Gelcoat-related anomalies

Certain anomalies can appear on polyester shell pools and many of them are related to the gelcoat .
Different factors can induce / influence these anomalies such as the composition of the gelcoat, the conditions in which it is applied, ...

Anomalies related to the thickness of the gelcoat

Different problems may appear following the application of the gelcoat depending on its thickness.
If the gelcoat is too thick, yellowing may be observed as well as runs , cracks or even self-release .
The latter occurs in particular when the composition is not good and there is an excess of catalyst .



Osmosis-related abnormalities

What is osmosis ?
It is a chemical and mechanical phenomenon which can alter polyester swimming pool shells by forming blisters , and can have an effect on the waterproofing of the pool.
The phenomenon of osmosis appears when water infiltrates through the swimming pool gelcoat into the different layers of the laminate (polyester resin / glass mat). A chemical reaction ( hydrolysis ) occurs between the water and the polyester resin to generate chemical species including formic and acetic acids that will be found inside the blisters.
Environnement
Osmosis can be linked to different factors, mainly the quality of manufacture of the pool shell (thickness and quality of the gelcoat, quality of the polyester resin of the laminate, working conditions in the workshop, drying, etc.), but also an expiry date not respected or poor storage conditions .

Be careful not to confuse stains and inclusions.

The appearance of white deposits or gray , black and yellowish spots can have various origins linked, for example, to the quality of the water, the maintenance of the basin or the presence of static electricity.

It is common to observe after analysis that the white deposits covering almost the entire pool can be caused by the hazardous use of pool maintenance products or by consequent pH disturbances.

Anomalies related to inclusions

It may be a metallic or inorganic inclusion originating from pollution during the production of the gelcoat. These inclusions can be a gateway accentuating the phenomenon of water adsorption and osmosis. They can also be subject to a chemical modification (oxidation…) which can generate a change of color .
Polymex offers you scanning electron microscopy ( SEM / EDX ) analysis to verify inclusion and elemental nature.

However, one should not confuse tasks and inclusions.

The appearance of white deposits or gray , black and yellowish spots can have various origins linked, for example, to the quality of the water, the maintenance of the basin or the presence of static electricity.

It is common to observe after analysis that the white deposits covering almost the entire pool can be caused by the hazardous use of pool maintenance products or by consequent pH disturbances.

Gray and black spots (star shapes) can be linked to the use of unstable chemical compounds within the gelcoat (cobalt salts) which eventually migrate to the surface. Certain dark stains (rusty, brown or black color) originate from the presence in the water of metals such as iron , copper or manganese and which, with the oxidation and chemical reactions of disinfection products, can generate dark stains or rust.
Yellowish stains can, for example, be the result of lime or scale deposits when the fill water is too hard.


Other anomalies

Other anomalies can also appear and are due to various factors.
They can induce a lack of gloss which can be due to the presence of dust on the surface of the mold, a composition problem with under polymerized gelcoats .
Zone delamination can also be observed and is generally due to poor layering work or too late layering of the gel coat.
Environnement
POLYMEX offers you to identify the origins of the anomalies appearing on your gelcoat by observing its composition by Pyrolysis / GCMS , by observing an inclusion by scanning electron microscopy to verify its elementary nature.

Thanks to a complete analytical park our laboratory is able to meet your needs .

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