Belzona® has recently developed a new coating with a truly remarkable set of characteristics which will appeal to a tremendous variety of industries. Concrete is coated for a great many reasons but often it is to protect it from its environment. While an inexpensive and well-understood material of construction, concrete has extremely poor chemical resistance and is readily attacked by any number of very common chemicals. In those instances where concrete needs to be isolated from harsh chemicals, another of concrete’s inherent weaknesses adds further complication. Concrete cracks readily as it settles and ages; most of us have observed that in our driveways much to our chagrin. Sadly, coatings capable of resisting the most aggressive chemicals are themselves very rigid and crack readily when the concrete beneath them cracks. Remarkably, Belzona® 4361 is both highly chemically resistant and flexible.
When compared to Belzona® 4311, which is perhaps Belzona’s most chemically resistant coating, Belzona 4361 has twenty times the elongation at break and six times the impact resistance. It can even be bent to a 0.3 inch radius at 32°F (0°C); a torture few coatings will be asked to survive. This quick 30 second video shows the difference in flexibility between 4361 and 4311:
When the chemical resistance of 4361 is compared to a flexible chemical resistant coating from an internationally recognized competitor in the building industry, the results are just as lopsided as shown in the table below.
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Belzona® 4361 |
Competitor |
95% Sulfuric Acid |
Failed after 2 days |
Failed after 1 day |
93% Sulfuric Acid |
Passed 52 weeks |
Failed after 1 day |
90% Sulfuric Acid |
Passed 52 weeks |
Failed after 2 days |
20% Sulfuric Acid |
Passed 52 weeks |
Failed after 9 months |
37% Hydrochloric Acid |
Passed 52 weeks |
Failed after 5 days |
10% Hydrochloric Acid |
Passed 52 weeks |
Failed after 9 months |
43% Phosphoric Acid |
Failed after 1 month |
Failed after 5 days |
25% Phosphoric Acid |
Failed after 9 months |
Failed after 5 days |
10% Acetic Acid |
Failed after 1 week |
Failed after 5 days |
2% Acetic Acid |
Passed 52 weeks |
Failed after 5 months |
25% Ammonia |
Failed after 1 month |
Failed after 1 week |
Ethyl Acetate |
Passed 52 weeks |
Failed after 5 days |
Ethanolamine |
Failed after 1 week |
Failed after 5 days |
MEK |
Failed after 1 day |
Failed after 1 day |
Ethanol |
Passed 52 weeks |
Failed after 5 months |
Methanol |
Failed after 4 months |
Failed after 5 days |
Most customers require a coating capable of surviving multiple 72 hours events for secondary containment. Obviously for many services the competitor material is totally unacceptable. Should you need to protect concrete which is cracking against harsh chemicals, please do not hesitate to contact us. Chris Lucas clucas@rumfordgroup.com 937-435-4650 RumfordGroup.com
Time sure does fly, 35 years have gone by On January 11, 1980 Rumford Industrial Group was incorporated, becoming the Great Lakes Region distributor for Belzona® polymeric repair compounds and industrial protective coatings. We are honored to know that you rely on us to repair, protect and improve your machinery, equipment, buildings and structures when things stop working. We trust that you’ll allow us to continue to be a trusted business partner for the next 35 years and beyond. On behalf of our employees and associates, thank you so very much for the opportunity to be of service. Jim Rumford
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