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For more information, contact:
Donald Landy, VP Operations and Government Affairs
Phone: (636) 349-0050
dlandy@crosslinkusa.com

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Crosslink Announces Joint Development Agreement with Hentzen Coatings, Inc. and Wayne Pigment Corporation

Industry leaders focus efforts on corrosion inhibition coatings for military
and industrial applications

 

ST. LOUIS —(April 8, 2010) - Crosslink, a leader in electroactive polymer materials, is pleased to announce a joint development agreement with Hentzen Coatings, Inc., the world’s largest supplier of coatings to the U.S. Army, and Wayne Pigment Corporation, the largest domestic supplier of corrosion inhibitor pigments. The agreement formalizes plans for the companies to commercialize environmentally safe and worker friendly corrosion inhibition coatings for military and industrial applications. While the initial thrust of the development will be directed toward military aerospace applications, the long term focus will include civilian infrastructure and other military and commercial applications as well.

Inspiring the agreement, Crosslink and Wayne Pigment independently developed a non-chromate corrosion inhibitor technology that has been shown to compete with standard chromate inhibitor pigments in independent indoor and outdoor testing. The firms have established extensive patent protection, which is further enhanced when combined, and Wayne Pigment has obtained the necessary regulatory and environmental requirements to enable manufacturing of the new inhibitor pigments. Hentzen will focus on the incorporation of the inhibitor into an optimized primer and top coat formulation, and will market the product as a suitable alternative to standard chromate-based coatings.

Development of a non-chromate corrosion inhibitor material is a direct result of efforts by the Department of Defense (DOD) and the Coast Guard to reduce the annual cost of corrosion on aviation and missile weapons systems. The annual expenditure is roughly $10.1 billion and equates to approximately 29 percent of the $35 billion spent each year on such systems¹. C-130 transport planes ($718 million) and F-18 fighters ($601 million) are the two greatest contributors to the DOD’s corrosion costs in the aviation end type. Common metals and alloys used on fixed wing and rotor craft such as copper, magnesium (ZK41), aluminum (2024 and 7075) and steel (4340) are highly susceptible to corrosion. For decades, strontium chromate (hexavalent chromium) has been the preferred inhibitor pigment to combat the costly effects of corrosion that plague these metals and alloys due to its superior performance. Unfortunately, these inhibitors are classified as human carcinogens and mutagens, and were the subject of the 2000 movie Erin Brockovich.

To date, chromate replacement technologies for corrosion prevention and protection remain out of reach, leading to the perpetuation of systems from which our nation desires to be free. Uses of hexavalent chromium—and to a lesser extent trivalent chromium compound—are tightly controlled by EPA regulations issued under the Toxic Substances Control Act, Safe Drinking Water Act, Clean Water Act, Clean Air Act, Resource Conservation Recovery Act, Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act, and by OSHA under the Occupational Safety and Health Act. Additionally, chromium has been found in 1,036 of the 1,591 National Priority List (Superfund) sites identified by EPA, and includes each depot and repair facility tasked with refurbishing military aircraft. Compounding this dilemma is the fact that commercially available alternatives are not equivalent to hexavalent chromium-based inhibitors, they fall short of performance requirements, and therefore, they are not being readily adopted. Together, Crosslink, Hentzen Coatings and Wayne Pigment aim to change this through the development of a new, effective and environmentally benign corrosion inhibition coating technology.

Background on the partnering companies:

Crosslink is an industry leader in the development and manufacture of customized electroactive polymer coatings for innovative commercial and government applications. A privately held company, Crosslink is committed to pioneering solutions in the areas of anti-static coatings, corrosion prevention, detoxification, energy storage materials and flexible lighting. Crosslink is headquartered in St. Louis and operates additional facilities at Missouri State University in Springfield, Mo. and the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg, Miss.

 

Hentzen Coatings, Inc., founded in 1923 and located in Milwaukee, Wis., has grown from a small producer of industrial coatings into one of the largest and most successful independent paint companies in the United States. With annual sales of approximately $90 million and a global sales and distribution network, Hentzen’s focus is on the design, formulation and manufacture of coatings for the aerospace, defense and general industrial markets. The company is at the forefront of emerging coating technologies and has led the way in the development of innovative high performance epoxy primers, polyurethane topcoats and specialty coatings, including high heat resistant, UV-curable and powder.

Wayne Pigment Corp. is recognized worldwide as a driving force in the development and manufacture of innovative products for the coatings industry, leading the way in corrosion and stain inhibitive technology. Established in 1975 and headquartered in Milwaukee, Wis., the company has been granted more than 10 US and international patents in the field of pigment grade corrosion inhibitors, and is committed to meeting the complex demands of the coatings industry. Wayne Pigment Corp. maintains an excellent environmental and safety record.

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¹ DOD Annual Cost of Corrosion (July 2009), Prepared by the Under Secretary of Defense (Acquisition, Technology and Logistics)