What is Isophthalic Gel Coat?
The isophthalic gel coats developed by italbeit are able to provide excellent performance in terms of resistance to bad weather and corrosion. The use of isophthalic resin in their formulation makes it possible to achieve the following objectives:
- good mechanical characteristics
- good resistance to UV rays
- good water resistance
- excellent application characteristics
Given their characteristics, isophthalic gel coats are used in the following sectors: boating for small boats, transport and furniture.
They can also be supplied in a self-releasing version, to facilitate the operations of detaching from the mould, or waxed, to improve surface drying when not working against the mould, but directly on the product.
Application features
For the application it is recommended to check the temperature of the product, the molds and the environment, which must be between 18°C and 25°C. The product is supplied already accelerated and must be catalysed with the traditional MEKP at a rate of 1.5% – 2%. The thickness of the wet gel coat film must be, depending on the mold and the application method, approximately 0.4 – 0.5 mm, which is equivalent to an amount of product between approximately 600 and 800 g/m².
In the case of “airless” or similar systems, we recommend the correct setup of the system (nozzle and pressure). If further dilution should be necessary for its application, the type and quantity of thinner can vary according to the specific needs of the customer. In any case, our technicians are at your disposal for precise indications in this regard.