Gelcoats & Topcoats
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> Gelcoats & Topcoats
BÜFA®-Gelcoats & Topcoats
High-gloss surfaces
As Europe’s leading manufacturer of specialist reactive resin products, it goes without saying that we have the right gelcoats and topcoats for manufacturing composite materials: easy to use, individually adjustable and in virtually any colour! The quality of your GRP component in terms of characteristics such as degree of gloss, surface, chemical resistance, conductivity and fire safety are the top priority here. Our portfolio of sustainable fibre composite materials is also growing continuously.
The in-house machine technology of BÜFA Tec also offers you robust and reliable machinery for faster production cycles and perfect surfaces for your composite plastic.
If you cannot find the right composite materials in our complete range of specialist reactive resin products, please feel free to talk to our experts.
Standard applications
Resin chemistry: Ortho-phthalic acid (OP) and isophthalic acid (IP)
BÜFA®-Standard Gelcoats are based on various unsaturated polyester resins. They are characterised by their outstanding working properties and low styrene content. Gelcoat surfaces made with BÜFA®-Standard-Gelcoat impress in their product class with good weatherproofing properties and durability. This product group is used for machine parts and sealants for technical components, in interior applications in boat building, for example, in the housings for wind energy systems and in commercial vehicle and caravan construction.
Processing
Available in hand, roller and spray versions
Colours
BÜFA®-Gelcoats and Topcoats come in a wide range of RAL colours or, on request, a specific colour can be chosen by the customer.
BÜFA Composites - Gelcoats, Topcoats
Industrial and special applications
Resin chemistry: varied
BÜFA®-Gelcoats and Topcoats for industry and special applications are based on isophthalic acid, ortho-phthalate acid or ISO/NPG resin bases and are characterised by specific and varied areas of application in which, for example, there is extreme chemical stress or weatherproofing is required. They can also serve as barriers to prevent shrinkage marks and osmosis and to provide better chemical resistance, scratch resistance or abrasive properties. These products are used in almost all industries with specific requirements regarding surface quality and durability both indoors and out, e.g. the plumbing industry, in boat building and in the automotive and wind energy sectors.
Processing
Available in hand, roller and spray versions
Colours
BÜFA®-Gelcoats and Topcoats come in a wide range of RAL colours or, on request, a specific colour can be chosen by the customer.
External application with UV resistance
Resin chemistry: Isophthalic acid (IP)
BÜFA®-Gelcoats and Topcoats with IP resin bases offer the highest surface quality in a class with lacquers and also provide the best weathering properties with outstanding gloss that last a long time! These products are used wherever brilliant colours with high UV resistance are required: BÜFA®-Ambition-Gelcoat and BÜFA®-Gelcoat-ISO-3000 are used in the car and commercial vehicle industries, for example. Here we also recommend application of a BÜFA®-Barriercoat for perfect surface quality and better resistance to osmosis.
Processing
Available in hand, roller and spray versions
Colours
BÜFA®-Gelcoats and Topcoats come in a wide range of RAL colours or, on request, a specific colour can be chosen by the customer.
External application where there is a hydrolysis load or a need for chemical resistance
Resin chemistry: isophthalic acid (IP) and neopentyl glycol (NPG)
BÜFA®-Gelcoats and Topcoats based on IP and NPG are used widely in the maritime sector, in other words for cruise ships and in boat building. But these product properties are also suitable for making plumbing components. Products of this sort are used widely in composite components with high chemical, thermal or hydrolytic loads. Here we also recommend application of a BÜFA®-Barriercoat (VE) for perfect surface quality and better resistance to osmosis.
Processing
Available in hand, roller and spray versions
Colours
BÜFA®-Gelcoats and Topcoats come in a wide range of RAL colours or, on request, a specific colour can be chosen by the customer.
Swimming pool applications with hydrolysis load or a need for chemical resistance (chlorine) and UV-resistance || BÜFA-SWIM®-System
Resin chemistry: isophthalic acid (IP) and neopentyl glycol (NPG)
There is a wide variety of BÜFA®-Gelcoats and Topcoats for swimming pool construction. The BÜFA®-Swim Range is a complete system and is complemented by reinforcement materials and matching resins – for the highest surface quality.
Applications
The BÜFA®-Pool Construction System is specifically designed for the requirements of swimming pools in terms of resistance to long-term chemical, thermal and hydrolytic loads. For optimal surface quality, we recommend the use of a barrier coat as a second gelcoat layer between the gelcoat and the laminate as a barrier against shrink marks and osmosis.
