High Performance, Cost Effective Waterborne

Epoxy Concrete Protection

Coatings for Concrete Conference, “Coating” the World of Concrete
February 2, 2009, Westin Casuarina Las Vegas Hotel, Las Vegas, NV
Stephen Monaghan and Dilip Shah, Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.

INTRODUCTION
High performance, cost effective protection of concrete is a key driver within the construction
industry. A system based on waterborne epoxy technology which provides durable and highly
aesthetic surface protection will be presented. A waterborne curing agent has been designed which
exhibits excellent adhesion to concrete, including damp concrete with no carbamation at low
temperature offering high performance, cost effective protection of all concrete substrates leading to
it being the first choice for a concrete primer and coating system. In addition, for high traffic areas,
a self levelling system which effectively offers surface protection to heavy loads with high impact
resistance. This system offers a very attractive cost-in-use even when compared to epoxy solvent
free systems due to significantly reduced resin demand. To complement these developments, a third
curing agent, which offers very high aesthetics will be presented. This system offers high
transparency, excellent scratch resistance, low colour and very good yellowing resistance and is
ideal for highly decorative top-cot applications.
FIRST CHOICE FOR APPLICATION ON TO CONCRETE
SUPERIOR ADHESION
Concrete primers offer 2 primary functions. Firstly, a concrete primer should offer excellent
adhesion to the substrate it is being applied offering a limited amount of protection. Secondly, the
primer should offer a sound surface which can readily be coated with further protective or
decorative coatings to produce a finished flooring system. Waterborne epoxy systems based on
water soluble amines are well known for having excellent adhesion onto a wide range of substrates.
A waterborne curing agent, WBCA-1, has been designed to be used in high performance primer
system while giving a very low cost-in-use. Systems based on this curing agent provide excellent
adhesion to all mineral substrates such as concrete, anhydrite, ceramic and old epoxy coatings. In
addition to this the systems based on WBCA-1 will provide excellent adhesion on to damp concrete
which is often encountered when coating industrial concrete floors. The adhesion data presented
here clearly demonstrates that compared to traditional solvent free and solvent borne primer systems
the adhesion to damp concrete is superior with the mode of failure with WBCA-1 being cohesive,
indicating that the adhesion to the concrete is greater than the strength of the concrete itself. The
primer systems shown are based on stoichiometric use of the curing agents with an unmodified
bisphenol A diglycidylether epoxy resin. The following figure shows the pull-off adhesion testing of
WBCA-1 compared to a standard cycloaliphatic system when applied to damp concrete.

Curing agent technology Standard Dry Concrete Standard Damp Concrete

WBCA-1 curing agent 1200 PSI – concrete failure 1200 PSI – concrete failure

Solvent free Cycloaliphatic 1200 PSI – concrete failure 60 PSI – adhesive failure

Solventborne polyamide 1200 PSI – concrete failure 145 PSI – partial adhesive failure

©Air Products and Chemicals, Inc., 2009 Pub. No. 125-09-006-US

High Performance, Cost ‘Effective Waterborne Epoxy Concrete Protection
Stephen Monaghan and Dilip Shah, Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.

WBCA-1 Solvent free Solventborne

Primer System Cycloaliphatic Polyamide
The robust nature of the adhesion of WBCA-1 based primer systems ensures that the risk of failures due
to delamination from the substrate is minimised. The confidence in adhesion over a wide range of
substrates is a key driver to make WBCA-1 systems the first choice for primer applications.

PERFECT FOUNDATION FOR MULTI-COAT APPLICATIONS

Now we have established the excellent adhesion to the substrate the other key requirements for a primer
system is to provide a surface which can readily be overcoated with a further protective or aesthetic
topcoat. Many coating applications consist of a number of coatings to increase the protective properties
and also to provide a highly decorative system. WBCA-1 based systems exhibit excellent recoatability,
with the surface presented offering the ability to recoat immediately or after several months with epoxy,
polyurethane or other coating technologies. The intercoat adhesion data clearly demonstrates that there
is no intercoat adhesion failure when overcoating the WBCA-1 primer with a further coating of a
WBCA-1 system.

Primer and Coating After 1 day After 3 days After 1 month

Curing agent technology

WBCA-1 Cohesive failure Cohesive failure Cohesive failure

Partial intercoat
Solvent free Cycloaliphatic Cohesive failure Intercoat failure
failure

Partial intercoat
Solventborne polyamide Cohesive failure Intercoat failure
failure

A primer system based on WBCA-1 curing agent will be touch dry after 3-5 hours and can be
overcoated with the following topcoat or self-levelling flooring system. Also as the system is not
susceptible to the formation of carbamation under any circumstances the intercoat adhesion is not
adversely affected due to applications at low temperature or high humidity.

