Chemco's Unique Topcoat Outperforms Market

Recent exposure tests carried out by an independent laboratory has concluded that Chemco’s epoxy acrylic Epo-chem™ RC 500GTC outperformed other market leading topcoats.

Epo-chem™ RC 500GTC is a special high gloss topcoat with exceptional chemical and UV resistance for exposed surfaces where colour retention and high gloss are desired.

To carry out these tests, Epo-chem™ RC 500GTC was exposed to salt-spray and UV exposure. The effect that salt-spray and UV exposure have on the coating was measured over 5,000 hours and 4,000 hours respectively*. Colour change, chalking and gloss were also assessed as part of the testing regime.

The results from the salt-spray exposure test were excellent. After 5,000 hours on an ‘uncut’ coated panel, Epo-chem™ RC 500GTC showed no signs of defect. Even when the panel was artificially cut, the coated panel took 3,000 hours to show any sign of defect (2-5mm). This is a truly outstanding performance from Epo-chem™ RC 500GTC.

After 4,000 hours exposure to UV exposure, there were no signs of defect on the panels coated with Epo-chem™ RC 500GTC.

After 4,000 hours exposure to UV exposure, the coated panels showed no signs of noticeable colour difference.

After 4,000 hours exposure to UV exposure (UV-A), Epo-chem™ RC 500GTC showed no degree of chalking. Only when exposed to a much harsher UV exposure (UV-B) after 3,000 hours, did the coated panel show a barely noticeable degree of chalking.

The gloss level for the panel exposed to UV-A had outstanding results for the full 4,000 hours test period. Epo-chem™ RC 500GTC outperformed many market leaders once again and also directly competed with Polysiloxane, which is a remarkable achievement for an epoxy acrylic topcoat of this nature.

When exposed to UV-B, Epo-chem™ RC 500GTC performed similarly with other coatings of this type.

These independent test results have proven that Epo-chem™ RC 500GTC, when exposed to salt-spray and UV exposure, outperforms many similar market leading protective coatings. The test results also concluded that when Epo-chem™ RC 500GTC was exposed to UV exposure, very little or no effect on the colour, gloss and chalking of the coating was evident.

*1,000 hours is equivalent to roughly 5 years protection.