Gelcoat

As a gel coat hard lacquer is referred to as the protective layer on molded parts made ​​of fiber- reinforced plastics: is applied (eg, fiberglass, CFRP, AFK, ...). The gel coat sealed the component against moisture and protects against pressure damage.

Composition

The gel coat is made with silica thickened resin (mostly unsaturated polyester UP), but does not contain glass fibers and is usually - if the color of the finished part is known - dyed in this color, so as not to make subsequent paint damage as flashy. If so desired, gel coats are generally colored throughout. By the addition of the silica, the surface is more resistant to abrasion than is the uncoated fiber composite molding.

Application process

Outside to inside

The gel coat is applied directly to the release varnish with which the negative mold was treated. This can be either with a brush or roller, or done with the airbrush. After the gel coat layer is cured in the mold is started to the actual manufacture of the shaped part by means of layer-wise placing of the glass fiber mats or fabric, and the subsequent impregnation with synthetic resin.

Inside to outside

Often gelcoat is enriched for surface finishing on racing yachts with cobalt to achieve better grinding characteristics that lead to a smoother surface, and thus consequently to a higher speed. For this purpose, is applied to the prepared GRP hull in several layers gelcoat. Editing is done so from the inside ( trunk) to the outside ( gelcoat ). Is a high-quality paint surface desired, however abrasive capable, transparent gel coats for the last Gelcoatschichten be used, which leads to surfaces, as seen especially in the boats of the America 's Cup.

Properties

The various building materials ( the fuselage is made ​​of fiberglass, gelcoat is a polyester resin ) combine to form a - considered technically strength - almost completely homogeneous material, which is sanded clean after the first layer gel coat. By applying further layers, then without further grinding, produces a thick 1-3 mm protective layer mainly provides excellent protection against osmosis damage in addition to the speed aspect.

Application

The use of gel coat came into use in yacht building with the advent of fiberglass construction, the lighter and faster boats had the effect, in which increasingly more fine optimizations were necessary, which resulted in better sliding properties and higher speeds. Also for aircraft and motor vehicles with GRP bodywork a gelcoat surface finishing is increasingly used.

Ecological aspects

As with GRP in the present state of the art, no recycling of the polymerized resin - hardener mixtures is possible. Polymerised wastes are classified as household waste.

• Coating material
• Faserverbundtechnik