On March 14, 2017, WACKER, the Munich-based chemical group, announced that it will be at the 2017 European Coatings Show presenting its new anti-graffiti concentrate SILRES (R) BS 710. Formulations based on this product yield a protective silicone film that is long-lasting, elastic and easy to clean. Any graffiti can simply be washed off with water. Stickers, posters or signs that have been pasted onto walls can easily be removed as well. Coating materials made of SILRES (R) BS 710 are permeable to water vapor and form a permanent bond with concrete, masonry and natural stone without a primer coat. The product contains no organotin compounds or oximes and is a low solvent formulation. The European Coatings Show will be held in Nuremberg, Germany, from April 4 to 6.
   The new anti-graffiti concentrate is a one-part silicone rubber formulation that cures to form a silicone elastomer at room temperature and upon exposure to moisture. The difference between SILRES (R) BS 710 and traditional silicone-based anti-graffiti coating compounds is its unique formulation concept, which completely eliminates the need for tin catalysts and oxime crosslinkers.
   Coating materials made from SILRES (R) BS 710 can be sprayed onto surfaces or applied with a roller or brush. A single treatment is generally enough. Surfaces will be reliably protected from graffiti and posters after a curing time of one day.
   Studies conducted on adhesive properties have shown that porous mineral substrates like concrete or bricks do not need to be primed prior to the application of a coating material made from SILRES (R) BS 710. The silicone film is permeable to water vapor.
   The cured silicone film is strongly abhesive, which means that other substances adhere either poorly to its surface or not at all. Graffiti can be easily removed from the surface, and stickers, posters or signs either fall off on their own or can be peeled off effortlessly. Cleaning the surface with cold water using a sponge or a pressure washer is all it takes to remove graffiti.
   The cured film is elastic and resistant to any impact that weather or temperature could have under real circumstances. Thanks to its flexibility and good adhesion to the substrate, the film remains intact even during the processes of washing off graffiti or removing stickers. In other words, SILRES (R) BS 710 offers permanent protection, while also intensifying colors and creating a slightly glossy surface.
   Manufacturers of building protection agents can incorporate SILRES (R) BS 710 into ready-to-use products. As a concentrate, the product gives formulators the freedom to adjust the active content and viscosity to meet the needs of the application at hand. They can even use pigments to adjust the color. Typical applications of SILRES (R) BS 710 include anti-graffiti and poster release coatings for residential areas, schools, pedestrian underpasses, parking garages, train stations, freeway bridges and noise barriers.
   Graffiti causes immense damage to buildings and public facilities and can significantly compromise perceptions of safety. Removing graffiti costs over Euro 200 million annually in Germany alone.
   Visit WACKER at the European Coatings Show 2017 in Hall 1, Booth 510.