Protective Coatings

These materials have to be resistant against ageing due to various natural degradation processes like

• Environmental,
• Mechanical, and
• Chemical damage.

The structural performance of any structure or building component is determined by the strength of the concrete-reinforcement bond. The surface of the reinforcing steel should be free of rust in order to improve the bonding strength with the concrete.

Why Protective coating is required?

Concrete and steel are providing support to the structure by bearing compressive and tensile loads. Steel prevents concrete from breaking when subjected to tensile stresses. Concrete prevents steel from corroding by creating an alkaline environment in which it can operate. In this case, the reinforced concrete structures will continue to function well for the foreseeable future.

Despite the fact that concrete is a highly durable material, it is nevertheless prone to degradation over time. Concrete can be porous, allowing pollutants to seep into the pores and damage the core under its surface. By physical impact and abrasion, the binding material and aggregate can be worn away as well.

The other possibility is that water can also penetrate through tiny pores in concrete.Water can freeze and expand inside the structure as the temperature changes.This eventually damage the concrete from the inside out, causing it to crack. Once the crack develops in the structure surface, then there are possibilities of corrosion in rebar. Reinforcing steel bar (rebar), which is intended to provide extra strength and other characteristics, may corrode if moisture, oxygen, and chloride ions are allowed to enter the concrete mix.

When concrete deteriorates, corrosion of rebar have a role in it. Diverse externally hostile environmental substances, like as water, carbon dioxide, oxygen, chlorides, sulphides, and biological organisms.They can be transported into the concrete from the atmosphere and attack rebar and concrete in a various way like.

• Causing premature deterioration of reinforced concrete,
• putting its durability at risk, and
• ultimately resulting in premature failure of the structures concerned.

By applying barrier surface coatings to the concrete, it is possible to limit or even prevent the entrance of hazardous substances. Protective coatings are applied to surfaces in order to protect them against chemical degradation and, eventually, structural collapse.Reinforcement bars can be treated with primer coating before placement also reduce corrosion risk. Maintaining structural integrity throughout its service life is possible as a result.

A wide range of protective coatings are available from Silkon, which consist of:

• Adhesion to the surface to be coated is excellent.
• Because the coatings are applying on alkaline concrete, they can be resistant to alkalis.
• The ability to resist CO2, sulphate, and chlorides in order to offer barrier property
• Because of cyclic stresses, the structural components exhibit dimensional fluctuation, resulting in high flexibility.
• Excellent resilience to the effects of the weather
• Breathability should allow for the passage of water vapour through the coating in order to prevent scorching of the coatings; this is a need for durability.
• Durability necessitates the capacity to withstand ultraviolet radiation.
• Susceptibility to staining is quite low.
• Fungi, algae, moss, and other microorganisms thrive well in this environment.