Processing
Available in hand, roller and spray versions
Colours
BÜFA offers a wide palette of standard colours that are certified in accordance with the AVK chlorine test. We will also be happy to produce custom colours on request.
Mould tooling with chemical and mechanical resistance for a high degree of gloss || BÜFA®-Tooling System
Resin chemistry: vinyl ester (VE) + gelcoats + 1st layer of resin + tooling resin
For professional GRP mould construction, we have developed mould tooling systems that are fully adapted to one another with corresponding BÜFA®-Tooling Gelcoats and Topcoats, mould tooling resins, glass fibre mats and the matching release agents. BÜFA®-Gelcoats and Topcoats are also available in conductive variants (Conductive). The Conductive products make demoulding easier because of their conductivity, which prevents dust adhesions. Reliability of processing is increased enormously, as there are no more electric shocks during demoulding. BÜFA was awarded the AVK innovation prize for this product. The BÜFA®-Mould Tooling system has numerous advantages, including process reliability, very good mechanical values for the tools, minimal shrinkage and good dimensional stability of the mould, together with a high degree of gloss and better surface quality. With the tooling resin which is optimised for its shrinkage behaviour, wall thicknesses can be created with 2 - 12 CSM (Chopped Strand Mat) layers in one work step.
Application
A revolutionary mould tooling system for constructing even better production moulds in an even shorter time. BÜFA®-Gelcoats and Topcoats are particularly suitable for the manufacture of moulds that are exposed to high chemical and thermal stress.
Processing
Available in hand, roller and spray versions
Colours
BÜFA®-Tooling gelcoats are available unpigmented and in black and green. Other colourings are available on request.
BÜFA Composites - Gelcoats, Topcoats
BÜFA Composites - Tooling Conductive
Antistatic applications (Conductive) and the Masterbatch || BÜFA®-Conductive System
Active chemical ingredient: SWCNTs, graphite, carbon black
The safety of people and technology is paramount in all conductive applications. BÜFA®-Gelcoats and Topcoats offer reliable conductivity. The BÜFA®-Conductive Line comprises conductive systems based on unsaturated reactive resins and epoxy resins that can overcome a whole range of challenges in which, in addition to electrical conductivity, fire safety is a requirement for example.
Application
For all applications in which low electrical resistance is needed: conductive floor covering applications, for example, in tank construction, for SMC (Sheet Moulding Compound) components, electrostatic powder coatings and anywhere where safety, fire protection and EX protection are required. In explosive (EX) areas, only conductive and antistatic objects and equipment may be used.
Processing
Available in hand, roller and spray versions
Colours
The low concentration of functional additives also makes a wide range of colours possible.
BÜFA Composites - Gelcoats, Topcoats
BÜFA Composites - Tooling Conductive
Applications with fire safety properties || BÜFA®-Firestop and BÜFA®-FireFox Systems
Active chemical ingredient: ATH, intumescence
With a carefully selected combination of special flame retardant additives, BÜFA®-Gelcoats und Topcoats achieve very high fire safety properties. They reliably protect the UP resin behind laminates against flames. BÜFA has one of the most comprehensive ranges of fire protection systems for polyester resin processing – for both open and closed-system processes and sustainable products, such as those with reduced styrene content. Appropriate fire safety resins, bonding pastes, additives and reinforcement materials for the systems are included in the fire protection portfolio. BÜFA®-FireFox is the premium system for manufacturing fire safety fibre-reinforced composite components in closed-system processes. High-quality individual components allow a multitude of possible combinations for very specific customer requirements. Maximum lightness, outstanding mechanics and the highest level of fire safety are the characteristics of this best choice fire protection system.
Application
The fire safety systems are suitable for internal and external use for moulded parts that are exposed to very high stress, e.g. cladding panels, fire safety, laboratory and ship doors, railway vehicles, wagon construction, etc. Other objects will require individual clarification in advance. We recommend consulting our Application department to determine a suitable protective coating. In rail transport, shipbuilding, in the building and construction sector and in wind energy, there are strict standards to be observed, all of which the BÜFA®-Firestop und BÜFA®-FireFox Product System meets.
Processing
Available in hand, roller and spray versions, vacuum infusion, RTM
Colours
BÜFA®-Gelcoats and Topcoats come in a wide range of RAL colours or, on request, a specific colour can be chosen by the customer.<br/>
BÜFA Composites - Fire Retardant Systems
BÜFA Composites - Gelcoats, Topcoats
BÜFA Composites - Tooling Conductive
