different than tradi-
Aliphatic Polyaspartic Pigmented Formulation
tional polyurethane coatings. They have a curing
profile that shows a dependency on both temperature Desmophen® NH 1420, Desmophen®NH 1521**,
and humidity. Desmophen®N-75***

Generally, higher temperatures accelerate the curing Formula Results

speed of coatings by increasing the kinetics of the
Weight Solids . . . . 67.84% Wt./gal . . . . . 10.22 lbs/gal
chemical reactions needed to form a polymeric film. Volume Solids . . . 56.02% Mix Ratio . . . . . . . . . . . 2:1
If solvents are present in the coating, increasing Pot Life . . . . . . ca. 15 min.
temperature also works to speed up the solvent Cure Time. . . Set-to-touch; NCO:NH . . . . . . . . . . . 1.25
flash-off, thus resulting in faster drying of a coating. ca. 45 min 11
P/B . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.61 Theoretical VOC
PVC . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15.55 (lbs/gal) . . . . . . . . . . . 3.29
Humidity on the other hand, normally, has minor
effects on the curing characteristics of solventborne * Ti-Pure
R-960 was used as the pigment; Disperbyk

additives were also
and solvent free coatings. The curing characteristics used in this formulation. **Desmophen® NH 1521 is the same resin listed
as Desmophen® NH 1520 but supplied at 90% solids in butyl acetate. For a
of aliphatic polyurea coatings based on polyaspartic complete description of the polyurea topcoat formulation, contact Bayer
esters, however exhibit a rather dramatic dependency Polymers.
***Biuret of HDI supplied at 75% solids in butyl acetate.
on humidity, which in a catalytic manner accelerates
Ti-Pure is a registered trademark of E.I. DuPont de Nemours.
the curing / drying process. This provides the oppor-

Disperbyk is a registered trademark of BYK Chemie GmbH.

tunity to develop some unique fast cure coatings

with relatively long pot life, thus fulfilling special Table 9. Curing Characteristics of
curing performances and productivity requirements. Fast Curing Polyaspartic Topcoat.

Humidity Temperature Dry time (minutes)

A fast curing, two-component aliphatic polyurea
Set to Touch: 225 Tack Free: 465
coating formula is presented in Table 8 to help 40% RH 45°F
Hard Dry: 1020
illustrate the temperature and humidity effects on Set to Touch: 45 Tack Free: 105
90% RH 45°F
polyaspartic ester based coatings. The formula, Hard Dry: 180
which is a high gloss white, is comprised of an Set to Touch: 45 Tack Free: 60
65% RH 72°F
Hard Dry: 115
aliphatic polyisocyanate (HDI biuret) and two
Set to Touch: 30 Tack Free: 60
structurally different polyaspartic ester compounds. 40% RH 95°F
Hard Dry: 90
The application characteristics of this spray applied
Set to Touch: 10 Tack Free: 15
coating are also listed in Table 8 below. The effect 90% RH 95°F
Hard Dry: 20
of temperature and humidity on the dry times of
this coating are presented in Table 9. A traditional
acryllic polyurethane topcoat, is also presented Table 9a. Curing Characteristics of a Traditional
Polyurethane Topcoat (Acrylic).
(Table 9A) for comparison purposes. As expected, it
does not show much of a dry time dependency relat- Humidity Temperature Dry time (minutes)
ed to humidity in this study. Set to Touch: 60 Tack Free: 195
40% RH 45°F
Hard Dry: 435
Set to Touch: 90 Tack Free: 210
90% RH 45°F
Hard Dry: 435
Set to Touch: 45 Tack Free: 60
40% RH 95°F
Hard Dry: 75
Set to Touch: 30 Tack Free: 45
90% RH 95°F
Hard Dry: 60
 Graph 1. Effect of Ambient Moisture on Dry times of The polyaspartic ester based coating is somewhat
Fast Curing Aliphatic Polyaspartic Topcoat independent of temperature and its affect to flash
solvent from the film; more important are the
changes in humidity. The cure profile can be adjust-
ed to increase the rate of cure by either changing the
polyaspartic ester resin (or blend ratio of resins) or
by providing humidity during application in areas
Hard Dry such as Phoenix.
increasing time