DECORATIVE AND PROTECTIVE HIGH FILM BUILD APPLICATIONS

LOW ODOUR, PLASTICISER FREE SYSTEMS

A further waterborne system has been developed which is based on similar technology to WBCA-1, but
unlike WBCA-1 it is designed to be used in high film build applications such as self levelling floors.
High film build systems offer a high level of protection to the floor which will reduce the requirements
for repairing the floor and ensure the longevity of the concrete substrate. Flooring systems based on
WBCA-2 are low odour and can be formulated free of volatile organic compounds (VOC) offering
VOC compliant systems. The application of coatings in confined spaces limits the use of solvents and
other volatiles, due to odour and regulatory constraints. This is equally important for sensitive
application areas such as schools, offices or hospitals which can stay occupied during application.

©Air Products and Chemicals, Inc., 2009 Pub. No. 125-09-006-US

High Performance, Cost ‘Effective Waterborne Epoxy Concrete Protection
Stephen Monaghan and Dilip Shah, Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.

Self-Levelling In Europe increasingly stringent regulations

Floor – 3K will further limit emissions from flooring
A-Component systems during the life of the coating. Coating
systems containing non-reactive components,
1. WBCA-2 10.00 such as benzyl alcohol, have shown high
2. Defoamer 0.70 emission levels which are above the proposed
3. Pigment TiO2 3.70 limits. Self levelling coatings based on
4. Thixotropic Agent 0.07 WBCA-2 are fully reactive and contain no
5. Water 10.53 plasticisers or solvents and therefore offer a
25.00 compliant system. The WBCA-2 self levelling
flooring formulation, as described in the section
B-Component opposite, has been evaluated for emission
6. Epoxy resin 9.00 levels according to the stringent German AgBB
standards for the evaluation of emissions from
building products on a 2.5 mm floor applied on
C-Component concrete. The test results highlight that the
7. Fine Quartz Powder 12.00 WBCA-2 self levelling formulation exceeds the
8. Quartz Powder 28.00 criteria to be categories as a low emission
9. Quartz Sand (0.1-0.3) 35.00 flooring system. This demonstrates that the
system will meet the stringent future
75.00 regulations in Europe and will have low
emissions ideal for applications in the
Total 109.00 electronics industry or where low odour and
tainting is of importance.
Furthermore, as the coatings are fully reactive with no plasticisers or solvents there are fewer concerns
of flame spread and smoke generation in the case of fire, this is an increasing demand in building
construction and offshore and marine environments.

THE IDEAL ROUTE TO HIGHLY DECORATIVE AND FUNCTIONAL FLOORING SYSTEMS

Self levelling coatings based on WBCA-2 curing agent provide a desirable satin/matt finish to lessen
the visibility of floor defects and reduce scratch sensitivity. However, the surface is highly adaptable
and can be modified to produce highly decorative surface appearances. Due to the inherent good
overcoatability the self levelling floor can be readily coated with a transparent sealer or topcoat to
produce a high gloss or decorative finish with improved chemical resistance and cleanability. The
surface can be easily modified by broadcasting sand or pigment effects and then sealed with a
transparent topcoat such as industrial two component polyurethane coatings, waterborne polyurethane /
acrylic hybrid dispersions two component waterborne epoxy systems to offer highly decorative or
non-slip flooring.

The WBCA-2 self levelling system also offers a high level of protection to the substrate, protecting it
from abrasion, impact and chemical attack. The following table shows the physical properties of a self
levelling system based on WBCA-2 curing agent compared to the typical properties of a solvent free
cycloaliphatic system.

©Air Products and Chemicals, Inc., 2009 Pub. No. 125-09-006-US

High Performance, Cost ‘Effective Waterborne Epoxy Concrete Protection
Stephen Monaghan and Dilip Shah, Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.

Physical Properties WBCA-2 Cycloaliphatic

(50phr)
Surface Appearance Satin / Matt High Gloss

Compressive Strength (28 days) 5,800 PSI 8,700 PSI

Compressive Modulus (28 days) 110,000 PSI 220,000 PSI

Water Vapour Transmission ( ) 500-1,000 30,000

Adhesion to Concrete 650 PSI 580 PSI

Impact Resistance 180-200 kg.cm < 100kg.cm

Abrasion Resistance (Taber C17) 300mg 260mg

Plasticiser Free Yes No

Table 1 – Typical Properties of Self Levelling Floor Systems
In addition, this system provides high resistance to impact, e.g. from falling heavy objects. Upon
impact a ‘dent’ but no cracking will occur so that concrete will be further protected without extensive
repair works.

