PPG Launches ZIRCOBOND Pretreatment Technology for Appliance Industry

On February 21st, 2011, Pittsburgh, USA - Industrial Coatings Division of PPG Industries Co., Ltd. introduced a zirconium-based metal pretreatment technology called ZIRCOBOND(R) 4500, which was specifically tailored to pass strict corrosion resistance tests in the appliance industry. The new technology has only one step, which can replace the two-step process flow of iron-based phosphating and passivation protection, simplifies the metal surface treatment process, reduces costs, and is more environmentally friendly.

Z ircobond4500 pretreatment technology is based on the original patent technology developed by PPG for the automotive industry. The original Zircobond products have been awarded “2008 Top 100 R&D Technology Awards” by the US R&D Magazine for helping users save energy, save water and reduce waste generation.

Jack McIntyre, PPG's technical manager of industrial coatings pretreatment and processing products, said that Zircobond 4500 pretreatment technology is the first to use zirconium-based steel substrate pretreatment technology that has passed high-temperature cleaning agent soak testing.

"Zircobond 4500 pretreatment technology meets the strictest corrosion resistance and film adhesion performance standards of the home appliance industry," he said. "In addition, this technology also avoids the use of passivation protection processes that usually contain chromium, and has many advantages such as simple steps, energy conservation, and environmental protection."

In addition, PPG also developed Zircobond 4200 and X-BOND(R) 4000 pretreatment technology. The former can replace the zinc phosphating pretreatment technology for electrophoretic coating, while the latter is an alternative to iron phosphating pretreatment technology for powder and liquid coating.