Vanchem Performance Chemicals<\/a>\u00a0created technology they named Greencoat, which uses silicon rather than heavy metals to bind coatings to both metal surfaces and paint.<\/p>\n\u201cIt\u2019s a water-based system that, for all intents and purposes, has reactive sand in it,\u201d says Zelisko. \u201cIf the material happens to get flushed out or it leaks, you\u2019re effectively releasing sand and water into the environment.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sheets made out of steel or other metals need to be \u2018pre-treated\u2019 with a substance that will guard them against damage caused by rust and salt. This substance must be able to stick not only to the metal but also to any paint that\u2019s applied to the sheets on top of the coating.<\/p>\n
The challenge is that the metal is an inorganic substance, meaning it is not made from a plant or animal, but the paint that is applied to the metal is an organic substance.<\/p>\n
Traditional coating systems use heavy metals \u2013 such as zinc phosphate, iron phosphate or chrome \u2013 to enable the inorganic and organic substances to be able to stick to one another. Phosphates released into the environment causes various algal blooms in lakes and rivers, damaging aquatic plant and animal life.<\/p>\n
Also used in the process are solvents \u2013 substances used to dissolve other\u00a0substances \u2013 that have in the past polluted the environment.<\/p>\n
Unlike conventional methods, Zelisko and Vanchem\u2019s system involves a two-step process. First, a base layer is applied to the metal. Water mixed with silica, which is basically sand, is sprayed onto the metal, creating a chemical bond with the metal. This cleans the metal but also deposits silica onto the surface.<\/p>\n
This coating not only protects the metal but acts as a primer for the second layer, which is designed to bond well to paint.<\/p>\n
The second layer contains polysilicates, the basis of which is silicon, \u201cthe second-most abundant element in the Earth\u2019s crust,\u201d says a company report. Silicates can be modified to stick to both metals and paints.<\/p>\n
When the industry wants to determine whether or not a coating product is effective, the treated metal sheets are put into salt-spray chambers, where a fine mist of salt water is continually sprayed onto the metal until it starts to show signs of corrosion.<\/p>\n
The industry standard is around one thousand hours, says Zelisko. \u201cOur coatings ranged anywhere from 1,800 to 3,000 hours, in some cases almost three times as good as what the industry requires.\u201d<\/p>\n
When coming in contact with metal, salty water acts as a type of catalyst, enabling oxygen to mix with metal, resulting in corrosion.<\/p>\n
The Brock-Vanchem innovation is a sign of the times, says Ian McLeod, vice president of Vanchem Performance Chemicals.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe industry has switched over to greener technologies; they want to get rid of the heavy metals,\u201d he says. \u201cLarge corporations and companies want to be environmental stewards. They want to be able to say, \u2018look at what we\u2019re doing, we\u2019ve replaced the old zinc phosphate technology with a new silane-based technology that doesn\u2019t have any environmental impacts.’\u201d<\/p>\n
McLeod says that the initial price of a \u2018green\u2019 coating may be more expensive than a zinc phosphate one. But, factoring in environmental disposal, maintenance and other costs associated with non-green coatings, companies could save money in the long run.<\/p>\n
Working with a university to create this technology is very beneficial, says McLeod: \u201cI don\u2019t think we would be where we are today without Paul Zelisko\u2019s expertise in his team.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Ontario Centres of Excellence supported the research partnership through its OCE Collaborative Research Program.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis innovation is on track to demonstrate some real economic benefits for Ontario and is a great example of what can happen when academia and industry work together,” said Gillian Sheldon, OCE\u2019s business development manager. \u201cOntario Centres of Excellence has a long history of supporting the automotive sector, and we are pleased to collaborate on this innovative cleantech solution.”<\/p>\n
The team received the patent for Greencoat silane-based pretreatment on Aug. 2\u00a0in the United States, with Canadian and European patents pending.<\/p>\n
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