Solaflon by Polymade

Hi-Tech solutions with Solaflon

SOLAFLON - amazing properties

The Solaflon Family

All types of Solaflon are liquid fluoro polymers with solid contents from 3% up to 40%, depending on the application or requirements and are pure without any other polymer-matrix.

They have in common the UV and weathering stability combined with a high transparency in the UV and visible. Also the absorption in the full range of the infrared is limited. This optical neutrality of such a polymer matrix allows a big range of applications and is also the base for high quality paints.

All Solaflon versions are available with low surface tensions, meaning with a hydrophobic behavior, what creates easy to clean surfaces and with defined additives a super hydrophobic a lotus effect.

SOLAFLON N

This standard product shows a high fluorine content of about 70% and is a extremely stable solution in special solvents. The solid matter condenses out of the solution as residue and forms a continuous glass-clear film around the substrate on which it was applied.

The viscosity of Solaflon N depends on the solid content and runs from 1 mPas for a 3-5% solution up to 104 mPas for the 30% solution.

The Shore A hardness of the Solaflon N film is about 60, whereas the flexural modulus is about 80 MPa according to ASTM D 790. The melting point of the solid Solaflon N film is about 120°C. 

The drying time depends on the quantity, the solid matter content and the used sol- vent system and reaches at room temperatures from some minutes to some hours.

Applying temperatures up to 170°C can shorten the drying time, but it must be observed that with high temperatures the danger of blistering is given in thicker layers.

Solaflon N can be filled with organic dyes, inorganic coloring and various functional pigments. 

Besides gold shining pigments on the base of Irodin, which are creating a absolutely gold looking surface, with the same shine and appearance, also real metallic particles can be used. Especially silver shining aluminum particles creating not only a very clever silver imitation, but also as full coating a black-out material.

With the white pigment titanium trioxide the exact translucency can be adapted. Because the UV absorption of this pigment the passing light is UV free, but the material will be heated up in a sun radiation with high UV content, like near the tropics. To avoid the heating up by UV, instead of Titanium dioxide as white pigment, aluminum oxide is preferably used with its capacity as a wide band reflector

An important feature is the possibility to create a low emissivity on the surface of the
membrane. That will be done by aluminizing the glass fabric by PVD (physical vapor deposition) and then sheltering the metallic aluminum coating with a thin layer
of Solaflon (about 10µm). Due to the slight absorption of the far IR by Solaflon the effect of aluminum remains nearly the same, but it is secured against corrosion by the Solaflon coating.

With such a low-e capability it is possible on the one hand to reflect the far IR at the aluminized surface and to keep the heat within the room, what means energy saving and on the other hand to avoid the emittance of a heated up membrane via the aluminized surface.

Such a unique material was realized by the company Polymade and is today the inner liner of the new Bangkok airport, the biggest textile structure of the world.

Some pictures underneath showing this product on the base of Solaflon N

SOLAFLON N Liquid

Solaflon N Liquid has a low solid content and creates micro coatings of the treated textile materials with an extreme low surface tension of about 20mN/m. The coating around the filaments has a thickness of about 1µm, but treated textiles or nonwovens become strongly water repellent and remain despite this breathable.

Because the coating is just a wrapping up of the single filaments, any mechanical impact can destroy it. Therefore those micro-coating should just be applied to fabrics, which are exposed to limited mechanical stress.

SOLAFLON  C

Solaflon C is very similar to Solaflon N, but contains additional fluoride diols to perform a condensation cross-linking. Such a cross-linking can be achieved by high- energy radiation or temperatures of about 170°C for about 1 hour.

To catch the split-off water due to the condensation-reaction an inorganic filling of up
to 50% of the polymer is necessary.

The final product is a fluoro elastomer (fluoro-rubber) with various unique features. Due to the inorganic fillers the use of Solaflon C is limited.

SOLAFLON  A

Solaflon A is a reactive polymer with excellent features. The additional cross-linking does not lead to reactive by-products, what keeps this Solaflon type also transparent after the cross-linking.

Because Solaflon A is high reactive, several additives can be built in without losing the transparency. Even with a high filling of about 50% this material remains quite transparent.

Solaflon A is a two-component system with a separate resin and hardener (cross- link-agent). The viscosity of even a 30% solution is with 102 mPas quite low. A high load of additives can bring up the viscosity to about 105 mPas.

The hardness and flexibility of the Solaflon A film has a wide range from rubber like material with a Shore A hardness of about 50 up to a rigid polymer with a pencil hardness of 3H and more with adequate additives.

