Abakan Subsidiary Receives EPA Funding to Develop CermaClad as Alternative to Galvanizing
04/23/2014 - Abakan Inc., an emerging leader in the advanced coatings and metal formulations markets, announced that its majority owned subsidiary, MesoCoat Inc., received a Phase One SBIR Grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for a six month project to develop CermaClad™, Abakan's environmentally friendly high-speed large-area metal cladding technology, as a replacement alternative for the highly toxic galvanizing process currently in use.
The EPA funding will be used to develop Abakan's CermaClad LT (Low Thickness) product for infrastructure applications.
Frost and Sullivan expects the global demand for zinc to be 13.2 million metric tons in 2014, of which 50% of the total production is to be used for galvanizing steel against corrosion, which translates into an approximately US$18 billion market for galvanizing globally.
However, current galvanizing methods rely on toxic processes that utilize hazardous and noxious materials which generate toxic emissions. Chemical baths used during the galvanizing (pickling) process are among the leading producers of industrial waste which is ultimately disposed in landfills, injected into underground wells or recycled.
MesoCoat will use its high-speed, large-area CermaClad metal cladding technology to apply very thin layers of proprietary zinc materials to prevent corrosion by forming a physical barrier that acts as a sacrificial anode when the barrier is in danger. The primary application of CermaClad LT zinc cladding is intended for corrosion protection for steel components including bridge decks, structures and beams, marine, power generation, refineries, grid transmission towers, railroads, oil and gas infrastructure.
Mr. Miller further explained: "The galvanizing process was invented in the 17th century, when toxic materials and EPA regulations were not a consideration. Applying zinc coatings on metal parts is a very effective method for preventing corrosion. We believe that the application of our CermaClad technology to zinc coatings we may be able to provide a better and more economical zinc coating solution for some applications. The CermaClad process would significantly reduce toxic waste streams and unhealthy work environments. Initial estimates suggest that with our CermaClad technology, we can offer a better zinc coating solution at costs that would provide a better overall value proposition than those costs associated with galvanizing."
Abakan develops, manufactures, and markets advanced nanocomposite materials, innovative fabricated metal products and highly engineered metal composites for applications in the oil and gas, petrochemical, mining, aerospace and defense, energy, infrastructure and processing industries. Abakan's technology portfolio currently includes high-speed, large-area metal cladding technology; long-life nanocomposite anti-corrosion and wear coating materials. Abakan's products have demonstrated longer life, higher productivity and extremely high strength-to-weight ratios compared to competing technologies.
Frost and Sullivan expects the global demand for zinc to be 13.2 million metric tons in 2014, of which 50% of the total production is to be used for galvanizing steel against corrosion, which translates into an approximately US$18 billion market for galvanizing globally.
However, current galvanizing methods rely on toxic processes that utilize hazardous and noxious materials which generate toxic emissions. Chemical baths used during the galvanizing (pickling) process are among the leading producers of industrial waste which is ultimately disposed in landfills, injected into underground wells or recycled.
MesoCoat will use its high-speed, large-area CermaClad metal cladding technology to apply very thin layers of proprietary zinc materials to prevent corrosion by forming a physical barrier that acts as a sacrificial anode when the barrier is in danger. The primary application of CermaClad LT zinc cladding is intended for corrosion protection for steel components including bridge decks, structures and beams, marine, power generation, refineries, grid transmission towers, railroads, oil and gas infrastructure.
Mr. Miller further explained: "The galvanizing process was invented in the 17th century, when toxic materials and EPA regulations were not a consideration. Applying zinc coatings on metal parts is a very effective method for preventing corrosion. We believe that the application of our CermaClad technology to zinc coatings we may be able to provide a better and more economical zinc coating solution for some applications. The CermaClad process would significantly reduce toxic waste streams and unhealthy work environments. Initial estimates suggest that with our CermaClad technology, we can offer a better zinc coating solution at costs that would provide a better overall value proposition than those costs associated with galvanizing."
Abakan develops, manufactures, and markets advanced nanocomposite materials, innovative fabricated metal products and highly engineered metal composites for applications in the oil and gas, petrochemical, mining, aerospace and defense, energy, infrastructure and processing industries. Abakan's technology portfolio currently includes high-speed, large-area metal cladding technology; long-life nanocomposite anti-corrosion and wear coating materials. Abakan's products have demonstrated longer life, higher productivity and extremely high strength-to-weight ratios compared to competing technologies.
