【Frontiers in HaiChuan Chemical Technology】IRRP zinc-free environmentally friendly heavy-duty anti-corrosion coating system overcomes the performance limitations of traditional heavy-duty anti-corrosion coatings

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This post was last edited by HaiChuan LaoYu on 2025-9-10 at 14:13. On September 7, Qingdao Xinju Road Resources Technology Co., Ltd. informed that the IRRP zinc-free environmentally friendly heavy-duty anti-corrosion coating system developed by the company, as evidenced by test results and its application in fields such as offshore engineering, wind power, and shipbuilding, boasts advantages such as extremely long salt spray resistance, high adhesion, light weight, and easy application. It overcomes the material and process limitations of traditional heavy-duty anti-corrosion coating systems, and holds great significance for promoting the advancement of such coatings and addressing the challenges in industrial anti-corrosion applications； Its “zinc-free long-term protection” meets the principles and guidelines set out in the frameworks of ESG and marine conventions, and it will become the new standard and trend for metal protection in the future. Anti-corrosion coatings are key materials that ensure the safe operation of marine engineering and mechanical equipment. Fields such as deep-sea equipment and ships face severe problems related to seawater corrosion; therefore, long-term anti-corrosion protection requires that the coating materials possess various necessary physical and chemical properties, including high salt spray resistance, strong adhesion, high impact resistance, good toughness, and resistance to bending. Currently, heavy-duty anti-corrosion coatings primarily contain zinc, and although they do provide a certain degree of corrosion protection, their long-term release can cause irreversible damage to marine ecosystems. Zinc-rich coatings perform poorly in environments with high humidity, temperature, and pressure, as well as in certain mechanical stress conditions. Additionally, due to their high volume content of zinc and inorganic fillers, these coatings have low adhesion, are brittle, and have weak resistance to penetration, which leads to premature corrosion of the protected surfaces. This results in higher maintenance costs and a significant reduction in the service life of the equipment. The IRRP non-zinc anti-corrosion coating developed by Qingdao Xinju Lu Resources Technology Co., Ltd. relies on an exclusively developed non-zinc IRRP ultra-high molecular weight functional salt spray resist as its core component. This coating exhibits excellent properties such as toughness, damping capacity, salt spray resistance, adhesion, and resistance to saltwater immersion. In particular, its salt spray resistance duration, adhesion, and resistance to saltwater immersion far exceed those of zinc-rich coatings. By overcoming the shortcomings of existing anti-corrosion coatings – such as a salt spray resistance duration of tens of thousands of hours, strong adhesion, thin coating layers, a dry film density as low as 1.3 grams per cubic centimeter, and only 1-2 application layers – this coating offers significant advantages in terms of extended maintenance intervals, reduced weight, and shortened application time. Salt spray resistance is a key indicator for heavy-duty anti-corrosion coatings. Among the mainstream epoxy anti-corrosion coatings available on the market, even those that are high-performing, such as epoxy-zinc-rich coating systems, can typically achieve a resistance of 1500–2000 hours with a film thickness of 300 microns; moreover, 4–5 coats are required, resulting in a long period for application and maintenance ； IRRP zinc-free anti-fouling coatings can achieve a salt spray resistance of 2,000 hours or more even with a coating thickness of just 60 microns; at a thickness of 90 microns, this resistance rises to 4,000 hours. The adhesion strength of these coatings is over 20 MP. The technical director of this company states that when the coating thickness is between 200 and 300 microns and the adhesion strength is close to 40 MP, the salt spray resistance can reach 20,000 to 30,000 hours. This enables equipment to operate properly in harsh marine environments for longer periods, reducing the need for or even eliminating the requirement for secondary maintenance. Current heavy-duty anti-corrosion coatings face the challenge of short corrosion protection periods when it comes to meeting the long-term anti-corrosion requirements in areas subject to splashing in offshore projects, as well as in elbows, valves, and other metal components exposed to secondary stresses at sea. Areas affected by splashing in oceans and lakes are environments with constantly changing conditions that place extremely high demands on coating performance; factors such as alternating dry and wet conditions, sunlight exposure, wave action, and frequent impacts all contribute to a very short lifespan for the coatings. IRRP non-zinc heavy-duty anti-corrosion coatings, thanks to their unique composite technology, possess characteristics such as toughness, high salt spray resistance, density, strong adhesion, and weather resistance, which enable them to effectively counteract the various destructive factors imposed on coatings in such complex environments, thereby providing better protection and effectively overcoming the challenges related to corrosion and fouling in areas subject to splashing. It is understood that this company will remain committed to addressing the challenges related to heavy corrosion protection in natural environments. IRRP non-zinc heavy corrosion protection coatings are available in various series such as epoxy, polyurethane, fluorocarbon, and polysiloxane, allowing them to meet the needs for corrosion and stain prevention in different environments and applications. Moreover, these coatings are compatible with existing corrosion protection systems, facilitating equipment maintenance. With the acceleration of the global marine economy and green transformation, the heavy-duty anti-corrosion coating market is facing unprecedented development opportunities. According to industry forecasts, the global anti-fouling coatings market is set to continue expanding at a compound annual growth rate of 7.3% during the period 2024–2029, with the market size expected to exceed $37.2 billion by 2029. Domestic enterprises are encouraged and expected to break through the current backward state in the field of heavy corrosion protection, achieving comprehensive improvements in technology, quality, and application, thereby laying a solid foundation and providing guarantees for the new chapter of global competition in the marine economy that is ahead.