Table 11

Set-to-Touch Set-to-Touch Hard Dry

City (Year Avg.)
(minutes) (minutes)
Phoenix
(72.6°F; 60 160
1.82 grains/ft3)
12 increasing grains water/cubic ft. New York
(53.6°F; 40 100
2.93 grains/ft3)
Houston
Relative Humidity can be converted to grains of (67.9°F; 30 70
water ft3 to provide an absolute scale to better 4.11 grains/ft3)
determine and predict curing trends. Graph 1
illustrates the humidity curve relationship of a
The above information is provided to illustrate the
typical two-component, polyaspartic ester based
effect of temperature and humidity on the applica-
coating formulation.
tion of polyaspartic ester based coatings under real
life conditions. It is important to test specific formu-
This type of information can be used along with
lations under the actual application conditions
historical weather trends (Table 10 – obtained from
intended for a coating system.
the Washington Post Web Site) to tailor polyaspartic
ester based coatings to specific curing targets. For
example, we would expect the polyaspartic ester
coating (the formula described in Table 8) to cure
at different speeds in different regions of the country
as indicated in Table 11.

Table 10

City Year Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
°F 72.6 53.6 57.7 62.2 69.9 78.8 88.2 93.5 91.5 85.6 74.5 61.9 54.1
Phoenix %RH 23 33 27 24 16 13 12 20 23 23 22 27 34
~Grains/ft 1.82 1.23 1.45 1.45 1.22 1.66 1.5 2.99 3.25 3.22 1.89 1.45 1.71
°F 53.6 31.2 32.9 41 50.5 60 69.4 75.5 74.7 67.6 57 47.2 36.6
New York %RH 58 59 57 56 55 59 60 59 60 60 56 59 60
~Grains/ft 2.93 1.17 1.17 1.57 2.26 3.48 4.86 5.67 5.67 4.11 2.69 2.26 1.43
°F 67.9 50.4 53.9 60.6 68.3 74.5 80.4 82.6 82.3 78.2 69.6 61 53.5
Houston %RH 60 64 61 59 58 60 60 57 57 60 56 60 62
~Grains/ft 4.11 2.67 2.93 3.48 4.86 5.67 6.62 6.62 6.62 6.62 4.46 3.48 2.47
 Fast Curing, Corrosion Protection Coating System
Coating films derived from polyaspartic esters and a Table 13. Cyclic Weathering (ASTM D5894)
common aliphatic polyisocyanate crosslinker, the
9Z7A 6DFT 9Z7A 10DFT
isocyanate trimer of HDI are hard, color stable, Panel Panel Panel Panel Panel Panel
weather and abrasion resistant – all good character- #1 #2 #3 #1 #2 #3
istics for use as a topcoat in a corrosion resistant Gloss (60) initial 40.4 62.3
coating system on steel. 1000 hrs

Gloss 33.5 25.9 31.7 63.5 38.5 30.5

To illustrate this point, a fast curing aliphatic
Delta E 1.041 1.16 1.125 1.186 0.945 1.103
polyurea topcoat formulation, that was sprayed
applied to sand blasted steel panels already primed Rusting (field) 10 10 10 10 10 10
with a moisture cure urethane (MCU) zinc primer, Rusting (scribe) 10 10 10 10 10 10
was tested in accelerated weathering devices. The Blistering (field) 10 10 10 10 10 10
MCU primer and aliphatic polyurea topcoat together
Blistering (scribe) 10 10 8M 10 8M 10
13
make for a coating system with the characteristics
suitable for the rapid deployment concept described
earlier in this paper. They are fast curing and, as Two sets of three coated panels were evaluated by
two coats instead of the typical three, provide ASTM D 714-87 Standard Test Method for
productivity enhancement due to the elimination Evaluating Degree of Blistering of Paints. In one set
of a layer of paint. the topcoat was applied at approximately 6 mils
DFT; in the second set the topcoat was applied to a
Table 12. dry film thickness of 10 mils. This test method
employs photographic reference standards to evaluate
Formulation Characteristics of a
Fast Curing Polyaspartic Topcoat 9Z1 for a
the degree of blistering that develops when coatings
Corrosion Protection System.* are subjected to various test environments. In this
case, it was ASTM D 5894 Cyclic Weathering.
Desmophen® NH 1521**, Desmodur® Z 4470***,
Blistering values in Table 13 are reported for both
Desmodur® N-3390****
size and frequency. The size is referenced at either
Formula Results 10, 8, 6,4, and 2. A value of 10 represents no blister-
ing. Blisters rated number 8 are the smallest size blis-
Weight Solids . . . . 72.71% Wt/gal . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10.07
Volume Solids . . . 61.31% NCO : NH. . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.7 ter that can be seen by the unaided eye. Blisters rated
Pot Life . . . . . ca. 15 min. VOC (lbs./gal.). . . . . . . . 2.75 6, 4, and 2 represent progressively larger sizes. As
Cure Time . . . Set-to-touch Mix Ratio . . . . . . . . . . . 4.5:1 described in ASTM D 714-87 the frequency stan-
ca. 45 min. PVC %. . . . . . . . . . . . . 23.50
dards have been defined by four steps in size desig-
nated as follows: Dense: D, Medium Dense: MD,
* Ti-Pure
R-960 was used as the pigment; Disperbyk

