FluoroThane ME

FluoroThane-ME is super-hydrophobic coating used on marine and ground-based microwave antenna, radomes and other telecommunications gear. FluoroThane-ME provides over 150° contact angle performance in extreme sun and rain for years. FluoroThane-ME is currently used on wind speed sensors to good performance in bad weather including rain, ice and snow storms. FluoroThane ME is available in frosty white and in tints of green, blue, tan and grey. For custom tints please contact Cytonix. FluoroThane-ME is a single-part, air-cured coating formulated for spray, brush or roll application. The coating is rain resistant after 2 hours, substantially cured in 24 hours and is fully cured in ~7 days. Surface temperatures should be between 32°F and 95°F. One gallon covers 200 to 400 square feet. Samples are for academic and industrial uses only.

Size: 100 grams (125 ml bottle)

Application: Spray or roll-on

Drying time: 2 hours

Water contact angle: over 140°

Color: Frosty white (tints of tan, gray and green are available)

Testing data: Client reported water contact angle versus exposure time in a rapid aging environmental chamber show the following:

-- 1 year (7 days in chamber): 145°

-- 5 years (25 days in chamber): 144°

-- 10 years (48 days in chamber): 138°

-- 15 years (72 days in chamber): 119°

DESCRIPTION: FluoroThane ME is a super-hydrophobic coating formulated for spray or brush-on application. Coatings have excellent UV, weather and pollution resistance and can be expected to maintain >140° contact angles to heavy rain for years.

DIRECTIONS: Surface should be clean, dry and free of oils and detergents. Priming metal or plastic surfaces with UV resistant acrylics or polyurethane-alkyds is recommended. Check lid for tightness and then shake product vigorously for 60 seconds just prior to use. Surface and ambient air temperature should be 55-95°F. Spray coating at a gun distance and speed so as to just cover the surface. Do not try to "build" the coating for a wet or visible edge. Use only gravity-feed HVLP (1.0 to 1.8 mm fluid tip) set at full fan and 2 to 2.5 turns feed, with 10-50% overlap at 35 psi (dynamic at pump; 25" hose), a gun distance of 5 to 6 inches and a rate of 5 to 7 inches per second is optimal. Spray pattern for a single pass should coat a 5 to 6-inch-wide strip. Agitate coating in gun reservoir every few minutes. Large external reservoirs should have continuous mixing. The coating should appear immediately after application as a barely visible translucent frost. Coverage is 50 to 100 square feet per pound depending on percent overlap and degree of dispersion. Clean up immediately with acetone or mineral spirits and do not allow cleaning solvent to contaminate remaining product. Shelf life of unopened product is 6 to 12 months. Coating will be light rain resistant in 30 minutes, substantially cured in 24 hours, and full coating properties will be developed in 7 to 10 days. Exposure to UV and heat (120°F) will facilitate cure. If heavy rain is expected within 12 hours, cover loosely with polyethylene film. For best rain performance, avoid touching or abrading active surface. Improperly applied coatings may not be hydrophobic or may not be resistant to rain erosion.

TROUBLE SHOOTING: (1) Coating does not have a high contact angle: This may result from coatings that were applied too thick, wet or incompletely atomized. Reduce feed, and/or recoat at a faster gun speed and greater gun distance, and/or increase pressure. (2) Coating initially has a high contact angle but wets out rapidly: This results from coatings that applied too dry or sparse; recoat at a closer gun distance and/or a slower gun speed and/or higher feed rate. (3) Coating is soft and powdery: The components of the coating have separated or settled; please shake the can for 120 seconds and re-spray as usual. 4) Low contact angle: The components of the coating have separated or settled; please shake the can for 120 seconds and re-spray as usual.