In the surface preparation prior to coating, Abrasive blasting is the most effective method.
However, in maintenance environments abrasive blasting may be prohibited. In these situations
mechanical and manual methods are generally used. These tend to give poor surfaces and these
substrates do not normally result in good long term performance.
In these maintenance situations a solution has been found; water based biodegradable rust
remover (according to ISO 10707:1998). This product allows a relatively inexpensive method of
significantly improving the quality of the surface of the steel. This paper describes the testing carried
out to compare the performance of different maintenance coatings on steel prepared hand tool, power
tool and power tool plus rust remover. A comparison of the performance of new construction coatings
over blasted steel and steel prepared with rust remover is also included.
This in turn improves the adhesion of the coating to the steel and subsequently the coating
performance. This product gives improved lifetime of the coating systems compared to that given by
hand and mechanical wire brush, by providing a better prepared substrate for coating adhesion. This
also leads to a reduction in plant downtime and maintenance costs.
Key Words: Rust remover, surface preparation, maintenance, biodegradable