http://www.speedliner.com

We at industrial polymers are frequently asked to formulate coatings for containment and waterproofing. Here is an example of a large Koi Carp breeding tank located on a farm in the United Kingdom. The concrete block provides a surface which allows algae and bacteria to grow beneath the surface and is prone to cracking and leakage over time. Our Speedliner spray-on truck bed liner product was used on this project. Speedliner worked well for this application because it provides a thick rubber coating which bonds well to concrete surfaces. It also has enough flexibility to move with the Tank as it settles and cracks from the weight of water and changes in atmospheric temperatures over the seasons. Speedliner provides an easy to clean Nonabsorbent colored liner over the concrete block and mortar. When mixed Speedliner changes from a liquid into a paste like consistency which enables it to be applied onto vertical surfaces in high thickness without sagging or running. Speedliner can be used only in fresh or saltwater applications; it cannot be used in chlorinated swimming pools. While some of our customers routinely use Speedliner in the construction of fish holding tanks we strongly recommend you allow Speedliner time to fully cure before installing your fish and test the water before use.

The leading manufacturer of fire trucks and emergency response vehicles in the United Kingdom called on Industrial Polymers to develop a product and application methodology which would allow the production Of an in-mold, integral, non-skid, urethane, wear surface over fiberglass molded parts. The result is a process which employees a high-build thixotropic elastomeric polymer compound applied as a first coat into an existing fiberglass mold. A special non-disclosed procedure is then applied, and then the fiberglass resin and matting is applied as usual. When removed from the mold the urethane over fiberglass panel exhibits a uniformly high quality molded appearance which is also very impact resistant. The photo demonstrates a molded, modular, fiberglass floor panel designed for a fire truck application. The finished result is a molded rubberized surface over molded fiberglass parts. The color, thickness and shore hardness of the urethane can be varied to produce virtually any level of impact resistance required. 

Working in conjunction with Oceaneering Space Sciences and the Johnson Space Center Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory, Industrial Polymers has developed a neutrally buoyant RTV casting urethane for manufacturing space mission mockups. The simulated ceramic tile wall is used in NASA’s underwater training center to simulate the weightless conditions of space. Astronauts are being trained to repair damaged Space Shuttle Tiles in space by applying a ceramic fill polymer over damaged Tile areas. The heat of reentry from space would heat the polymer material and fuse it into a solid heat resistant repair, capable of retuning astronauts to earth safely. 

The HydroSpan product has rapidly become the industry standard for enlarging 3 dimensional shapes. In the fields of fossil reproduction, life casting and taxidermy HydroSpan is the first product of its kind to allow artists and scientists to easily enlarge detailed shapes in super high definition. Artists creating cast bronze from life cast molds are now able to produce larger than life high definition reproductions in bronze metal. Every wrinkle of the skin, every hair follicle even the finger prints are enlarged with perfect accuracy. Museums use HydroSpan to increase the size and visual impact of rare fossil exhibits. Industrial Polymers will soon release the second generation Hydrospan product. This new formulation can be calibrated to provide various degrees of accurate predetermined enlargement, from 4% to 74% expansion.

In partnership with a manufacturer of Kevlar fabric products, Industrial Polymers has developed a coating system and application method for coating high tensile strength fabric lifting devices. The specialized cloth slings offer a low weight, nonmetallic alternative to steel lifting devices. In addition to being much more user friendly they are far less likely to injure human operators or scratch or damage sensitive equipment than conventional lifting devices.

FM 103 is a cast in place urethane potting compound formulated for adhesion to PVC insulated electrical cabling.  It provides sealing, abrasion and impact resistance for sensing devices installed along lengths of electrical cabling.  FM-103 provides for quick and simple cable repairs in extreme working environments.   A small metal or plastic mold is first placed around the cable.  Then a mixed portion of FM-103 is poured into the mold surrounding the cable.  Within minutes the FM-103 cures and encapsulates the cable repair.  The A and B liquid urethane components are packaged in a one-time use plastic mixing bag, available in colors. For more information on this product please contact, Richard Huffman with Precision Converting, 6650 Concord Park Dr., Houston, TX 77040, 713-934-1650, Fax 713-934-1655.

The client is a designer and manufacture of props, special effects, creatures and animatronics for the motion picture industry.  We were asked to develop a flexible UV stable urethane, which could be molded into skin textures and used for outdoor displays.  The material also needed to be easily tint-able to produce a broad pallet of UV stable colors.  The problem was resolved with the development of a tint-able UV stable in-mold barrier coating used in conjunction with an existing product, InstaGel 50.  To make the part, we first brush or spray apply flesh colored barrier coating into a silicone rubber mold and allow to fully dry.  Second we apply a layer of our InstaGel 50 mold making material over the barrier coating and allow overnight curing or force cure at   140° F for 3 hours.  The InstaGel 50 thickens when the A and B components are mixed, allowing for heavy product application in-mold without sagging.  Using this production methodology we can produce a skin thickness of ¼” with one material application. Reinforcing materials such as fiberglass or Kevlar cloth can be pressed into layers of the InstaGel 50 to further enhance the strength and durability of the rubber skin.  To support the rubber skin surface we developed SpeedFlex 300, a flexible open-cell, pour-able, urethane foam to back-up or fill the finished parts. SpeedFlex 300 fills and bonds the rubber skin to internal armatures.

Clear Elegance is a clear UV stable, flexible, urethane-potting material, which simulates the appearance of water. It holds in place stems of synthetic floral arrangements giving the appearance of fresh cut flowers in water. It provides long working life, low heat generation, low shrinkage, low odor and is compatible with automated pumping equipment. The flexibility of Clear Elegance greatly reduces the chance of cracking large delicate vases from thermal shock. Clear Elegance can be tinted with various dyes or holographic pigments to achieve dramatic visual displays. 

 Working in partnerships with several industry leading companies, Industrial Polymers has developed an extensive product line of water activated products. The series of photos demonstrate the chemical reaction of a few ounces of polymer mixed into a one gallon volume of water. Within 30 seconds the water is transformed into flexible rubber. Water is so tightly bound by the polymer reaction, Squeezing and crushing of the rubber will not release a single drop of liquid water. This water reaction technology is utilized in a variety of product applications. Composite fabrics can be treated with our polymers to create prepreg (pre-impregnated with resin) water activated fabric wraps. The prepreg wraps are used in field applications to seal leaks in high pressure pipelines or to corrosion proof metal structures. It offers easy application with simple hand tools and rapid curing when exposed to ordinary tap water. We have also developed environmentally safe polymers used to stop the flow of water into underground tunnels and pipelines. Our range of product development in this area includes water cured high build rubber coatings, both flexible and rigid foams, water cured prepreg fabrics, below grade sealants, rapid containment of waterborne hazardous materials and chemical agents. These technologies are only available through our developmental partners.

The series of photos above demonstrate the versatility of Our ProtoCast 80 R product. ProtoCast 80 R is a low viscosity (low shrink) fast set (3 to 4 minute working life) urethane casting resin. Its low viscosity provides for ease of pouring and high detail part reproduction from rubber molds. Parts cast form this product have excellent strength and durability. The animal reproductions above were painted with a variety of finishes to accurately reproduce the appearance of animals in natural settings or in faux bronze. Photos and original art were produced by Bill Gaither.