How Is Tyzor® Used in Metal Coating and Treatment Applications?
Tyzor® organic titanates can be used in solvent-based, water-based, or solvent-free industrial treatment and coating formulations as a binder, surface modifier, adhesion promoter, or catalyst to improve the protection and integrity of metal surfaces. The benefits of Tyzor® are outlined below by functionality.
Binder
Tyzor® is an ideal inorganic binder and cobinder used to form a continuous metal oxide layer that protects metal surfaces. It can be combined with other organometallic compounds in a sol–gel process to form thin layers of inert titanium oxide films that increase surface hardness and resist water, heat, and scratches. Typically, these layers are formed when Tyzor® solutions are vapor deposited, dipped, or sprayed to substrates and then subjected to a controlled hydrolysis process under heat. Tyzor® can also be used to bind sacrificial metal pigments used in metal coatings for corrosion protection. The mechanism by which Tyzor® forms films on metallic materials is depicted below.
Benefits
- Corrosion protection
- Improved water, heat, and scratch resistance
- Increased surface hardness
Adhesion Promoter
For an industrial coating to be effective, it must first and foremost adhere well to the surface it needs to protect. Tyzor® titanates are widely used to increase the adhesion of coatings to various materials, including organic polymers, inorganic surfaces, and, of course, metal surfaces. Tyzor® can be applied as a primer or added to coating formulations to improve binding between metal surfaces and industrial coatings. Not only is adhesion improved, but the coating also gains higher resistance to chemical attack. The mechanism in which Tyzor® promotes adhesion to materials such as metal substrates is depicted below.
Benefits
- Improved adhesion of coatings to metal
- Increased water and chemical resistance
- Enhanced mechanical properties of the coating
Catalyst and Curing Aid
Tyzor® titanates are well-known cross-link polymers with hydroxyl and carboxyl functionality. This feature makes them especially useful as catalysts and curatives that help speed up curing and improve the durability of metal coating formulations that contain hydroxyl or carboxyl group chemistry. Tyzor® is typically formulated into coating systems as an additive in this application.
Benefits
- Accelerated cure speed
- Improved coating cohesion
- Increased coating durability
Surface Treatment Additive
When used with phosphates and silicates, Tyzor® can help increase the efficiency of phosphatizing processes for steel, zinc, aluminum, cadmium, zirconium, and manganese materials. In particular, Tyzor® helps create a finer crystalline surface structure that enhances corrosion resistance and coating adhesion. Following the phosphatization process, Tyzor® may also be incorporated into an aqueous rinse to form a water-insoluble deposit on the metal surface. In this application, Tyzor® is used as a nontoxic alternative to chromium to improve corrosion resistance.
Benefits
- Superior corrosion resistance
- Safer alternative to toxic chromium treatments
