The PCC Group’s offer for the CASE industry (C – coatings, A – adhesives, S – sealants, E – elastomers) includes both specialist additives for chemicals and fully developed, ready-to-use products. In addition, the PCC Group is the most important producer of polyether polyols in Eastern Europe and the only one in Poland. Polyether polyols are the starting raw material for the production of flexible and rigid polyurethane foams, as well as foams for CASE applications.
Coating, gluing and sealing techniques have been used for many thousands of years. For the most part of this period, natural products such as resins, oils and fats were used for this purpose. Quite recently at the beginning of the 20th century, the development of a new group of compounds, namely synthetic resins, began. This enabled the production of adhesives and coatings with significantly better parameters than those based on natural ingredients. About 40 years ago, it was noticed that polyurethanes also have enormous potential in this product group and can be successfully used for the production of renovation coatings. A similar story was with polyurethane adhesives. Initially, they were used only in the production of cars, and over time also gained importance in the production of laminated films and multilayer elements, including panels. Then, single-component reactive sealants joined the adhesives and polyurethane coatings group. Observing the dynamic development of polyurethanes, we can be sure that the spectrum of their applications will continue to expand beyond the current areas of industry.
Coatings
The coating is a material layer made in a natural or artificial way, which is designed to give the surface appropriate technical or decorative properties. Artificial coatings are most often obtained by coating. This process consists in applying one material to another, which is the so-called supporting substrate. It can be made of various materials, e.g. steel, plastics, fabric, paper.
Considering the functions of coatings, several types are distinguished:
- Protective – they are designed to protect the surface of the material against harmful mechanical or environmental factors. There are many types of protective coatings, e.g. coatings for temporary protection (they protect the material during transport, storage or during various technological operations), or coatings for permanent protection. The latter protect the material from corrosion also during the product life phase,
- Decorative – they give the material aesthetic colour, gloss, texture and other features that make it look more attractive,
- Technical – designed to give the material specific physical properties, such as abrasion resistance, diffusion protection, improvement of electrical conductivity and many other.
The PCC Group offers a number of additives for various types of coatings. The products of the Roflam series (F5, B7, P) belong to the group of phosphate esters and are therefore recommended for use in the application of epoxy coatings. Modifiers from the Roflam series give the materials a high level of fire resistance. They can be used in passive fire protection systems as well as in the petrochemical, energy, oil and gas industries. The second product group dedicated to the CASE industry is the Rostabil process stabilizers series. These products eliminate the effects of yellowing of materials during processing and provide accurate control of their colour. The Rostabil series products are recommended, inter alia, for use in powder painting.
Glues
Adhesives can be defined as substances that, when applied between two adjoining surfaces, bond them together, ensuring their permanent bonding. They consist mainly of natural or synthetic polymers in the form of a colloidal suspension in a suitable solvent. Adhesives can form such a suspension only as a result of mixing with a hardener, plasticizer or other modifying additives.
An important group of raw materials used in the production of adhesives are Rokopol® products. It consists of polyether polyols, which can be used as base components for the production of two-component adhesives, assembly adhesives and foam-glue. Rokopols® can also be used as additives for the production of rigid foams and polyurethane sealants. Due to their excellent physical and chemical parameters, Rokopols® ensure very high quality of the final product.
The PCC Group offers also ready-made adhesive products. The Ekoprodur series is a group of one- and two-component polyurethane adhesives dedicated mainly to producers of sandwich panels operating on continuous lines. Ekoprodur polyurethane adhesives are used, among others, for gluing varnished sheet metal with plates and blocks of various cores, e.g. polystyrene, polyurethane, and also made of mineral wool.
Sealants
Sealants are substances used to create a physical barrier blocking the flow of fluids through the surfaces of various materials. They can also provide thermal, acoustic, dust insulation and even a fire barrier. A good sealant should have three basic functions: fill the gap between two or more substrates, create a physical impermeable barrier and maintain its sealing properties for a sufficiently long period of time. It is also important that the sealants are insoluble, resistant to corrosion and show good adhesion to the substrate. The main difference of these materials compared to adhesives is their lower strength and greater susceptibility to stretching.
Sealants usually contain inert filler material and are formulated with elastomers to obtain the best possible flexibility. In construction, they serve to seal cracks, expansion gaps and fill gaps in concrete. Two-component polyurethane adhesives from the Promopur series are perfect for filling any defects. They are intended for use as sealants of strong cracks in rock mass, concrete structures and internal parts of excavations. They can also perform the function of reinforcement in the construction of tunnels. The Promopur series products are ready to use from the moment of thorough mixing of both components.
Elastomers
Elastomers are natural or artificial polymer materials whose most characteristic feature is the ability to reversibly deform under the influence of mechanical forces without breaking the continuity of their structure. This means that they are highly resistant to stresses arising during stretching, compression and bending. Polyurethane elastomers are rubber-like materials, from which you can manufacture elements of any shape, having a wide range of different properties. Their abilities result from having a crosslinked amorphous structure and low glass transition temperature.
Elastomers are widely used in the chemical industry as well as in the engineering, textile and transport industries. In the last of them, they are used to produce elements exposed to high friction forces. For example, polyurethane elastomers produce washers, inner tubes and various seals. They are also used for the production of spare parts for machines and equipment exposed to mechanical damage. The Rokopol® product series can be components of such materials. They allow the creation of extremely light elements, at the same time resistant to mechanical, chemical factors and extreme temperatures.
Silicone elastomers, which are characterized by virtually complete non-flammability, are also widely used. For this reason, they are used in the construction industry as insulating and connecting elements. They are also used to make various types of silicone moulds.
The increasing popularity of elastomers in the processes of protection and insulation of various surfaces may cause that in the future they will replace traditional insulation materials, such as, for example, rubber, polystyrene or mineral wool. Elastomers are a very interesting product group and interest in it is growing year by year among various industries.