Zentek Tests Nano-pigments for Aerospace Coatings
Graphene technology development and commercialization company Zentek Ltd has recently been awarded a research and development contract to test their nano-pigment ZenARMOR for military grade, chromate-free, corrosion protection aerospace paint systems.
Innovative Solutions Canada issued the contract, and in February 2023 Zentek was conditionally qualified for the ISC-TS pending a Government of Canada Organization’s interest in the ZenARMOR technology.
Officers at the National Research Council of Canada Aerospace Research Center’s Aerospace Manufacturing Technologies Center, Dr. Qi Yang and Dr. Naiheng Song will conduct and supervise the testing. They will test for confirmation that ZenARMOR meets the required aviation standards, Optimizing the concentration of ZENARMOR in aviation paint systems, and comparing the protection of ZenARMOR against chromate-based paint systems.
ZenARMOR is reportedly comprised of fewer active ingredients and is self-healing. This potentially offers more environmental benefits than other products.
Zentek and Quantum Chemical tested ZenARMOR with an epoxy system following ASTM B-117 Salt Spray Testing. Excellent corrosion resistance was reported with no blisters or any signs of corrosion after 1,500 hours with the addition of a very low dose of ZenARMOR. Comparatively the same corrosion porection epoxy without ZenARMOR broke down at the 1,000-hour mark.
“We are grateful to have been selected for this ISC-TS by our partners at the National Research Council of Canada, which we believe is an important step in continuing to prove out the efficacy of our ZenARMOR technology in corrosion protection paints,” said Zentek CEO Greg Fenton. “This is an area that has taken heightened importance due to the high cost of corrosion. This award confirms the Government of Canada’s commitment to working with innovative domestic companies to help address this challenge. Importantly, we see this as a potential precursor to commercialize our technology not only with the Canadian Government, but with other interested parties as well.”
Zentek has also filed a provisional patent and trademark for ZenARMOR with the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
Zetek’s ZenGURAD technology platform has shown 99% anti-microbial activity and significantly increases the bacterial and viral filtration efficiency in both surgical masks and in HVAC filters. Their production facility is located in Guelph, Ontario. ZenARMOR technology is focued on corrosion protection applications.
Zentek is a certified graphene technology company focused on the research, development, and commercialization of graphene-based novel products. They seek to make better, safer, and greener products.
Read the original article on Coatings World.