Asgard™

Key Characteristics

Asgard™ is aprotective coating for application to the outside of buildings to provide long-lasting dust and stain fighting functionality. With a single, easy-application, Asgard™ converts most external building surfaces to easy-maintenance surfaces by reducing static electricity. Because Asgard™ is inorganic, it may be applied to nearly any substrate.

Ingredients

Asgard™ is a comprised of a strong, ultra-thin, transparent silica binder that holds tinoxide, iodine, silver ions and other functional ingredients in place.

The tin oxide included in Asgard™ creates a hydrophilic surface that also reduces static electricity by creating an electrically conductive surface.

How does Asgard™ fight stains?

1. Because of the electrical properties of the Asgard™ coating, static electricity does not build up as easily on surfaces to which it has been applied. As a result, air-borne dust and dirt are not attracted or attached as easily.
2. When the surface becomes super-hydrophilic, the angle between water droplets and the treated surface are substantially reduced. As a result, each time it rains, water will penetrate the gaps between the dirt and the building’s surface thereby washing dirt and grime more readily away.
3. Because Asgard™ is superhydrophilic or highly attractive to water, water does not bead up and remain on its surface, but instead quickly spreads out flat against the treated surface. The remaining water dries quickly and evenly leaving less water stains on the building’s surface.

Why use hydrophilic Asgard™ protective coating on a building?

Hydrophobic coatings are common for automobile exteriors because water beads up on the surface and is easily removed with a towel. What happens if you allow your car to air dry after washing it? While the beads of water are drying, airborne dust and dirt attach to the moist areas and the car body is left with water spots ringed with dirt and grime. Haven’t you ever been surprised by the amount of dust on a car that has been left outdoors for an extended period of time such as at an airport? This happens because your car is exposed to rain during your trip. The same thing happens to the exteriors of buildings. Cars or outdoor surfaces that are within easy reach can be dried with a towel after washing, but high rise buildings are another matter. With a single spray application, Asgard™ will protect your building and cause it to sparkle for two years.

Application Notes

1. Because Asgard™ is inorganic, it can be applied to nearly any substrate, including glass, fiberglass, stone, tile and polycarbonates.
2. Each liter of Asgard™ will cover 50 square meters. Only 20cc is used for each square meter.
3. Generally, a treated surface should be allowed to dry for 24 hours before exposing it to moisture.
4. If Asgard™ is applied too thickly, it may lead to whitening which will be more apparent with glass and substrates with greater contrast.
5. The substrate should be cleaned well before applying Asgard™. Care should be used to remove grease and water from the substrate as well as to cover areas not to be coated.

Applications

Asgard™ has been used on commercial buildings throughout Japan. Asgard™ has also been used on the exterior of certain railway cars owned by Japan Railroad East. Japan’s Self Defense Forces have also applied Asgard™ to ships that are available for public tours.

Japan Railroad East

The Research & Development Center of the JR East Group reported in a letter dated March 18, 2005 that Asgard™ provided a competitive alternative to routine waxing for the surface treatment of the exterior of steel train cars. Iron dust, rust and carbon and oil deposits are the primary agents that train car surfaces must be protected against. Wax and other coatings are used to protect these exposed surfaces, but reapplication every six months is generally necessary because wax coatings tend to weaken or peel over time. Asgard™ received the highest rating in tests conducted in 2002 through 2004 because of the absence of corrosion, the strength of the adhesion, the lack of application irregularities, high transparency and the low per square foot cost.

Other Products in the Asgard™ Series

The functionality of the standard Asgard™ product can be varied for specific needs. For example, AsgardPro™ uses a variation of zinc oxide that provides ten times the reduction in static electricity making this product a tool for telecommunications equipment manufacturers as well as professional applicators working on larger projects. Either of these versions of Asgard™ can be further enhanced by including a visible-light activated form of titanium dioxide. Visible-light activated titanium dioxide is a powerful photocatalyst that does not require the presence of UV radiation to be effective. Most sources of visible light will be sufficient to trigger the photocatalytic reaction that will break down or oxidize organic compounds.