For years, protection against corrosion has been one of the most important factors when designing new and planning the maintenance of existing pipelines. The existing pipeline protection methods, although they protect thousands of kilometers of pipelines, show certain shortcomings, which opens up space for new innovative solutions in the field of corrosion protection.
The main causes of failure of conventional corrosion protection systems are:
1) Inadequately designed corrosion protection system;
2) Poor surface preparation/poor application;
3) Influence of external factors from the working environment (humidity, salinity, wind, temperature). Engineers are constantly trying to come up with solutions that would reduce the mentioned causes to a minimum, and ultimately eliminate them.
Conventional systems for protection against corrosion are based on materials with chemically cross-linked structures to which certain mechanical properties are added during application so that the system remains stable for a certain period of time.
Innovative systems are created on the exact opposite: a non-crosslinked amorphous visco-elastic structure. Polyisobutene proved to be the most adequate polymer that meets the set requirements. The structural units of polyisobutene are connected by covalent bonds, and the polymer chain does not cross-link, which leads to the so-called “cold flow”. This means that even at low temperatures, polyisobutene will eventually fill even the smallest pores on the surface of the material, which eliminates the possibility of osmosis and moisture migration between the surface and the protective layer.
STOPAQ material based on polyisobutene will remain in a semi-liquid state throughout its working life with strong adhesion forces to the surface, thanks to which the material has the property of self-healing. At the same time, it remains resistant to aging and the influence of chemicals and is impervious to moisture, oxygen and bacteria.
Innovative visco-elastic STOPAQ® materials based on polyisobutene, with their physical properties, provide end users with a longer service life, reduced maintenance costs, the highest level of corrosion protection, and faster, simpler and, above all, cheaper surface preparation and system application that does not require special equipment or special applicator’s skills.
Application of the STOPAQ® system in practice is relatively simple. It is sufficient to prepare the surface with manual or electric tools up to the St2/St3 level, and it is necessary to ensure that the surface is clean and dry. Preparation of the surface by abrasive cleaning (“sandblasting”) is not necessary, because STOPAQ® materials do not require a certain level of surface roughness (profile). Also, the application does not require a primer, and the application is possible in the temperature range from -45°C to +120°C. The application is mostly done manually, and due to its simplicity, minimal employee training is required. Backfilling of underground pipelines is possible immediately after the completion of the system application because it is not necessary to wait for the system to harden as in the case of conventional systems, thus reducing the time required for the execution of works, and thus the total costs.
The STOPAQ® corrosion protection system is compatible with the cathodic protection system, and due to strong adhesion forces, it prevents cathodic disbondment and creep.
In terms of safety and environmental protection, STOPAQ® systems meet the highest standards because the materials are non-toxic and safe for both employees and the environment, and the only waste generated during application is cardboard packaging and plastic film.
The rich experience that we at FEROMIHIN, the regional distributor for STOPAQ®, have gained through numerous completed projects allows us to offer our clients innovative and long-lasting solutions for corrosion protection. Prevent pipeline corrosion before it becomes a problem! To ensure the integrity and safety of your property from corrosion, contact us today.