Diversify Your Business: Learn About the Lucrative Polyurea Market
The most important aspect of long-term business success is the ability to diversify your business, especially for economic protection against disruptions or fluctuation in the marketplace. Sometimes spray foam equipment can be adapted to spray polyurea; however, Polyurea generally requires a high pressure machine and high pressure hoses with a capacity of 3000 to 3500 psi. Some standard spray foam machines can process hybrid Polyureas at 2000 psi; however, high pressure heated hoses may still be necessary.
What Type of Equipment Can be Used for Both SPF and Polyurea?
There are three main types of spray foam machines: Air-Driven, Electric and Hydraulic. Hydraulic machines are the most powerful and are often used for coating roofs and large projects. To spray foam using a high pressure machine and hose, just turn the pressure down to the appropriate setting for spray foam. Polyurea is normally sprayed with high pressure equipment. There are some hybrid polyurea materials that can be sprayed at low pressure (2000 psi) but that material can get pricey.
Consider the following example: PMC’s PH-40 is low pressure and the PHX-40 is high pressure. The maximum working pressure for the PH-40, with 120 pumps, is 2000 psi. The maximum working pressure for the PHX-40, with 80 pumps, is 3000 psi to 3500 psi. The smaller the pump number, the higher the pressure. Pressure and volume are inversely proportional. If the volume decreases, the pressure increases and vice versa, when the temperature is held constant. Cylinder size determines the volume of material but not necessarily the pressure. Volume is primarily determined by the machine pump whether it is hydraulic, electric, or air-driven, in combination with the mixing chamber orifice size.
If you want to be able to spray both polyurethane foam and polyurea, purchase a high pressure machine to accommodate polyurea. Turn down the pressure to spray foam. It is also best to have your own power source. This way, you can be certain of having enough power whenever you need it. Generally, you will need a 35 or 40 KW generator. Keep in mind that the machine needs to have the capacity for this, just the compressor and generator will not do it. The hose, air-compressor, and generator must be able to accommodate high pressure to spray polyurea.
Training for Polyurea Applications
Just as spray foam training is a vital part of starting any spray foam business, so is training for polyurea applications. The effort to obtain basic training in polyurea applications can dramatically enhance a company’s ability to thrive in a changing economy. Polyurea is often applied over polyurethane roof coating for added strength and durability. The possibilities for other types of polyurea applications are almost endless. Polyurea is currently used for pipeline coatings, truck bed linings, bridges, rail car lining and track containment, tunnel coatings, joint fill, sealing, water proofing, fuel storage and other containments and tank linings, wastewater treatment linings, manhole and sewer line linings, flooring and parking decks, water parks and playgrounds. It is also used as a protective coating for watercraft—from boats to ships to barges. Keep in mind that surface prep is vital to achieving a good polyurea application.
About Polyurea
Polyurea is an elastomer made from the reaction of aromatic or aliphatic isocyanates and a synthetic resin. They have exceptional elongation properties along with high tensile strength and are resistance to tear. Polyurea offers flexibility and is impact-resistant. It is increasingly used on commercial structures and infrastructure. Polyurea is generally manufactured in three product variants: sealants, coatings, and linings.
Polyurea is increasingly gaining an advantage over epoxy coatings, paints, fiberglass, and vinyl esters due to its superior performance. It is used in construction for waterproofing of roofs, floors, parking decks, walls, containment for swimming pools, wastewater treatment facilities, playground areas, and more. Linings accounted for over a fifth of the global polyurea market share, registering more than 220 million in 2014. These linings provide resistance to chemicals, corrosion and abrasion in pipelines, tanks, and many types of containments.
The Polyurea Market
According to Grand View Research’s Marketing Research Report, “The global polyurea market size was valued at USD 777.9 million in 2018 and is projected to expand at a CAGR of 4.9% over the forecast period. The polymer is used in a host of applications, such as construction and transportation, owing to its unique characteristics including fast curing time, high thermal stability, pigment compatibility, and excellent water insensitivity.”
Polyurea Applications
Monolithic wall and containment projects
Polyurea coatings are increasingly used as a protective coating on roofs, external walls, floors, bridge decks, pipes, containment, sea walls and much more. It outlasts paints and preventing corrosion. It makes strong bonds with concrete and provide good resistance against cracking as well as resistance to chemicals, oils, and moisture. This multi-purpose material is also used for joint-filling, caulking and as a sealant to provide a flexible, long-lasting, corrosion resistance, and is a weather-tight seal for various building joints including control and expansion joints in masonry floor, doors and window panels, perimeter joints, water tanks, and more. There is a growing demand for linings for waterproofing and corrosion resistance in metallic pipelines, chemical tanks, fuel containments, and more will boost its popularity as the material of choice. It is well known for enhancing the structural integrity of the structures to which it is applied.
Diversity is Key to Business Survival, Especially in Uncertain Times
Just as there are many types of applications for SPF, there many applications for polyurea. Having equipment that can use for both polyurethane and Polyurea can save you money and put your business in a secure lead.
For more information in polyurea or equipment, contact us at info@sprayfoaminsider.com
Article by Spray Foam Insider