FUMED METAL OXIDES
APPLICATION GUIDE
CAB-O-SIL FUMED SILICA ®
IN EPOXY COATINGS
Application Description
Formulating an epoxy-based coating that delivers protection from corrosion and mechanical stress requires a complex
combination of resins, additives, solvents, and pigments. Formulators are forced to make tradeoffs among rheological
performance, adhesion, corrosion resistance, aesthetic properties, and cost of the final formulation.
CAB-O-SIL fumed silica can help to break these trade-offs by providing sag resistance, anti-settling, anti-corrosive performance,
shelf stability and mechanical reinforcement in epoxy coatings.
Epoxy Coatings that Can Use CAB-O-SIL Fumed Silica Include:
MARINE PRIMERS LIGHT INDUSTRIAL COATINGS HEAVY MAINTENANCE COATINGS
CABOT PRODUCT OFFERING
CAB-O-SIL Typical
Material Fumed Silica Surface Area Treatment
Category Products m2/gram Agent Product Characteristics
TS-720 120 CAB-O-SIL TS-720 and TS-710 fumed silicas should be considered for use
PDMS in highly polar resin systems. TS-710 fumed silica is somewhat easier to
TS-710 100 disperse than TS-720 fumed silica, but delivers lower thickening efficiency.
Hydrophobic CAB-O-SIL TS-610 fumed silica should be considered for use in both polar
Fumed Silica TS-610 125 DiMeDi and non-polar resin systems, especially when ease of dispersion is a
primary formulation consideration.
CAB-O-SIL TS-530 fumed silica should be considered for use as a rheology
TS-530 225 HMDZ
control additive in moderately polar resin systems.
CAB-O-SIL M-5 fumed silica should be considered for use as a rheology
Hydrophilic
M-5 200 N/A control additive in all resin systems, when hydrophobicity and shelf stability
Fumed Silica
are of only moderate concern. Other hydrophilic grades may also be used.
Surface area measured by BET of product as sold. The data in the table above are typical test values intended as guidance only, and are not product specifications.
Product specifications are available from your Cabot representative.
PRODUCT PERFORMANCE
Higher In epoxy coatings, achieving excellent sag
TS-720
resistance and anti-settling performance from a
Anti-settling Effect
TS-710 rheology control additive is desired. CAB-O-SIL
Fumed Silica
Anti-sag/
M-5 fumed silica also improves resistance to
TS-530 environmental factors, especially water, humidity,
TS-610 and corrosion resistance. CAB-O-SIL fumed silica
further provides mechanical reinforcement and
can improve film toughness.
Environmental Resistance Improvements Higher
CAB-O-SIL® FUMED SILICA
IN EPOXY COATINGS APPLICATION GUIDE
PRODUCT PERFORMANCE
Rheology Control
CAB-O-SIL TS-720 fumed silica delivers an ideal rheological profile. At low shear, the model epoxy formulation exhibits high viscosity, which prevents
pigment settling and promotes excellent sag resistance. Under high shear conditions, such as mixing, spraying, or rolling, model formulations
incorporating CAB-O-SIL TS-720 fumed silica exhibit low viscosity, facilitating application of the coating.
Sag Resistance Anti-Settling Shear Thinning Effect
6000
Fumed Silica Products: TS-720
5000 M-5
2.3% loading
TS-530
Viscosity (CPS)
4000 TS-610
Control (no silica)
3000
2000
1000
Control TS-720 fumed silica Control TS-720 fumed silica 0
10 RPM 20 RPM 50 RPM 100 RPM
CAB-O-SIL TS-720 fumed silica allows the CAB-O-SIL TS-720 fumed silica retards Shear rate
liquid coating to retain its vertical edge pigments from settling when at rest
The product performance results above were obtained using the model formulation that follows. Only the fumed silica was changed.
Enhanced Protection
The addition of a hydrophobic silica particle improves the mechanical strength of the coating and enhances the coating’s ability to repel water.