additives
Medium: M, and Few: F.
were also used in this formulation. For a complete description of
the polyurea topcoat formulation, contact Bayer Polymers.
** Desmophen® NH 1521 is the same resin listed as Desmophen® NH Results of the testing indicate that this fast curing
1520 but supplied at 90% solids.
*** Isocyanurate of IPDI supplied at 70% solids two-coat system is very effective as a corrosion
**** Isocyanurate of HDI supplied at 90% solids in butyl resistant coating system. Minimal blistering was
acetate/aromatic 100.

Ti-Pure is a registered trademark of E.I. DuPont de Nemours. observed for both the 6 mil DFT and 10 mil DFT


Disperbyk is a registered trademark of BYK Chemie GmbH. coated panels after 1000 hours cyclic weathering.
The Delta E test showed essentially no yellowing of
After curing the coated steel panels for two weeks at the topcoat with some loss of gloss under these
23
C and 50% relative humidity they were subjected testing conditions. It should be noted that this
to a variety of NEPCOAT like testing criteria — formulation was not optimized with regards to
cyclic weathering (ASTM D5894), Adhesion additive packages that could help preserve
(ASTM D-4541-85), wet adhesion, and Salt Fog coating gloss.
(ASTM B117). These are presented in Tables 13-17
respectively.
 Table 14. Adhesion (ASTM D-4541-85) An additional adhesion test was conducted in order
Failure, Failure to better define the adhesive characteristics of the
Primer Topcoat Test# psi Type Location
two-coat fast cure system. The Wet Adhesion test,
1 900 Cohesion Primer described below and reported in Table 15, was
MCU Zinc
9Z7A 2 1000 Cohesion Topcoat chosen because of its severity, is a non-ASTM test
Rich procedure that subjects samples to both dry and wet
6DFT 3 950 Cohesion Primer
4 mils DFT
adhesion testing conditions. Dry adhesion (Peel
4 800 Cohesion Primer
Adhesion) is conducted by cutting an "X" into and
through the film to the substrate. Laboratory tweezers
1 1000 Cohesion Primer are used to lift the apex and pull the coatings from
MCU Zinc 2 775 Cohesion Primer the substrate. Adhesion is measured as a function of
9Z7A
Rich percent coatings removal from the apex back to the
10DFT 3 775 Cohesion Primer
4 mils DFT
start of the cut. Wet adhesion is tested in a similar
4 775 Cohesion Topcoat
procedure, except the coating system is placed in the
NEPCOAT acceptance criteria = Minimum value of 600 psi (4.1 Mpa) Cleveland Condenser Cabinet for 4 days at 50°C.
After removal from the cabinet, the coating is cut as
14
Adhesion Test ASTM D-4541 is used to evaluate above and tweezers are used to lift the apex. In both
adhesion of a coating. It applies perpendicular force cases, the amount of coating removal is then ranked
to the coating by means of a load fixture (dolly). on a scale from 0-10. Table 16 below is a rough cor-
The dolly is attached to the coating with an adhesive relation to ASTM D-3359-93, Test Method B.
that is allowed to cure per the manufacturer’s
recommendations. The force applied to the dolly Table 16. Wet Adhesion Test Correlation to ASTM D-
3359-93, Test Method B.
is gradually increased and monitored until failure
occurs. Values are reported in pounds per square Percent Coatings
Rating ASTM D-3359-93 Removal
inch (psi).
10 5B No Loss
9 4B <5%
The results indicate that the two-coat fast cure
8 4B ~5%
coating system has adequate adhesion – easily
7 3B ~10%
surpassing the NEPCOAT accepted value of
6 3B ~15%
600 psi minimum for failure. The failure results
5 2B ~20%
compare favorably with typical 3-coat corrosion
4 2B ~30%
protection polyurethane coating systems. The loca-
3 1B ~45%
tion of the failures was primarily cohesive coating
2 1B ~65%
failure at the primer. This is not unusual for Zn rich
1 0B ~75%
coatings, which because of the very high Zn pigment
0 0B Total Failure
loading have minimal film integrity.

