My favorite math teacher was famous for saying, “Numbers tell a story. What story are you reading?” That sentence is both authentic and true when you look through the lens of valid and reliable third-party testing. The data from independent, professionally recognized, third-party testing:
- maintains a documented chain of custody for testing materials,
- adheres to the ASTM, NACE, AMPP, or other professionally recognized standards for testing,
- ensures a standard unit of measurement for success,
- eliminates researcher bias, and
- results in a report showing all conclusions – without regard to the desired outcome.
This blog will look at just three of the third-party tests that EonCoat has completed. Additionally, we will break down the science and data for you to review. Then, we’ll see “what story the numbers tell us.” Let’s start with a well-known test, ASTM B117.
Who Completed EonCoat’s ASTM B117 Testing?
The American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) develops voluntary consensus standards, products, systems, and services. ASTM makes it easier for global companies like EonCoat to do business because standards don’t change, even if the language does. EonCoat had its ASTM B117 testing completed by the highly recognized folks at Assured Testing.
What is ASTM B117?
The ASTM B117 was initially developed in 1939. Essentially, the test,
“is a non-cyclic test, which means that the surface is continually exposed to “salt air.” In this test, the panels are exposed at a 15 to 30 degree angle from vertical to continuous deposition of an atomized 5% NaCl (sodium chloride or salt) solution at 35 degrees Celsius and 97% humidity.
In the test, EonCoat was spray applied to the sample panels. Next, a scribe line was created on the sample panel, as seen in the image below. Then the testing commenced for 1,500 hours. While most coating manufacturers stopped at 1500 hours of testing, EonCoat continued testing until we reached the 5,000-hour test mark.
What Does the Data from the ASTM B117 Say About EonCoat?
EonCoat passed with flying colors (pun intended, because EonCoat doesn’t come in colors!). The corrosion that formed in the scribe line did not creep any further. See the image below for your visual inspection. The photos show the EonCoat-protected sample panel after 5000 hours in the chamber.
When you apply EonCoat to carbon steel, a contiguous and intimate bond is formed between the coating and the substrate. The scribe line is placed on the panels to test corrosion creep under any barrier coating. EonCoat has an intimate chemical bond to the steel and carries reserves of phosphate. Therefore, the corrosion stops at the scribe line and does not creep under the coating.
To see how a three-coat protective paint system would perform, consider the picture below: