The chemistry of polyaspartic coatings was first introduced in the early 1990s. It is based on the reaction of an aliphatic polyisocyanate and a polyaspartic ester, which is an aliphatic diamine.

The name polyaspartics has recently become popular among formulators in the industry due to the need to differentiate it from polyureas and polyurethanes. By definition, a polyaspartic is an aliphatic polyurea because it is the reaction of an aliphatic polyisocyanate with a polyaspartic ester - which is an aliphatic diamine. However, polyaspartic coatings are very different in both application and coating performance properties from conventional polyureasA pure polyurea coating / elastomer is that derived from the reaction product of an isocyanate component and a resin blend component. The isocyanate can be aromatic or aliphatic in nature. It can be monomer, polymer, or any variant reaction of isocyanates, quasi-prepolymer or a prepolymer. The prepolymer, or quasi-prepolymer, can be made of an amine-terminated polymer resin, or a hydroxyl-terminated polymer resin.

The resin blend must be made up of amine-terminated polymer resins, and/or amine-terminated chain extenders. The amine-terminated polymer resins will not have any intentional hydroxyl moieties. Any hydroxyls are the result of incomplete conversion to the amine-terminated polymer resins. The resin blend may also contain additives, or non-primary components. These additives may contain hydroxyls, such as pre-dispersed pigments in a polyol carrier. Normally, the resin blend will not contain a catalyst(s).

For reference purposes, a polyurethane / polyurea hybrid coating / elastomer that is the reaction product of an isocyanate component and a resin blend component. The isocyanate can be aromatic or aliphatic in nature. It can be monomer, polymer, or any variant reaction of isocyanates, quasi-prepolymer or a prepolymer. The prepolymer, or quasi-prepolymer, can be made of an amine-terminated polymer resin, or a hydroxyl-terminated polymer resin.

The resin blend may be made up of blends of amine-terminated and / or hydroxyl-terminated polymer resins, and / or amine-terminated and / or hydroxyl- terminated chain extenders. The resin blend must contain blends of amine-terminated and hydroxyl-terminated moieties. The resin blend may also contain additives, or non-primary components. The resin blend may contain catalyst(s) for system reactivity.

For reference purposes, a polyurethane coating / elastomer is that derived from the reaction product of an isocyanate component and a resin blend component. The isocyanate can be aromatic or aliphatic in nature. It can be monomer, polymer, or any variant reaction of isocyanates, quasi-prepolymer or a prepolymer. The prepolymer, or quasi-prepolymer, will be made of with a hydroxyl-terminated polymer resins.

The resin blend must be made up of hydroxyl-terminated polymer resins, being diol, triol or multi-hydroxyl polyols, and / or aromatic or aliphatic hydroxyl-terminated chain extenders. The resin blend may also contain additives, or non-primary components. The resin blend will contain catalyst(s) for system reactivity.