Adding CAB-O-SIL TS-720 fumed silica increases Pencil Hardness Incorporating CAB-O-SIL TS-720 Reduced Blistering
hardness to the point where the coating into a 1.5 mil dry film coating
withstands a 6H pencil versus a 5H pencil for 6H inhibits blistering after 400
the neat epoxy control. This increase in hardness 5H hours of salt spray corrosion
can be attributed to the presence of silica testing. The hydrophobicity of
particles on the surface of the cured coating CAB-O-SIL TS-720 fumed silica
and the network that they form within it. TS-720 inhibits water from penetrating
fumed the coating and reacting with Control TS-720 fumed silica
6B 5B 4B 3B 2B B HB F H 2H 3H 4H 5H 6H
Control silica the substrate.
Softer Pencil Hardness Scale Harder
MODEL FORMULATION The epoxy formulation below represents a typical simple black pigmented epoxy industrial coating.
Formulation Formulation Processing
Part A 1. Premix
a. Premix the Epon 828 epoxy resin (50.97%), Propylene Glycol Ether, BYK
Product Name Description Amount (%) 348 wetting agent, Surfynol 104DPM wetting agent, and Dipropylene
Epon 828 Epoxy resin 50.97 Glycol Normal Butyl Ether together under good agitation, mix for 5 minutes.
b. Add REGAL 400R carbon black followed by CAB-O-SIL fumed silica under
Propylene Glycol Ether Co-solvent 20.66
good agitation, mix for 5 minutes at 4000RPM.
BYK® 348 Wetting agent 0.58
2. Milling
Surfynol® 104DPM Wetting agent 1.35 a. Mill the above in a horizontal mill for 5 minutes at 10 m/s tip speed.
Dipropylene Glycol Normal Butyl Ether Co-solvent 8.34 b. After 5 minutes milling, add the rest of Epon 828 epoxy resin (14.71%) into
the mill then collect the dispersion (part A).
REGAL® R400R Black pigment 1.16
c. Measure viscosity and solids content.
CAB-O-SIL Fumed Silica 2.23
3. Finish
Epon 828 Epoxy resin 14.71 a Premix part A and Epikure 3292-FX-60 curing agent under agitation for 15
Total % 100.00 minutes.
b. Discharge the premix, wait 15 minutes for the foam to break then apply.
Part B
Recommended Equipment
Epikure® 3292-FX-60 Curing agent 39.15 Premix Milling
Part A Dispersion 60.85 – Dispermat high speed mixer – Eiger Horizontal mill
– Maximum speed: 4000 RPM – Maximum speed: 10 m/s tip speed
Total % 100.00
– Blade: 3 cm Cowles-type – Media: 1.0 mm Yttrium Stabilized Zirconia (YTZ)
CAB-O-SIL and REGAL are registered trademarks of Cabot Corporation. BYK is a registered trademark of Byk-Chemie GmbH. Dispermat is a
registered trademark of VMA-Getzmann GmbH Verfahrentechnik. Eiger is a registered trademark of Eiger Torrance Limited. Epon and Epikure
are trademarks of Momentive Specialty Chemicals, Inc. Surfynol is a registered trademark of Air Products and Chemicals Inc.
The data and conclusions contained herein are based on work believed to be reliable, however, Cabot cannot and does not guarantee
Technical Support that similar results and/or conclusions will be obtained by others. This information is provided as a convenience and for informational
North America: 1 800 462 2313 purposes only. No guarantee or warranty as to this information, or any product to which it relates, is given or implied. This information
South America: +55 11 2144 6400 may contain inaccuracies, errors or omissions and CABOT DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING
cabotcorp.com MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AS TO (i) SUCH INFORMATION, (ii) ANY PRODUCT OR (iii) INTELLECTUAL
Europe: +31 71 888 4132 PROPERTY INFRINGEMENT. In no event is Cabot responsible for, and Cabot does not accept and hereby disclaims liability for, any
R02 01/14 ©2013-2014 Cabot Corporation Asia Pacific: +86 21 5175 8800 damages whatsoever in connection with the use of or reliance on this information or any product to which it relates.