Table 15. Wet adhesion It is interesting to note the rather good wet adhesion
results obtained with the aliphatic polyurea coating
Substrate Sandblasted Sandblasted Sandblasted Sandblasted applied directly to unprimed, sand blasted steel.
Steel Steel Steel Steel
This suggests the possibility of using these fast
Primer None None MCU Zinc MCU Zinc
DFT Topcoat 2.5-5 mil 9.5-12 mil 2.5-5 mil 10-14 mil
curing aliphatic polyurea coatings for direct to metal
applications, thus providing a means to achieve
Peal
Adhesion 10, 10, 10 10, 10, 10 10, 10, 10 9, 9, 10 one-coat corrosion protective coatings that enhance
Wet productivity even further by reducing the painting
Adhesion 10, 10, 10 10, 10, 10 10, 10, 10 10, 10, 10
operation to just one coat.
Wet Ad./ 10 10 10 10
Blistering
10 days 10, 10, 10 10, 9, 9 10, 10, 10 10, 10, 10
50C/Peal Ad.
Table 17. Salt Fog (ASTM B-117)

4000 hrs
Field Scribe
Spray Conditions Thermotron Recoat Time hrs Rust Blister Rust Blister
% RH Temp °F % RH Temp °F
29% 73°F 40 95 1 10 10 7 8F
21% 73°F 65 70 1.5 10 10 7 8F
22% 73°F 90 95 1 10 10 8 10
24% 73°F 40 95 2 10 10 9 8M
22% 77°F 90 45 1 10 10 8 8F
25% 72°F 40 45 1 10 10 9 8F
23% 72°F 65 70 1.5 10 10 8 8F
33% 78°F 40 45 2 10 10 8 8F
60% 66°F 90 45 2 10 10 9 8F
23% 72°F 90 95 2 10 10 7 8F
32% 75°F 65 70 1.5 10 10 8 8F
15
35% 73°F 65 70 1.5 10 10 9 8F
23% 72°F 65 70 1.5 10 10 9 8F
31% 75°F 65 70 1.5 10 10 9 8F

Another indicator of suitability for corrosion protec- This study was set up to answer questions about
tion applications is the salt fog test (ASTM D714- how varying curing conditions and short re-coat
87). This is a standard test method for evaluating windows (period of time between coats) affect the
degree of blistering of coatings due to corrosion. corrosion performance of the coating. A short
This test method employs photographic reference re-coat window is an important performance
standards to evaluate the degree of blistering that criteria if rapid deployment type application
develops when coatings are subjected to various test conditions are employed. The fast cure, 2-coat
environments. In this case it was ASTM B 117 Salt system using a polyurea topcoat exhibits very good
Fog. Blistering values in Table 17 are reported for corrosion protection performance at 1, 1.5 and 2hr.
both size and frequency. The size is reported as re-coat times. Additionally, there was no apparent
either 10, 8, 6, 4, or 2. Number 10 represents no drop off in corrosion performance when the curing
blistering. Blisters rated number 8 are the smallest conditions were varied from 40% to 90% RH and
size blister that can be seen by the unaided eye. 45
to 95
F.
Blisters rated 6, 4, and 2 represent progressively
larger sizes. As described in ASTM D 714-87 the
frequency standards have been defined by four steps
in size designated as follows: Dense, D; Medium
Dense, MD; Medium, M; and Few, F.
 Fast Curing DTM Coating
The very nature of polyaspartate resins makes then The flexible reactivity of the aspartate chemistry
ideal for light maintenance/architectural/product finish yields coatings the are pinhole-free and typically
DTM coatings. Coatings similar to the two formulas designed for applications of 2-15 mils DFT.
below can be used for applications where productivity Pinhole-free coating assure increased corrosion
enhancements are desired without loss in corrosion resistance by reducing direct paths to the substrate.
performance. They can be spray applied by various Corrosion can further be enhanced by the incorpora-
type of equipment from conventional spray, to elec- tion of adhesion promoter or anticorrosive pigments.
trostatic, to air assisted airless, to airless. Regardless Both the adhesion promoter and the anticorrosive
of the type of application equipment, coatings can be pigments have a positive effect on long term protec-
applied at a high level of precision, quality and tion. Below are two guide formulations.
appearance.