Different solvent systems are possible, due to the planned application, with different impact on the substrates and also with different drying times.

The curing time depends strongly on the formulation of the various types of Solaflon A and the thickness of the applied coating film.

Further features of Solaflon A are listed below:

1. Adhesion
   SOLAFLON A penetrates the substrates like wood or stones very deeply and effectively with small molecules, which are cross-linked to bigger chains after the employment. The build in cross-link-agent also combines SOLAFLON A to any substrate material with the exemption of PE, PP, PTFE and Silicone even on plain surfaces like glass, metals and foils.
   

2. Efficiency
   SOLAFLON A redresses the disadvantage of thermoplastic paints based on acrylics. Fibers of wood/timber are able to move out of the acrylic paint matrix during the grinding or polishing of the paint, what leads to higher efforts in time and costs.
   

3. Insulation
   Whereas traditional paints can be penetrated during the time by the resins or other ingredients of the substrate, SOLAFLON A is a perfect and stable barrier. Out of this reason the color remains in the same way stable.
   

4. UV protection
   All existing paints and stains are showing just a limited UV stability. Out of this reason the used UV absorbents have not only to protect the substrate, but also the paint itself. That means that the UV light will destroy all traditional paints sooner or later. And with decomposition of the paint the UV will also reach the substrate, because the effective thickness of the paint is decreasing.
   
   Furthermore all used UV absorbents in traditional paints are optically not 100% neutral. They either show a slight greyish shine as light scattering at small particles or the colour is changed if transparent iron oxide platelets are used. SOLAFLON A is 100% UV stable like all fluoro-polymers and the UV absorbent is just build-in for the protection of the wood. SOLAFLON A is the only paint/stain in the world in which the UV absorbent molecules are directly linked to the fluoro-polymer chains! That leads to the fact, that 
   
   - the absorbent is molecular disperse distributed with an extremely high efficiency
   - the absorbent does not change optically the paint even at higher concentrations
   - a SOLAFLON A layer of about 20µm provides a nearly 100% UVB and UVA absorption
   

5. Brilliance
   Because the UV absorbent remains 100% invisible and the amorphous fluoropolymer body of SOLAFLON A is glass clear, the brilliance of the paint/varnish/coating is marvellous.
   

6. Elasticity
   The used fluoropolymer formulation in the SOLAFLON A paint/varnish gives a high elasticity but without being rubber-like and gives also no problems during grinding or polishing due to the cross-linked matrix. Solaflon A is also available in "hard" !
   

7. Covering
   Due to the low viscosity of the SOLAFLON A paint/varnish/coating and also due to the reduced surface tension of the solvents and of the fluoropolymer the covering of the substrate with SOLAFLON A is excellent.
   

8. Conservation
   Due to the used solvents in the SOLAFLON A paints/varnishes, the material does not show an attack of micro-organisms even after many years. Out of this reason SOLAFLON A materials can be stored for an unlimited time.
   

9. Stability
   Because SOLAFLON A is a cross-linked fluoropolymer, the treatment resists against all acids, lye's and solvents and remains also stable at temperatures of up to 200°C. If the paint/varnish is applied SOLAFLON A does not show any change of the dimensions, neither shrinking nor expansion.
   

10. Surface tension
    SOLAFLON A is also available with a low surface tension of about 20mN/m to perform a strong hydrophobic effect. Even with thin coatings of some µm's the treated products are showing significant water repellence.
    

11. Scratch resistance
    With the optional addition of nano particles a higher scratch resistance can be achieved. 

SOLAFLON A Liquid

Solaflon A Liquid has similar properties like Solaflon N Liquid, but as 2K system. The disadvantage of the two components is compensated by the superior adhesion of this spray to a wide variety of materials.

Textiles out of natural fibres, acrylic and polyester fibres get with Solaflon A Liquid a micro-coating which is chemically bonded to the substrate and not just a wrapping around. That means a much higher permanence than the pure mechanical fixation.

Also the high variety of the solvent-systems allows more applications than with Solaflon N Liquid. 

The created surface tension drops also down to 18mN/m what leads to the hydro- phobic behavior of the treated fabrics.

But it must be clear that water "repellent" doesn't mean "waterproof". With the micro coating the general structure of the fabric remains as before, just the surface tension is much lower and that creates the water carrying effect for a water column of about 2-5cm, depending on the tightness of the treated fabric.

If a higher water column is demanded the solid content of the Solaflon A Liquid has
to be increased or a more diluted Solaflon varnish has to be applied. The right solid content has to be determined with adequate tests at the selected fabric.

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