28 AQUA-STEEL
Aqua-Steel rust convertor
......unlock the chemistry of nature... practical, lasting and economical in use.
Suitable for use in numerous steel applications - use on bare metal and badly rusted surfaces including oil rigs, steel hull boats & ships, metal constructions, pontoons, deck touch-ups for scupper outlets, hatches, window ledges, bridges, automotive and domestic applications, tank voids including ballast & cargo, internal and external surfaces of sea legs.
- Aqua-Steel is a non-hazardous acrylic co-polymer emulsion for treatment of rusted or raw steel. It is a metal treatment and rust converter.
- Passivates and primes steelwork prior to painting.
- Converts partially or totally rusted areas to organic metallic steel condition.
- Easy to apply by spray, brush or roller.
- Advantageous where voids, tanks and inaccessible areas would inhibit normal metal blasting processes.
- Non-hazardous.
- Minimum preparation thus time and labour-saving.
- Inhibits re-formation of rust outbreaks.
- 1 litre covers 12m2.
- May be used on damp (not totally wet) steel.
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Will extend the life of the paint by up to 3 years.
Preparation for Salt Water application:
Wash down any surfaces previously exposed to salt water conditions. Wash down using Aquamarine Aquawash degreaser ensuring the removal of oil dirt and grease. Remove all loose rust flakes, using a wire brush, to bare metal where possible. Wet blasting of extreme rusted conditions is highly recommended.
Directions for Use:
Stir before use. Apply the film at a DFT of 25 micron. This will give 12m² coverage per litre. A coating comb may be used to check the coating thickness. For badly corroded surfaces the coverage will be reduced accordingly. May be applied in damp and humid conditions.
Drying/Re-coating Time:
Aqua-Steel will be touch-dry in 2-4 hours dependent on conditions. The product requires 24 hours to complete the full reaction time for full protection. Over- coating (under or over coating) of water based products can be carried out after 8 hours. For solvent-based coatings the full 24 hours should be allowed.
AquaSteel datasheet
Background:
Aquasteel is a unique corrosion control system developed by Bayer-Wood Technologies for use on rusted ferrous metal surfaces. The ferrous surface to be protected is converted on contact to a complex organic iron compound by the unique deoxygenating agent incorporated in the Aquasteel converter. This black, corrosion-resistant layer is formed by utilizing all the surface moisture and oxygen during the reduction reaction. The special copolymer latex emulsion system dries to form an impermeable barrier to oxygen and moisture.
Aquasteel is water based and solvent free. It contains no harsh phosphoric or hydrofluoric acids, making it safer for employees and for the environment.
Storage:
Between 5 oC (40 oF) and 30 oC (86 oF).
Shelf Life:
12 months (once opened)
Average coverage:
1Litre: One coat applied at a wet thickness of 80-100 microns covers l2m 2 producing a dry film thickness of 25 - 40 microns.
Spraying guide:
Airless II thou tip on 30:1 pump.
Air assisted GFG @ 60 psi gravity or pressure fed.
Application Temperatures:
Should not be applied to cold metal at or below the dew point or hot metal above 40 oC (105 oF). The coating gives excellent protection at temperatures between -50 oC (-60 oF) and 50 oC (112 oF) continuous use.
Surface Preparation:
Remove loose scale, flaky rust, all old paint and dirt with wire brush etc. Salt-water deposits must be removed with high-pressure clean water blasting. Reduce any high peaks of rust. IMPORTANT - high peaks must be adequately covered by Aquasteel. Alkali, grease, oil, salt and chemicals must be removed with detergent water, wash and then rinse surface with cold clean water. Paintwork blistered by rust must be scraped down to the hard rust surface. DO NOT REMOVE ALL TRACES OF RUST. RUST IS NECESSARY FOR THE COMPLETE REACTION OF AQUASTEEL TO TAKE PLACE. AQUASTEEL MAY BE APPLIED T0 DAMP RUSTED SURFACES. Work areas of deep pitting - AQUASTEEL well using brush.
