Through the years countless tons of chemicals have found their way into the environment because of splash, spills, and leaks where there is inadequate or no secondary chemical containment. Pipes leak, vats spill, and tanks rupture. Without the proper secondary chemical containment and proper cleanup much of these chemicals damage the environment and damage plants and equipment.
I was first approached by a customer to put together a chemical resistant secondary containment system in the 1980s. That was before there was the strict Federal, State, and Local requirements of secondary containment that we have today. The customer was a subcontractor for a major microprocessor chip manufacturer.
The microchip manufacturer noticed that the chemicals in the microprocessor industry were getting into the environment. The microchip manufacture decided they were going to take steps to put an end to chemicals leaking into the environment (at least with the products they were manufacturing). The microchip manufacturer required the same strict standards of their subcontractor, our customer.
By this time in the 1980s epoxy was already used extensively for waterproofing showers, bathrooms, mechanical rooms and other wet areas. When waterproofing floors an epoxy base cove (return up the wall) is installed first. This base cove is installed up the wall far enough to hold the maximum material that could be leaked in a catastrophic spill. Then the floor is installed making the cove monolithic with the floor. This basically makes a “bath tub” out of the entire area you are waterproofing. Secondary containment is basically done the same only instead of holding in water you needed to hold in chemicals. The only additional requirement of chemical containment with epoxy is that the epoxy resists the chemicals that you are containing.
Time and new technology allows us to design even more chemically resistant containment systems because of epoxies that hold up to even tougher chemical exposure. Today Chemical Resistant Epoxy is a proven, highly effective affordable way to protect the environment, protect your facility, and protect your financial bottom line by improving secondary containment.
Chemical Resistant Epoxy Coatings can be effective flooring systems, wall coating and equipment coating. Chemical Resistant Epoxy must be a 100% solids, zero voc, hard durable coating. You will want a coating that is available in multiple colors, because the right Chemical Resistant Epoxy Coatings can last for decades. Properly installed you will be looking at this chemical resistant epoxy coating for a very long time.
Product #2 Chemical Resistant Epoxy
Product #2 Chemical Resistant Epoxy – www.epoxy.com/2.aspx was the first big jump in chemically resistant epoxy. Product #2 Chemical Resistant Epoxy has a much higher chemical resistance than standard 100% Solids Epoxy. This major increase in chemical resistance is offset by only a small increase in the cost of the #2 over standard 100% solids epoxy coatings.
Product #2 Epoxy Coating System is well suited for applications like garages, machine shops, sewer tank floors, battery rooms, cooling towers, grooming shops, dog kennels and all areas where an economical chemical resistant coating is required. Product #2 Epoxy Coating is also available in a wall grade for vertical and overhead surfaces.
Product #633 – Highly Chemically Resistant Epoxy
Product #633 Novolac Epoxy Coating – www.epoxy.com/633.aspx – was the next huge jump in chemically resistant Epoxy. Product #633 Novolac Epoxy Coating is a highly chemically resistant epoxy floor and wall coating and flooring system. Like Product #2 it is extremely durable.
Product #633 is typically used in areas where containment of aggressive chemical is imperative. For example Product #633 will hold up to continuous exposure of 98% Sulfuric acid for a period of at least 6 months without loss of structural integrity. Product #633 Novolac Epoxy coating is excellent for secondary containment for a large number of chemicals. Product #633 is also available in a wall grade version for easy application on walls.
Novolac Epoxy Coating #633 is ideally suited for many concentrated alkalis and acids, especially where a longer exposure is anticipated. For example epoxy Novolac #633 will hold up to all concentrations of sulfuric acid to concentration of up to 98%. Product #633 Novolac Coating has been used extensively for the floors and walls of chemical tank farms, chemical plant floors, chemical pump rooms, chemical storage rooms, lab tops, and other places requiring uncompromising secondary chemical containment.
Color Selection
All the systems above can go over many different types of substrates with the proper surface preparation. All of the products above are available in 17 colors and can be color matched for an additional cost. The systems above can be combined with various anti-skid materials or broadcast with silica broadcast aggregate to produce a thicker floor.
Do Your Due Diligence.
Be sure that the epoxy that you are using as secondary containment epoxy that holds up to the chemicals you are trying to contain for the amount of time it will take you to clean up these chemicals leaks and spills.
When in doubt ask for a hard sample of the material to be used. Weigh the sample before testing. Soak it in the chemical you want it to hold up to for the amount of time you will need to hold up to a spill. Take the sample out of the solution. Rinse it in distilled water dry and reweigh. The material should not gain or lose any weight. Check the material tactilely and visually to insure there is no softening, swelling, etching or other visible or tactile sign of attach.
Conclusion
Chemical Resistant Epoxy is a dependable, cost effective, and easy to install method of protecting the environment, and your structure. Chemical Resistant Epoxy is an effective way to contain chemical spills and contain the costs associated with repeated small spills and major catastrophic spills.
Additional Resources
Product #2 Chemical Resistant Epoxy Coating
Product #633 Highly Chemically Resistant Epoxy Coating
Chemical Resistance Epoxy Coating Chart – list of tested chemicals that they resist.
Chemical Resistant Epoxy Color Chart
For more information please contact:
Norm Lambert
President & Technical Director
norm@epoxy.com
352-533-2167
www.epoxy.com
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