TIME IS MONEY

The self levelling flooring system based on WBCA-2, as described earlier, offers very fast property
development allowing for a very fast return to service. The fast property development is demonstrated
at 75°F and 50°F indicating that even at low temperatures the system will produce a walk-on hardness
after 24 hours, the system will withstand light traffic after limited cure time allowing for the floor to be
back in service after application or overcoated with a further decorative surface finish much quicker
than competitive technologies. This has the advantage of reducing the time a floor will be out of service
which has economic and logistical advantages.

Figure 1 – Shore D Hardness Development as a Function of Time of Cure for WBCA-2 Self
Levelling Formulation.

©Air Products and Chemicals, Inc., 2009 Pub. No. 125-09-006-US

High Performance, Cost ‘Effective Waterborne Epoxy Concrete Protection
Stephen Monaghan and Dilip Shah, Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.

AESTHETIC TOPCOAT APPLICATIONS

In the previous sections, functional primer and high build systems have been described using WBCA-1
and WBCA-2. These curing agents are based on water soluble polyamines which offer the best
properties for these applications. For highly aesthetic low colour coatings and clear sealers a different
technology is employed which offers easy handling and long working time to allow for easy application.
The key to obtaining all of these properties is the use of dispersion technology.

EASY TO MIX AND EASY TO APPLY

Dispersion curing agent technology, (product WBCA-D) addresses the need for low viscosity, low
colour, good colour stability and long pot-life. This technology is a stable amine functional dispersion
based on a polymeric amine of hydrophobic nature that exhibits low solubility in water with an average
particle size of 800 nm. The dispersion is non-ionically stabilised and exhibits freeze-thaw stability as
well as storage stability. Dispersion technology has been applied to yield an ultra low viscosity curing
agent, unlike any other waterborne currently produced. As is typical for an aqueous dispersion,
viscosity is independent of molecular weight. The viscosity of 200 cP (55% solids) is more than an
order of magnitude lower than conventional water soluble polyamine curing agents, which have
viscosities of 10,000–20,000 cP at similar solid levels. This offers obvious advantages in handling and
formulation development, providing handling characteristics comparable to well established solvent
free technology based on cycloaliphatic curing agents. It can be utilized for transparent sealers without
further processing, thereby achieving cost savings for curing agent formulation and re-packaging. In
pigmented systems, WBCA-D shows very easy application by brush or roller with no roller pick-up due
to low viscosity and the hydrophobic nature of the curing agent. This benefit translates into faster paint
application, allowing for the same surface area to be coated in less time.

The low curing agent viscosity also translates into low mix viscosity at same solids, or in other words
the ability to use higher solids in a waterborne system at the same viscosity. Between 25 – 50% more
solids can be applied compared to other waterborne technology at the same application viscosity,
thereby lowering cost by reducing the number of coats and the time necessary to yield the desired film
thickness. As less water is required to evaporate from the system, a higher film build can be achieved.
Unfilled systems have cured up to a dry film thickness of 500μm with high transparency and without
any signs of water entrapment, thus providing application security and the possibility to apply
transparent high film build water-based coatings. Coupled with this ability to cure in thick films are the
low initial colour and good yellowing resistance, so that very transparent and clear epoxy coatings are
achievable. Yellowing upon UV exposure is a commonly known shortcoming of epoxy technology and
is inherent to the nature of the chemistry. Accelerated weathering benchmarking with QUVA exposure
shows that the newly developed dispersion technology exhibits better UV stability than established
waterborne and solvent free systems. This opens new water-based epoxy applications, such as clear top
coats on decorative flooring systems, where traditional waterborne epoxy technology could not have
been utilised and solventborne 2K polyurethane systems have been the preferred systems.

©Air Products and Chemicals, Inc., 2009 Pub. No. 125-09-006-US

High Performance, Cost ‘Effective Waterborne Epoxy Concrete Protection
Stephen Monaghan and Dilip Shah, Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.

A-Component 1.2.3.10/AQ100
1. WBCA-D 40.00
2. Dispersant 1.50
3. Defoamer 0.05
4. Titanium dioxide 26.00
5. Barytes 10.00
6. Filler 4.00
7. Talc 4.00
8. Curing Agent 6.00
9. Defoamer 0.50
10. Rheology modifier 2.00
11. Water 5.95
100.00
B-Component
Figure 2 – Yellow Index as a Function of Time of 1. Epoxy Resin 25.00
QUVA exposure Total 125.00

Cycloaliphatic curing agents have been used for a number of years in top coat applications and have
become an industry standard for highly durable top coats. The following table shows the formulation
for a standard white top coat paint based on WBCA-D which can be brush, roller or spray applied. This
formulation shows very good colour stability on exposure to UV light as shown in Figure 2 compared to
similar formulations with a cycloaliphatic curing agent and a water soluble polyamide. The paint has a
PVC of 20.5% and shows stable gloss at a value of 80 measured at 60° through the pot life, which is in
excess of 6 hours.