16
Table 18 Table 19

High Gloss Aspartate DTM - 837476 Aspartate DTM - 837477

Desmophen NH 1420, Desmophen NH 1521, silane adhesion Desmophen NH 1420, Desmophen NH 1521, anticorrosive
promoter, Desmodur N-75 pigments, Desmodur N-75

Formula Results Formula Results

Weight Solids . . . . . 73.29 PVC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19.23 Weight Solids . . . . . 73.29 PVC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19.23
Volume Solids . . . . . 59.63 Wt/gal . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10.33 Volume Solids . . . . . 59.63 Wt/gal . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10.33
Pot Life . . . . . . . ~40 min. MixRatio (I:II). . . . . . 2.75 : 1 Pot Life . . . . . . . ~40 min. MixRatio (I:II). . . . . . 2.75 : 1
P/B. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.75 NCO:NH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.1 P/B. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.75 NCO:NH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.1
Dry Time Dry Time
(Hard Dry). . . ~60-90 min. Theoretical VOC. . . . . . . 2.76 (Hard Dry). . . ~60-90 min. Theoretical VOC. . . . . . . 2.76
 Table 20

Table 20 compares the two formulas to a control

Aspartate DTM Corrosion Results
without either the adhesion promoter or anti-
corrosive pigment. NB# 837476 837476 837477
Control Formula One Formula Two
Panel # 1 2 1 2 1 2

DFT (mil) 3.8 3.7 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.8

Glass (60) 79 78 89 90 62 63
97 hrs
Rusting Field 10 10 9 10 10 10
Blistering Field 10 10 10 10 10 10
Rusting Scribe 9 9 9 9 10 10
Blistering Scribe 10 10 10 10 10 10
236 hrs
Rusting Field 10 10 9 10 10 10
Blistering Field 10 10 10 10 10 10 17
Rusting Scribe 8 8 9 9 8 8
Blistering Scribe 8M 8M 10 10 10 10
404 hrs
Rusting Field 10 10 9 10 10 10
Blistering Field 10 10 10 10 10 10
Rusting Scribe 7 8 8 8 7 7
Blistering Scribe 8MD 8MD 10 8F 10 4F
624 hrs
Rusting Field 10 10 9 10 10 10
Blistering Field 10 10 10 10 10 10
Rusting Scribe 6 6 8 8 7 7
Blistering Scribe 8D 8D 8F 8F 10 4F
833 hrs
Rusting Field 10 10 10 10
Blistering Field 10 10 10 10
Rusting Scribe 8 8 6 7
Blistering Scribe 8F 8F 10 8F
1174 hrs
Rusting Field 10 10 10 10
Blistering Field 10 10 10 10
Rusting Scribe 8 8 6 7
Blistering Scribe 8F 8F 10 8F
1672 hrs
Rusting Field 10 10 9 9
Blistering Field 10 10 10 10
Rusting Scribe 8 7 6 6
Blistering Scribe 8M 8M 10 10
2154 hrs
Rusting Field 10 10 9 8
Blistering Field 10 10 10 10
Rusting Scribe 8 7 6 5
Blistering Scribe 8M 8M 8M 8M
Creepage
Min 10 10 10 10
Max 6 7 6 5
Mean 9 9 7 6
 Conclusion Acknowledgements
Two-component aliphatic polyurea coatings based The authors would like to acknowledge the follow-
on polyaspartic esters are proving to be valuable ing people for making technical contributions, with-
alternatives to the standard solventborne out which this paper would not have been possible:
polyurethanes. Through increased speed of cure the K. Danielmeier, Ph.D.; C. Britsch; K. Ferri; F. L.
polyaspartic ester based polyurea coatings provide Martin; M. E. Vargo; R. A. Wade; T. D. Wayt; S.
productivity enhancements to painting operations, Zielinski, Renee Bynum.
which in turn generates additional value to a gallon
of paint. They also provide the capability to increase
film build as compared to the typical solventborne
polyurethane topcoat. This allows one to use fewer References
coats of paint and adds to the productivity enhance-
ment of a painting job. The productivity enhancing (1) E. P. Squiller, Ph.D.,"Aliphatic Polyurea Coatings Based on
Polyaspartic Esters," Polyurea Development Association
features are illustrated in case studies. Conference, December 2000. 18
The polyaspartic ester based polyurea technology is (2) Polyurea Development Association, 14 West Third Street,
Suite 200, Kansas City, MO 64108 Phone: (816) 221-0777
often used in topcoat formulations because it is
based on aliphatic polyisocyanates and aliphatic (3) Polyurea Development Association, Podium, First Quarter
diamines (polyaspartic esters). In addition to good 2001, Vol. 2, No. 1, pg. 3-5.
weathering characteristics, the polyaspartic ester
(4) Zwiener, C., Schmalstieg, L., Sonntag, M., Nachtkamp, K.,
based topcoats have fast cure times and can be Pedain, J., Buechel, K. H., "New Concepts for Two-Pack
applied up to 10 mils DFT. Excellent corrosion Polyurethane Coatings," Farbe & Lack. (1991) Nr. 12, p. 1052.
protection properties are illustrated through
(5) Zwiener, C., Sonntag, M., Kahl, L., "Aspartic Acid Esters – A
accelerated weathering tests of a specific corrosion New Line of Reactive Diluents for High-Solids Two-Pack
protective topcoat formulation. The curing Polyurethane Coatings," Proceedings of the Twentieth FATIPEC
characteristics of polyaspartic ester based polyurea Congress, (1990) p. 267.
topcoats are also described in detail with special (6) U. S. Patents 5,126,170 & 5,236,741 assigned to Bayer AG;
emphasis on the accelerating affect of moisture/ U. S. Patent 5,489,704 assigned to Bayer Corporation.
humidity on the potlife/drying time of a fully
(7) Jorissen, S. A., Rumer, R. W., Wicks, D. A., "Proceedings of
formulated topcoat paint.
the Nineteenth Waterborne, Higher Solids and Powder Coatings
Symposium", February 1992, p. 182.
From an applications perspective, this technology
also simplifies some of the spray equipment issues (8) Jorissen, S.A., "Polyurethane Coatings for Automotive
Plastics", Finishing Automotive Plastics, April 1992, EM92-157.
associated with fast curing coatings. The polyaspar-
tic ester based polyurea coatings, while fast curing, (9) Luthra, S., Wayt, T.D., Yeske, P. E., "Proceedings of the
are not so fast that they require the use of impinge- Twenty-first Waterborne, Higher Solids and Powder Coatings
Symposium", February 1994.
ment mixing plural component spray equipment.
Less expensive and less complicated conventional
spray equipment can be used in some cases depend-
ing on the specific formulation. And when plural
component spray equipment is dictated by the
specific coating formulation, a long whip hose
can often be used with mixing at the manifold, thus
allowing for a conventional spray gun to be used.
 Carl Angeloff, P.E.
Manager of Market Development, Maintenance Coatings
Bayer Polymers LLC, Americas

