Which Coating System is the Best? - Mirotone

No coating in any particular product category is better or worse, than a coating in a different product category. The question of which coating is "the best" is dependent upon a number of factors:

• The application equipment and environment.
• Skill and experience of the coating applicators.
• The substrate/article to be coated.
• Health, safety and environmental requirements.
• The environment into which the coated article will be placed in service.
• Any special buyer/customer coating requirements (specification) that must be met.

Physical Properties of Coatings

The physical properties of a coating refers to a coating's in-service performance after application in terms of:

• Chemical and water resistance.
• Flexibility.
• Impact Resistance.
• Abrasion Resistance.

Performance of Topcoats

There is an overlap in performance properties between different categories of coatings. This reflects the real world in which there are many different types of coatings marketed under the same generic category description.
An example of this can be seen in the Polyurethane (PU) category where some polyurethane coatings are fully cross linked, are based on low yellowing polyols (resins) and isocyanates (Part B), are extremely flexible, and highly impact and chemical resistant. However other PU's may be highly modified with various resins and posses very poor cross link density, contain low cost highly yellowing polyols and isocyanates and have in-service performance that is not much better than a nitrocellulose lacquer.

So the phrase "Let the buyer beware!" certainly applies.