Q. You mentioned an anodic acrylic E-coat. What other types of E-coat products are there and can you give me an idea about where they’re used? F.F.
A. We generally talk about four types of E-coat products. We have anodic epoxy and anodic acrylic. Then we have cathodic epoxy and cathodic acrylic. There are other formulations, but these seem to be the most prevalent.
Anodic epoxy is used primarily for its low cure characteristics and because it offers respectable corrosion resistance. It’s being applied on agricultural implements, some automotive parts such as temperature sensitive assemblies and on castings to avoid long oven time because of their density.
Anodic Acrylic does offer very good color and gloss control and is most appropriate for items that are used for interior applications. You might see this product used on metal office furniture, air diffusers, shelving and wire screen & hangers.
Cathodic Epoxy is of course the workhorse of the E-coat products primarily because of its excellent corrosion resistance and chemical resistance. It’s widely used on automobile bodies and parts and parts for transformers and appliances. This product is what has allowed the auto industry to provide a 10-year guarantee against corrosion.
Cathodic Acrylic is widely used for exterior applications where UV durability is required. Although the corrosion resistance is not quite as good as cathodic epoxy, it still has very good corrosion resistance properties when compared with other finishing technologies. It also makes a good one-coat, Class “A” finish because of its excellent color and gloss control. You will see this product on lawn and garden equipment, agricultural implements, automotive wheels and automotive trim as well as many appliance applications.
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