Carl Angeloff P.E. is Manager of Market Development for the Maintenance coatings
business of Bayer Polymers, Americas. He began his career with Bayer in 1990 as a
Technical Marketing Specialist. Carl is a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh
with degrees in BSCE and MSCE. He is a registered professional engineer in
Pennsylvania and author of over 40 papers on polyurethane coatings and steel and
concrete structures. Carl is Vice President of The Society for Protective Coatings and
active in many other professional associations. He is married and has two children.

Kurt Best
Development Scientist
19 Bayer Polymers LLC, Americas

Kurt Best is a Development Scientist with Bayer Polymers LLC in Pittsburgh. He

holds two degrees – a bachelor of science degree in chemistry from Thiel College
and a masters of science degree in chemistry from Duquesne University. Kurt
currently provides research and technical support to Bayer’s efforts to understand
and prevent corrosion in many applications in the heavy duty maintenance, commercial
and military aviation, military ground equipment, and naval and commercial marine
arenas, as well as in light architectural applications. He is a member of SSPC and
Committee Chair for ASTM D-133. He has been married for fourteen years to his
wife Ann. They have two children, Katie, 9, and Jeremy, 7.

Ed Squiller
Technical Manager, Construction and Maintenance Coatings
Bayer Polymers LLC, Americas

Ed Squiller is a manager in the Business Development Group responsible for

technical development activities in the Construction and Maintenance Coating areas.

Ed has been with Bayer Polymers 19 years. He’s held positions of increasing
responsiblility in the aromatic polyurethane coating systems, catalysis of aliphatic
polyurethanes, and polyether polyol synthesis areas. Ed has published numerous
technical papers and is named as the inventor or co-inventor on more than 25 U.S.
patents primarily in the field of polyurethane coatings.

Ed holds a B.S. degree in Chemistry from Duquesne University and a Ph.D. in

Organic Chemistry from The Pennsylvania State University. He is married and has
two children.
 100 Bayer Road
Pittsburgh, PA 15205-9741
412-777-2000

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