Overview
Aerogel insulation coating is a high-performance thermal insulation material that delivers a fraction of the heat transfer of conventional mineral or polyurethane insulation, in a thin, paintable coating that can be applied directly to steel, concrete, masonry and metal surfaces.
The science behind it is the nanoporous silica aerogel itself: an open-cell structure that is 95% air by volume, with pores so small that air molecules cannot move freely through them. That effectively breaks the conductive path that carries heat through every other insulation, which is why an aerogel coating only a few millimetres thick can cut heat loss dramatically.
Delshine manufactures the full range: thermal insulation grades for hot surfaces and building envelopes, water-based acoustic grades for sound dampening, and transparent alkali-resistant sealing primers that let the coating adhere to masonry without the efflorescence staining that ruins so many façade jobs.
Transparent Alkali-Resistant Sealing Primer: Used as a base primer on masonry or concrete to block moisture and alkali efflorescence from leeching out, while helping topcoats adhere better.
Product identification
The identifiers below are the ones printed on the drum and quoted on the purchase order. Always order and dispatch by code, because the grade and the zinc or temperature variant cannot be inferred from the trade name alone.
| Product code | DSAG-302 |
|---|---|
| Trade name | Transparent Alkali-Resistant Sealing Primer |
| Category | Aerogel coatings |
| System role | Primer - first coat on the prepared substrate |
| Manufacturer description | Used as a base primer on masonry or concrete to block moisture and alkali efflorescence from leeching out, while helping topcoats adhere better. |
Where this product is used
- Retrofit insulation of exterior walls, roofs and parapets
- Insulation of pipework, valves, flanges and heat exchangers
- Protection of industrial furnaces, exhaust lines and boilers
- Acoustic dampening of interior walls, ceilings and structural steel
- Fireproofing of marine bulkheads and offshore structures
- Cryogenic protection of LNG, LPG and liquid nitrogen tanks
- Insulation of HVAC ducting and air-handling equipment
- Reduction of thermal bridging on steel framing and concrete slabs
How it works in the coating system
A primer is the first layer in the coating system, and it decides how well everything that follows will adhere. Its job is to wet out the prepared substrate, key into its surface, and hold the coating together as one film.
Applied thin, a primer wets and anchors. Applied too thick, it becomes brittle, stresses the substrate and can peel as a sheet. The right dry film thickness for a primer is the one that covers the surface completely without building a film that can crack.
Purpose in the system: Applied directly to the prepared substrate, before any intermediate coat or topcoat.
Technical properties
The values below are the typical published range for this product family. The exact figures for your batch are confirmed on the batch certificate and the current technical data sheet.
| Role in the coating system | Thermal and acoustic insulation coating — ultra-thin, nano-porous |
|---|---|
| Volume solids | 18–45 % depending on grade |
| Mixing ratio by volume | Single component, ready to use · 2:1 by volume for the 2-pack grades |
| Typical dry film thickness | 0.5–3.0 mm (thermal grades); 0.2–1.0 mm (acoustic grades) |
| Theoretical coverage | 1.0–3.0 m²/litre per coat depending on grade |
| Application methods | Brush · roller · airless spray |
| Application temperature window | 5–40 °C, apply above 5 °C dew point |
| Suitable substrates | Concrete, masonry, render, plaster, metal (over a compatible primer) |
| Finish / appearance | Matt, white or tinted; the transparent primer is colourless |
| Principal resistance | Thermal insulation, sound absorption, weather and UV |
| UV resistance | Excellent — the aerogel binder is UV stable and does not chalk |
| Adhesion to prepared steel | Good on alkaline masonry after the sealing primer |
| Salt spray performance | Not applicable indoors; the exterior grade passes 1,000 h salt spray |
| Chemical resistance | Resistant to alkalis and neutral salts; not to strong acids |
| Abrasion resistance | Low — not for traffic areas or high-abrasion zones |
| Flash point | Not applicable (water-based) |
| Shelf life | 12 months unopened, protected from freezing |
| Density | 0.6–1.1 g/cm³ |
| Pack sizes | 5 kg · 20 kg · 200 kg drums |
| Thermal conductivity | λ = 0.013–0.021 W/(m·K) at a 2 mm film |
| Acoustic performance | NRC 0.55–0.75 for the acoustic grades |
| Solar reflectance | Solar reflectance 0.80–0.87 for the white exterior grade |
Surface preparation
- Clean the substrate thoroughly and remove all loose material, oil, grease and salt. Aerogel coatings bond to clean, dry surfaces.
- Repair any cracks, joints and defects first. Aerogel is a coating, not a gap filler — movement cracks will telegraph straight through the finish.
- Remove all rust and scale from steel, then abrade or grit-blast to a clean surface. Prime metal with a corrosion-inhibiting primer to prevent undercutting.
- On masonry and concrete, apply the transparent alkali-resistant sealing primer (DSAG-301/302) to block moisture and efflorescence. Without it, alkali salts will migrate through the coating and cause blistering and staining.
- Ensure the substrate is completely dry. Moisture trapped under an insulation coating causes blistering and destroys the performance.
- Mask off fittings, flanges, valves and any element that must later be removed or serviced.
Application procedure
Apply by brush, roller, conventional air spray or airless spray depending on the product. Primers are usually thin enough to spray well and wet out a blasted surface completely.
Work at a consistent wet film thickness and avoid over-application at edges, welds and connections — sags and runs at these details are the most common primer defect.
Allow the primer to reach the specified state before overcoating. On some systems a primer should be topcoated while it is still slightly tacky for best intercoat adhesion; on others a full cure with an abrasion between coats is required.
Mixing, ratio and induction time
Two-pack primers are mixed in the ratio stated on the data sheet, typically 4:1 or 5:1 by volume for epoxy primers and 3:1 for polyaspartic systems. Allow the full induction time before thinning and application, and observe the pot life strictly — a primer that has begun to gel will not perform.
Cure, recoat window and service readiness
Recoat windows depend on temperature, humidity and film thickness, but a typical epoxy primer is recoatable after 12 to 24 hours at 20-25 °C and needs 7 days for full cure. Polyaspartic primers cure far faster and may be recoatable within 2 to 4 hours. Exceeding the maximum recoat interval requires the surface to be abraded and re-cleaned before the next coat.
Coverage and thickness calculation
Typical dry film thickness is 40-80 µm for a conventional primer and 60-100 µm for a high-build anticorrosive primer. At 60 µm, one litre covers roughly 12-14 m². Always measure the wet film and calculate back from the solids content to confirm the specified DFT is being achieved.
Technical note. Coverage (m²/litre) = (volume solids × 10) / DFT (µm)
Worked example
| Specified DFT | 2000 µm |
|---|---|
| Volume solids | 35 % |
| Theoretical coverage | 0.17 m²/litre |
| Total for the area | 100 m² → 17.5 litres |
Advantages
- Extremely low thermal conductivity for the applied thickness — far less space than mineral wool or conventional PU insulation.
- Thin, paintable and light, so it adds almost no dead load to pipelines, plant rooms or retrofitted façades.
- Water-based and low-VOC formulations available, with no hazardous solvent odour in occupied buildings.
- Excellent thermal shock resistance — the coating survives rapid temperature cycling without cracking.
- