Industry Overview
The construction industry demands large quantities of anti-corrosion and weatherable materials, particularly for high-end building curtain walls, aluminum composite panels, and steel structures that require surface coatings with exceptional weatherability and decorative properties. Traditional coatings show fading, chalking, and peeling within 2-3 years in outdoor environments, while 70% PVDF fluorocarbon coatings, with their outstanding weatherability, can achieve outdoor service life exceeding 20 years, becoming the preferred coating solution for premium buildings. Meanwhile, ETFE architectural films, with their unique light transmittance and self-cleaning properties, have been widely adopted in landmark buildings worldwide.
FUERTAI provides a full range of construction anti-corrosion material solutions, from fluorocarbon coatings to architectural films, from cable jackets to steel structure anti-corrosion coatings, covering every core aspect of construction corrosion protection.
Core Material Solutions
Fluorocarbon Coatings: PVDF coating powder is used to manufacture 70% PVDF fluorocarbon coatings, widely applied in building curtain walls, aluminum composite panels, and aluminum honeycomb panels. 70% PVDF coatings consist of 70% PVDF resin and 30% acrylic resin, forming a film through high-temperature baking (230°C-240°C), delivering excellent weatherability, color retention, and chalking resistance. After 3,000 hours of salt spray testing and 4,000 hours of QUV accelerated aging testing, coating performance retention exceeds 90%, with outdoor service life reaching 20+ years.
ETFE Architectural Films: ETFE extrusion pellets are used to manufacture ETFE architectural films with visible light transmittance up to 95%, adjustable UV transmittance, and excellent self-cleaning properties (rain naturally cleans surface dirt). ETFE film weighs only 0.15-0.35 kg/m², approximately 1% of glass weight, significantly reducing building structural loads. ETFE film service life exceeds 25 years and is 100% recyclable, making it an ideal material for green buildings. Landmark projects including the Beijing Water Cube and the UK Eden Project have used ETFE films.
Cable Jackets: FEP and ETFE wire and cable jackets provide excellent flame retardancy (UL94 V-0), weatherability, and electrical insulation. FEP jackets withstand 200°C for high-temperature wiring; ETFE jackets withstand 150°C with excellent cut-through and radiation resistance for interior and exterior building wiring. Fluoropolymer cable jackets do not produce toxic hydrogen halide gases when burned, meeting building low-smoke zero-halogen (LSZH) requirements.
Steel Structure Anti-Corrosion Coatings: ETFE and FEP spray powders provide long-lasting anti-corrosion coating protection for building steel structures. ETFE coatings offer high mechanical strength and impact resistance for main structural corrosion protection; FEP coatings provide smooth, non-stick surfaces for building components requiring self-cleaning functionality. Coating thickness ranges from 0.3-1.0mm, applied using electrostatic spraying, with strong coating-substrate adhesion and service life exceeding 15 years.
Technical Highlights
| Application | Material | Key Performance | Standard | Service Life |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Curtain Wall Coating | 70% PVDF Paint | Weatherability/Color retention | AAMA 2605 | ≥20 years |
| Architectural Film | ETFE Film | Transmittance/Self-cleaning | EN 1090 | ≥25 years |
| Cable Jacket | FEP/ETFE | Flame retardancy/Weatherability | UL94 V-0 | ≥30 years |
| Steel Structure Coating | ETFE/FEP Spray | Anti-corrosion/Weatherability | ISO 12944 | ≥15 years |
Key technical considerations for construction anti-corrosion materials:
- PVDF Coating Ratio: 70% PVDF coatings use a 70:30 PVDF-to-acrylic resin ratio, providing the optimal balance of weatherability and adhesion
- Baking Process: PVDF coatings require baking at 230°C-240°C for 10-15 minutes for proper film formation; insufficient temperature reduces performance, excessive temperature causes discoloration
- ETFE Film Installation: ETFE films typically use cushion (pillow) structures inflated to maintain shape, requiring air pressure monitoring and replenishment systems
- Coating Adhesion: Steel structure anti-corrosion coating application requires sandblasting to Sa2.5 grade prior to coating to ensure adequate coating-substrate adhesion
Application Cases
Building Curtain Wall: A super high-rise building aluminum curtain wall using 70% PVDF fluorocarbon coating, coating thickness 30-40μm, passing AAMA 2605 standard testing, outdoor service for 10 years with color change ΔE<3, no chalking or peeling.
Sports Venue Film: A sports venue roof using ETFE cushion film, film thickness 0.25mm, light transmittance 90%, U-value 1.8 W/m²K, excellent self-cleaning performance, 5 years without manual cleaning required.
Steel Structure Anti-Corrosion: A seaport terminal steel structure using ETFE spray anti-corrosion coating, coating thickness 0.5mm, passing ISO 12944 C5-M marine environment corrosion grade testing, 8 years without rust.
Selection Recommendations
FUERTAI recommends following the ’Environmental Classification’ principle for construction anti-corrosion selection: First, determine the corrosion category based on the building's environment (ISO 12944 C1-C5); then select the coating solution based on corrosion category and decorative requirements (C3 and below can use conventional coatings, C4 and above recommend PVDF fluorocarbon coatings); finally, select supporting materials based on building functional requirements. For landmark buildings, ETFE film roofing is recommended; for marine environment steel structures, ETFE spray anti-corrosion coatings are recommended. FUERTAI provides coating system design, construction process consulting, and material volume supply services.