NOTE: CONTAMINATION OF Aquasteel - To avoid the transfer of rust particles into Aquasteel container do NOT pour unused portion back into original Aquasteel container. Clean brushes/equipment with cold water or detergent wash. This also applies to any spillage that may occur.
Application:
- For inland applications - 2 coats are recommended for conversion and protection.
- Highly corrosive environments, i.e. salt water/marine, desert sand, chemical environments/tanks etc. apply 3 coats of Aquasteel.
Aquasteel is self-priming and will accept most paints for over coating, for extended life or for cosmetic finish. Overcoat paint must be tested for compatibility with Aquasteel before full-scale painting. Chemical liquid tanks or shipping applications, below the 'water line', overcoat with epoxy etc. and leave 7 days before immersion.
Drying times:
Each coat (approximately) touch dry - l5mins - 45mins dependent on temperature and humidity. Over coating of water based products can be carried out after 4-8 hours. For solvent based products then a full 24 hours should be allowed to ensure all pockets of coating are completely dry. Protect from rain during drying. In confined areas, i.e. tanks, cellars etc. high humidity and low temperatures can delay drying time. Continuous warm air circulation is required to accelerate the drying process. Flash rusting may occur under the following circumstances:
- If Aquasteel is applied too thinly.
- Temperature is below 5 0C - drying time delayed.
- Salt deposits not removed from rust. Weld areas - flux salt deposits not removed.
Product Testing:
Aquasteel must be left 7 days before physical or chemical testing is carried out.
Adhesion:
Cross-hatch over rusted steel GtO, less than 5% removed.
Permeability:
20-25g/m/25mm/day.
Chemical resistance:
Spillage-resistance to acids and alkali splashes. Not resistant to prolonged contact with aliphatic or aromatic solvents. Prolonged contact with solvent causes softening, which will recover.
Rust elimination and long-term protection:
Aquasteel is a unique patented white organic copolymer latex with a specific gravity of 1.2.
It dries on rusted surfaces and chemically converts these to a black non-tacky layer in 30 minutes under normal conditions, forming an independent complex iron/iron oxide/organic chemical compound which gives complete protection for the treated surface.
The continuous chemical curing of Aquasteel forms a chemical bond with every metal interface, passivating, neutralizing and chemically converting rust.
The black chemical compound layer is completely neutral and can be used as a primer, without further treatment, for standard or synthetic resin lacquers, oil-based paints, two- component lacquers or bitumastic and oil tar-based finishers including micaceous iron-oxide paints. Aquasteel has extremely low toxicity and does not contain phosphoric acid or lead.
Method of use:
Depending on its condition, the surface to be treated will have to be degreased and wire-brushed to remove loose particles and dust.
The white Aquasteel rust converter is then applied by brush or spray. Complete inhibition and protection is achieved immediately. The black protective compound formed on the rusted surfaces does not require washing or passivating.
Aquasteel is also an effective paint primer. Two or more coats of Aquasteel are used according to the rust density. Aquasteel can be left in its black finish, or can be over-painted.
Aquasteel Background:
Newly formed rust is chemically ferric hydroxide [Fe (OH) 3] or iron, which has reacted with oxygen (air) and moisture. Iron can combine with oxygen to form a variety of oxides depending on conditions of exposure.
One of these oxides is magnetite [Fe 3O 4] or fersoferric oxide, a stable compound, which does not readily change as exposure conditions change.
This stability is the basis for the protection. Aquasteel reduces ferric hydroxide to ferrous oxide, then combines with the ferrous oxide to form an organic fersofenic complex, which, similar to magnetite, is passivated.
When incorporated into a coating system the chemical action of Aquasteel is maintained.
Available in pack sizes: 1 x 5 litres, Box of 4 x 5 Litres, 25 Litre drum.