Paint Repair and Maintenance

FluoroGrip® is used as a repair and maintenance system designed to extend the life of traditional coating systems by repairing damaged and rusted areas while they are small.

Shipboard Testing – Ballast Tanks
(Pressure & Vacuum)

Application / Adhesion Test

• Main Ballast tanks on a US Navy nuclear submarine
• Immersion Service – 20 test patches

Set A Applied Successfully

• Over new epoxy, aged intact epoxy, bare metal prepared by needle
  gunning
• Around beam edges / angles

Results

• Test patches still exhibit sound adhesion.
• Evaluation in July 2001: Removal & recoat Edge sealant
• August 2002 inspection & evaluation – no apparent change
• Evaluation in January 2003: Test patches w/ duration of 11 months, 18
  months, and 29 months – All in sound condition

Peel Strength, 180° ASTM D 903-98

• Adhere test strips to a painted panel, then exert a measured force 180°
  to the surface to pull off the strips
• Set A applied over three different surface preparations (cured AC, tacky
  AC, sanded AC)

Conclusions

• No apparent differences in adhesion between surface preparations
• Films show excellent adhesion – Strips elongate prior to adhesive
  failure

Salt Spray (Fog) Testing ASTM B 117-85

Purpose: Evaluate Adhesion of Appliqué over Anticorrosive
Paint, & in Overlap & Edge Situations

• Accelerated test – 2000 hours
• Set A applied over three different surface preparations
  (cured AC, tacky AC, sanded AC)

Conclusions

• No apparent differences between surface preparations
• Applique shows slight lifting at scribe due to exposed edge
• Real-time testing underway