Hydrophobic coating is a revolutionary technological advancement. Moisture damage can seriously harm all kinds of materials, and there has never been a better way to keep moisture out.
Hydrophobic insulation is an excellent choice for any insulation needs where moisture may be present.
What is hydrophobic coating? What is it used for? Keep reading to find out.
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What Is Hydrophobic Coating?
Water can permeate the surface of many materials, and cause a number of issues. It could reach an internal component that will be affected by moisture, or the external material itself could suffer.
Hydrophobic coating is a solution to just that. It is a layer applied to the surface of materials in order to repel water.
The hydrophobic interaction causes any water that comes into contact with the material to simply roll or bounce off.
What Are Hydrophobic Coatings Made Of?
There are two groups of amino acids; hydrophilic vs hydrophobic.
Hydrophilic amino acids have a polar nature. As water is a polar solvent, these amino acids will dissolve in water.
Hydrophobic amino acids are nonpolar and as such will not dissolve in water. These amino acids include the following:
- Leucine
- Phenylalanine
- Proline
- Alanine
- Isoleucine
- Methionine
- Glycine
- Valine
- Tryptophan
These hydrophobic amino acids can produce different kinds of water repellant coatings for different applications.
Common Uses of Hydrophobic Coating
For any situation where there a surface must be kept absolutely dry, hydrophobic coatings are ideal.
Ships and submarines can have coated hulls, and vehicle windshields may be coated to improve rain runoff.
Another use is for hydrophobic insulation blankets. Such blankets can be used to provide insulation for various pieces of equipment at processing plants.
The insulation can greatly reduce energy loss. It also helps to mitigate potentially harmful noise levels from loud equipment.
The hydrophobic coating reduces the risk of CUI (corrosion under insulation). This can very easily occur without the protective layer.
CUI can lead to damaged equipment, meaning increased maintenance. Hydrophobic insulation blankets are a larger initial investment but will help save more money in the long run.
Insulation which has absorbed water will also be less effective, increasing the overall energy loss.
What Goes Into Hydrophobic Insulation?
There are a number of options when it comes to insulation and hydrophobic coatings. Most insulation blankets contain a combination of PTFE and E-glass fiber.
These products do not contain any amorphous silica, which can sometimes pose a health risk as it may escape as dust.
PTFE (Polytetrafluoroethylene) is used for a wide variety of applications due to its versatility. In this case, the hydrophobic quality helps keep moisture out. It also has a wide range of service temperatures, making it an excellent insulator.
On top of this, it is also resistant to weathering, corrosion, and aging.
E-glass fiber stands out as an excellent electrical insulator. Because of this, the final combined product is an excellent insulator of both heat and electricity.
What Else Is There to Know?
Hydrophobic insulation is always a good investment against moisture damage. No matter what your project or material is, you can keep it safe.
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