NASA Technology

Real World Solutions

Dynacote Thermal Protective Coatings with Emisshield™ will serve the fireplace, chimney and venting industry as well as the barbeque and accessories markets by keeping heat where it belongs offering tremendous benefits which improve the transfer of radiant heat. These benefits include increased efficiency, decreased emissions, prolonged substrate life, increased abrasion resistance and valuable energy savings.

Imagine someone telling you that a thin film could be sprayed like a coat of paint onto virtually any type of substrate and yield amazing results. Imagine someone telling you they could improve the efficiency of a fireplace by increasing radiant heat up to 30%. Imagine someone telling you that a screen that normally blocks 14% of the heat to the room could actually improve fireplace performance! What if, at the same time, heat transfer could be reduced to the areas where you do not want it? Add to this the ability to greatly improve acid and abrasion resistance, therefore eliminating the need for expensive alloys in the ever rising steel market and you would probably think that this person was dreaming. Well, guess what? This technology is a reality and is now available to our industry!

In 1994, NASA patented Protective Coating for Ceramic materials (PCC). This high emissivity coating was developed to be used as part of the heat shield for the next generation of Space Vehicles, the X-33 and X-34. Wessex Incorporated of Blacksburg, VA obtained an exclusive license for PCC excluding aerospace applications and went on to develop Emisshield™ Coatings. Ventech Industries of Eliot, Maine has teamed with Wessex Inc to form Dynacote LCC and bring the Emisshield™ Coatings to the fireplace, chimney, barbeque, stove, and accessory markets.

Emisshield™ Coatings are able to offer their many benefits because they are high emissivity nanoparticle ceramic coatings; improving the transfer of radiant heat. Dr. John Olver was quoted as saying this product showed promise for “any application where heat, wear and thermal degradation are factors.” He went on to say that after 10 years of testing and refining this product, the potential applications are endless.

Some of the benefits from the application
of these revolutionary coatings include

This explanation of how emissivity works appeared in the May, 2002, edition of Ceramic Industry Magazine written by Christine L. Grahl:

“Emissivity is the ability to absorb energy and subsequently release that energy back out from the surface. . . . emissivity is also a function of temperature — the coating’s performance actually increases in hotter temperatures. Once the coating has dried, some of the ceramic material migrates to the surface, enclosing the emissivity agent. As radiant heat waves bombard the surface of the coating, the waves bounce around the ceramic molecules and are then absorbed by the

emissivity agent. The energy imparted on these molecules causes them to vibrate. The higher the temperature, the faster the vibration of the molecules, and thus, the more effective the thermal barrier because less heat is transferred to the underlying material.

The coating also decreases the catalytic efficiency of the surface, resulting in a decreased surface temperature and protecting the underlying substrate from heat-related damage. Additionally, because less energy is transferred to the substrate, the coating increases the efficiency of the system by preventing heat transfer and dissipation. And because the coating was originally developed for extreme speeds (up to 14,000 miles per hour) in space applications, it is extremely resistant to wear and abrasion."

Emisshield™ Coatings are water based coatings that are 99.9% inorganic. They are applied using a standard spray gun and dry to the touch within thirty minutes. The coatings will range in color from light gray to dark black depending on the curing process required. The coatings can be applied to both metal substrates and ceramic-like substrates. Coating thickness will range from 3-7 mils, depending on substrate.

The Emisshield™ Coatings are ceramic in nature and are therefore inevitably resistant to acid and chemical attack. The Metal Coatings are unique in that they are pinhole-free after being through a curing process; the cured coatings do not allow the acids and chemicals to penetrate its surface to begin attacking the metal beneath. Although not pinhole-free, the Emisshield™ Ceramic Coatings will help fill in the pores of ceramic-like materials and help seal the surface.

To learn more about how Emisshield™ Coatings could help improve your fireplace, chimney, stove, barbeque and accessory products, contact a Dynacote LLC Representative at 207.439.0311 or toll free at 866.439.6226.