Another interesting feature of WBCA-D, which is illustrated in the previous paint formulation, is the
exceptional working time after mixing with epoxy resin. When cured with standard liquid epoxy resin a
pot life of up to 8 hours is achievable; the system offers a very stable viscosity profile over a 6 – 8 hour
period with excellent film formation properties such as high and constant gloss and hardness.
Traditional waterborne curing agent technology for liquid epoxy resins only provide a pot life of 1-2
hours, whereas conventional cycloaliphatic systems exhibit pot lives of less than 1 hour (Figure 3). This
provides an economic route to long pot life water-based systems that currently can only be achieved
utilizing pre-dispersed resin systems.

Figure 3 – Viscosity Increase During Pot Life Using a Standard Epoxy Resin.

©Air Products and Chemicals, Inc., 2009 Pub. No. 125-09-006-US

High Performance, Cost ‘Effective Waterborne Epoxy Concrete Protection
Stephen Monaghan and Dilip Shah, Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.

The long pot life offers an application window of a full working day, allowing for the mixing of one
batch of material at the start of the day and then the continued application of this same material all day,
optimizing the efficiency of applicator work crews. Additionally, the longer pot life is beneficial for
wall coating application and usage in warmer climates, such as southern Europe and the Middle East.
The high molecular weight of WBCA-D provides rapid drying and crosslinking with a lacquer dry on
evaporation of water. The touch dry time of the system is very fast with the hard dry being similar to
conventional waterborne systems such as WBCA-1 and solvent free cycloaliphatic systems as depicted
in Figure 4.

Figure 4 – Drying Times of Waterborne and Solvent Free Systems at 77°F.

For top coat applications it is important for coatings to retain their high quality aesthetic finish.
Benchmarking of top coats for chemical and stain resistance against conventional water-based
technology has again highlighted improvements. Good solvent resistance is observed for all
water-based systems, however, a marked improvement in acid resistance is noticeable with WBCA-D.
Organic acid resistance has always been a severe limitation of water-based epoxy coatings. Results of
the benchmarking show coatings based on the new dispersion remain intact upon exposure to dilute
acetic acid (3%) contact whereas other water-based systems show severe failures, leading to blistering
and delamination from the substrate.

The improved acid resistance translates to improved stain resistance against common foodstuffs,
especially those containing low levels of acetic acid such as mustard, ketchup and red wine. A summary
of the results is outlined in Table 2. Coatings featuring the dispersion based curing agent are virtually
unaffected after exposure whereas other waterborne systems show significant signs of attack.

Table 2 – Stain Resistance 18h Exposure

Water Soluble
WBCA-D
Polyamine
Coffee no change slight stain
Ketchup no change yellow stain
Mustard no change yellow stain
Red Wine slight stain yellow stain

WBCA-D Water Soluble

Polyamine

©Air Products and Chemicals, Inc., 2009 Pub. No. 125-09-006-US

High Performance, Cost ‘Effective Waterborne Epoxy Concrete Protection
Stephen Monaghan and Dilip Shah, Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.

The increased chemical and acid resistance and the ability to cure in transparent low colour films suggests that
films based on this technology can be utilised in more decorative coatings where contact with foodstuffs may
occur, such as emerging coating applications in institutional areas or top coats in food preparation areas.

In addition to good compatibility with standard liquid epoxy resins, that are preferred for cost effectiveness,
WBCA-D also exhibits exceptionally good compatibility with pre-dispersed solid epoxy resins. Use of
pre-dispersed solid resins provides exceptionally fast dry speed and walk-on time, with touch dry times recorded
at less than 1 hour for very fast return to service.

SUMMARY
In summary, WBCA-1, WBCA-2 and WBCA-D provide comprehensive waterborne systems with significant
technical advantages over competitive technologies to provide high aesthetic durable protection of concrete. Their
ability to ensure performance over a wide range of substrates while offering a cost effective solution to
problematic applications make these systems the first choice for a wide range of end uses, including primers,
water vapour permeable build coats and decorative top coats. In a market where ever increasing legislation and
stringent regulatory requirements are being strengthened and enforced this system will provide a long-term
solution whilst maintaining the high performance associated with epoxy flooring technology.

For More Information The information contained herein is offered without charge
Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. for use by technically qualified personnel at their discretion
7201 Hamilton Boulevard and risk. All statements, technical information and
Allentown, PA 18195 recommendations contained herein are based on tests
Tel 800-345-3148 and data which we believe to be reliable, but the accuracy
Tel 610-481-6799 or completeness thereof is not guaranteed and no
Fax 610-481-4381 warranty of any kind is made with respect thereto.

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©Air Products and Chemicals, Inc., 2009 Pub. No. 125-09-006-US