Anti Corrosive pigments

Over the years many products have been used to a greater or lesser degree of success in the prevention of corrosion, often together with red oxide to produce a red oxide metal primer. The purpose of these primer paints it to acts as a preparation and to form part of the protective coating for the underlying metal and inhibit rust formation. In the past toxic pigments such as red lead and carcinogenic pigments such as chromates have been used which due to health concerns were replaced largely by zinc phosphate. However, this old technology was found to be very bad for the environment leading to its replacement by zinc free systems such as the Nanoguard ACP range based on replacing the harmful heavy metal zinc with the friendly metal calcium. Since calcium phosphates are widely found in our bodies there are no harmful effects on either human health or the environment from this technology and so modern formulations tend to be zinc free and better for the environment and human health. Early versions of zinc free anti corrosives first appeared in the late 1980’s when BP became concerned about the leaching of heavy metals and things like zinc based paints into the sea from their oil rigs. The earlier technology based on calcium ion exchanged silica has gradually been superseded by a variety of calcium phosphate based products such as Nanoguard ACP DCP and Nanoguard ACP2 (used to replace carcinogenic chromates). Formulation of metal protection products including direct to metal products such as the traditional hammer finish paints and epoxy coatings now widely use Nanoguard ACP technology to protect metalwork from domestic applications such as gates, railings, and outdoor equipment to automotive, powder coating and heavy duty epoxy coatings. With a pedigree developed for the harsh environment of the North Sea oil fields these zinc free phosphates continue to provide long life to steel structures around the world without damaging the environment or our health.