MicaFort increases barrier formation and corrosion protection in marine coatings.
This allows for a longer service life with exceptional shielding properties for steel structures such as ships, bridges or offshore windmills with a steel foundation.
Mica is a naturally occurring inert mineral with a very high aspect ratio. The mineral platelets remain platy particles even after processing which reduces the raw material to an ultra-fine powder. High aspect ratio MicaFort products provide very effective barrier formation in coatings. These formations increase the performance of mica in marine coatings, even under the most severe conditions such as marine applications.
The Mica particles orientate themselves within the coating parallel to the substrate. This way they ensure the coating longevity and resistance to chemicals, saltwater or other aggressive substances. We produce MicaFort from Muscovite Mica which is naturally colourless. This enables to manufacture the white, pale and primary shades of coatings without the addition of expensive pigments.
This barrier will prevent water vapour transmission and stop aggressive chemical ingress to the resin system. In turn, this will significantly reduce the corrosion process on the underlying substrate.
Studies of LKAB Minerals show that using MicaFort in the ‘build coat’, you can significantly increase the barrier properties of the marine paint compared to traditional formulated coatings.
By including high levels of MicaFort into water-based coatings you can significantly inhibit the flash rusting. This is where rest discolours the coating and acts as a catalyst for extensive corrosion to take place. The MicaFort barrier ensures:
as it inhibits the corrosion process to the substrate and provides resistance to weathering and UV degradation.
LKAB Minerals manufactures very high-quality products. Our collection of MicaFort grades with a high aspect ratio (between 80 to 120) fits the coatings industry perfectly. Particularly this is due to the developments and customisations we completed. Get more information by contacting your local sales partner.
