Taking polyurethane to new heights

Citation

(2000), "Taking polyurethane to new heights", Anti-Corrosion Methods and Materials, Vol. 47 No. 3. https://doi.org/10.1108/acmm.2000.12847cab.011

Taking polyurethane to new heights

Keywords Hyperlast, Coatings, Polyurethanes

For more than 30 years, the name Hyperlast has been prominent in the supply of customised polyurethane elastomer systems to industry throughout the world, from automotive to offshore, marine and high-tech to office furniture.

During this time, the UK company, which pioneered the use of polyurethane coatings, has remained at the forefront of research, which most recently has resulted in the development of a novel surfacing system, which will be beneficial to the construction industry.

Hyperlast points out that for many years the epoxy systems currently used for skid-resistant road surfaces have sufficed, although they are neither waterproof nor tolerant to adverse weather conditions such as the effect of ultraviolet radiation and, as a consequence, are susceptible to cracking and other structural damage.

In response to calls from the construction industry, Hyperlast Limited reports that it has developed a versatile protective solution for sprayed polyurethane foam (SPF) surfaces. The thixotropic nature of "Hypercrete" Flex is said to provide a durable, lightweight and seamless, waterproof membrane, which permits it to be used for the protection of conventional commercial and industrial surfaces such as asphalt, wood, concrete and masonry, without pinholing or sagging the film, while remaining impervious to exterior mass water penetration and providing outstanding resistance to mechanical damage and chemical attack.

With a membrane tensile strength of nine and an elongation capacity in excess of 600 per cent, the solvent-free polyurethane is able to resist lateral movement and shear, and will allow for a structure's normal expansion and contraction without affecting the ability to keep the structure protected from the outside elements.

The new technology has reportedly been successfully installed on all types of roof decks and in every climatic environment of the world. Recently at the Cheshire Oaks Shopping Centre, in Ellesmere Port, the top deck of the centre's new multi-storey car park, totalling 7,500m², was primed, in order to seal the concrete and provide a suitable surface for the application of the PU (Plate 4).

Plate 4 Recently at the Cheshire Oaks Shopping Centre the top deck of the centre's new multi-storey car park, totalling 7,500m², was primed, in order to seal the concrete and provide a suitable surface for the application of the PU (Plate 4).

The Flex system was then installed to a depth of 1mm, before a coating of "Hypercrete" grip system was applied by hand to a depth of a further 1mm, before quartz crystals were added to aid the skid-resistant qualities. Combined, the two solutions are believed to provide a system with an outstanding life expectancy and unmatched performance in aggressively corrosive environments. The system was finished using topcoat UV40 which is 100 per cent UV stable and will not degrade in direct sunlight.

"Over the last 30 years, Hyperlast has successfully applied polyurethane technology to a wide range of engineering problems, and is now considered by most to be the world's leading innovator and supplier of speciality polyurethane elastomers", comments marketing manager, Paul Fitzgerald.

Details available from: Hyperlast Limited. Tel: +44 (0) 1663 746518; Fax: +44 (0) 1663 746605; E-mail: help@hyperlast.co.uk; Web site: http://www.hyperlast.co.uk