Frequently Asked Questions

What is polyurea?

Polyurea is an organic polymer that is formed from the reaction of isocyanate with an amine terminated polyether resin. The polymer has the look of plastic or rubber and may be used in the same applications as older technologies such as polyurethane, epoxy, or vinyl ester.

What's the difference between aromatic and aliphatic polyurea systems?

For most applications, the decision to use aliphatic is based on the need for UV stability.
Typical aromatic and polyurea sytems must be processed through high pressure, heated plural component pumps. There is also a polyurea polyaspartic type system, which is different because it contains an ester based resin and has a longer pot life. This system may be applied using close nap rollers; brushes; even airless sprayers and is not a high build coating as other typical polyureas.

What kind of temperatures will polyurea tolerate during application and in use?

Polyurea coatings may be applied at temperatures as low as 28°F and as high as 160°F.
With proper application, Polyurea coatings can withstand service temperatures ranging from
-40°F up to 250°F.

Is Polyurea hard or soft?

Polyurea may be either hard or soft depending on the particular formulation and the intended use. Durometer ratings may range from Shore A 30 to Shore D 80.

What is polyurea's abrasion resistance?

Polyureas have superior abrasion resistance compared to most other coatings.

Can polyurea be applied to metal?

Reactamine polyurea may be applied to properly prepared metal substrates, provided the metal has been blasted to Near White or White, and has a blast profile of 5 mils. Adhesion values will exceed 1000 psi without using primer.

How should polyurea be prepared for overcoating after initial cure of the polyurea?

Prior to overcoating polyurea make sure it is clean. For the first several hours after polyurea has gelled it may be suitable for overcoating without further preparation. If polyurea base coat material has been in place for longer than six hours, inter-coat adhesion may be an issue. To assure inter-coat bonding, it may be necessary to tacktify the polyurea by applying a solvent such as MEK. Allow the MEK to evaporate completely before applying the second coat.

What is the danger of isocyantate exposure from handling polyurea?

Reactamine Polyurea products are based on diphenylmethane diisocyanate (MDI) or 1,6 hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI) polymer technology. These polymers have a low vapor pressure which corresponds to a low evaporation rate. During the mixing, installation and curing process of all polyurea, the release of any free monomers is virtually non-existent. Reactamine Polyureas are formulated such that, when combined, the molecules of the components undergo an extremely rapid reaction. This rapid reaction coupled with the lack of any evaporative characteristics allows these products to fall well within safety guidelines established under OSHA and ACGIH.

The installation of these products may be made in incidental food contact locations and are certified under the FSIS procedures of the USDA.

Self-leveling polyurea products have been tested under field conditions during application for CalTrans (California Department of Transportation), with the detection of no free isocyanate molecules in the environment. Review of MSDS information is recommended prior to handling of any products.