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Structural Steel

Protection from fire is critical in today's world. Wessex, Incorporated is currently developing products that combine thin film emissivity properties with insulative characteristics to provide an option to the fireproofing of structural steel industry.

Metal not only has a melting point but also a memory (which allows metal to remain rigid). In a fire, steel will lose its memory at about 1800°F and become flimsy before it melts at about 2500°F. It is at this point that a steel structure will begin to collapse. The steel will be unable to handle the weight of the building on its frame. Emisshield® Metal may delay, if not prevent, this from happening. By combining emissive and insulating properties, Wessex hopes to create a product that has superior adhesion and performance.

Emisshield®, like the concept of emissivity dictates, is a function of temperature. The higher the temperature, the better Emisshield® re-radiates that energy.

Emisshield® Metal can also protect against the damaging effects of corrosion. Acid rain and time can cause unsightly and and potentially dangerous rust. Rust is formed when steel is subjected to oxygen and water. Emisshield® Metal can prevent this by forming a protective layer on the steel that is impermeable by oxygen and water. This will prolong the life of and delay the need to replace steel structures that are exposed to weather and keep them safer and looking better longer.

Wessex Lab, using procedure from ASTM C980, showed this by testing pieces of steel, uncoated and coated with Emisshield® Metal. The uncoated steel had a corrosion rate of 109.3 mils/year while a coated steel sample had a corrosion rate of 11.2 mils/year.

Emisshield® Metal is currently undergoing testing at Underwriter's Laboratories to gain certification for fire resistance.

Please review The Technology of Emisshield® for more information on Emisshield® Coatings.

; protecting people, equipment and your bottom line!