MEGEL AC-200 — Aerogel Coating Slurry, Silicone Outdoor and High-Temp

Overview

MEGEL AC-200 is the outdoor silicone specification within the MEGEL aerogel coating slurry range — a pre-dispersed aerogel coating with silicone resin binder, formulated for outdoor and elevated-temperature service environments where acrylic-based AC-100 would fail under UV degradation or thermal cycling. The slurry is 40–50% solids by weight, applied at 1–3 mm wet film thickness, drying to a 0.5–2.0 mm dry film with thermal conductivity 0.045–0.055 W/(m·K) at 25°C and continuous service temperature rating to 200°C.

The silicone-resin binder delivers four performance characteristics critical to the target outdoor and industrial applications:

1. UV stability. Silicone resin retains binding integrity through 10+ years of direct sunlight exposure, where acrylic emulsion films lose mechanical strength within 3–5 years. Outdoor service-life parity with conventional silicone protective coatings.
2. Thermal cycling resistance. Silicone retains elasticity through −40 to +200°C thermal cycles without cracking or delamination, critical for storage tank and shipping container exterior coatings exposed to diurnal solar heating.
3. Hydrophobicity reinforcement. The silicone binder's intrinsic hydrophobicity reinforces the aerogel particle hydrophobicity, delivering a coating system with water uptake <1% under driving-rain conditions.
4. Service temperature extension. Silicone-bonded films can withstand 200°C continuous service vs the 80°C limit of acrylic binders — opening industrial process-equipment applications that AC-100 cannot serve.

AC-200 is the workhorse grade for outdoor industrial thermal-insulating coatings on storage tanks, shipping container exteriors, military vehicle thermal-signature reduction, satellite ground-station enclosures, and process-equipment exterior surface insulation.

Technical Specifications

Applications

Storage Tank Exterior Insulation

Above-ground storage tanks for hydrocarbons, chemicals, and water in temperate and tropical climates experience solar-driven temperature swings of 20–40°C during the diurnal cycle, accelerating product evaporation losses (for volatile products), creating tank-roof breathing losses (for fixed-roof tanks), and contributing to product quality degradation through thermal cycling. AC-200 spray-applied at 1.5–2 mm dry film to tank exteriors reduces incident solar absorption (combined with high-albedo pigmentation) by 60–75%, lowering peak diurnal product temperature by 8–15°C. Tank-shell service life is extended through reduced thermal-cycling fatigue.

Shipping Container Exterior Insulation

ISO shipping container exteriors used in tropical regions and on premium cold-chain routes use AC-200 at 1–1.5 mm dry film to reduce solar heat gain into the container interior. Compared to uninsulated containers, the coating reduces interior peak temperature by 8–15°C, lowering the active-refrigeration energy demand for refrigerated containers and extending PCM hold time for passive cold-chain transport. Coating system is UV-stable for 10+ years, matching typical ISO container service life.

Military Vehicle Thermal-Signature Reduction

Armoured vehicles, light military trucks, and naval support vessels use AC-200 on exterior body and superstructure surfaces to reduce thermal signature for night-time and IR-imaging-equipped opposing surveillance. The coating delivers a 60–80% reduction in measured surface temperature differential against ambient under sustained engine operation, plus camouflage pigmentation compatibility with standard military livery. Specified for combat-rated tactical vehicles in NATO-equivalent military procurement programmes.

Satellite Ground-Station Equipment Enclosures

Outdoor ground-station electronic equipment enclosures (radio frequency antenna shelters, gateway-server cabinets, microwave repeater enclosures) require interior climate control under diurnal and seasonal extreme conditions. AC-200 on enclosure exteriors reduces solar heat gain and night-time radiative cooling, narrowing the temperature range that internal HVAC must control. The silicone-bonded coating tolerates the antenna-mount thermal cycling and resists damage from maintenance access traffic.

Process Equipment Exterior Surface Insulation

Industrial process equipment with continuous external surface temperatures up to 200°C — high-temperature reactors, distillation column overhead drums, heat exchanger headers — use AC-200 for personnel-protection-grade surface temperature reduction without the structural complexity of conventional pipe-insulation jacketing systems. 2 mm dry film delivers ASTM C1055 personnel-protection compliance for surfaces up to 175°C process temperature; thicker films extend coverage to 200°C continuous.

Packaging & Storage

AC-200 is supplied in the same package formats as AC-100:

• 25 kg sealed pail — small-batch project use
• 200 kg sealed drum — production application contractors

MOQ is 1 drum (200 kg). 40' container loads 24–28 drums or equivalent pallet. FOB Shanghai.

Store sealed at 5–35°C. Silicone-resin binder is more tolerant of temperature extremes than acrylic (AC-100) — freezing recovery is possible (gentle warming and agitation), high-temperature exposure to 40°C is fine for storage. If settled, agitate gently on a paddle mixer at 50–100 rpm for 10 minutes. Shelf life is 18 months in original sealed packaging — extended over AC-100 due to the more thermally stable silicone chemistry.

Standard P100 respirator for spray application; UV-resistant safety eyewear during outdoor spraying. Cleanup of equipment with xylene or mineral spirits before drying; cured film cleanup requires mechanical removal.

Related Products

• MEGEL® Silica Aerogel — parent hub
• MEGEL AC-100 — indoor acrylic variant
• MEGEL AC-300 — polyurethane variant for industrial airless spray
• MEGEL AP-100 — raw aerogel powder for custom silicone formulation
• MEGEL MG-650-OR — aerogel felt alternative for thicker section refinery service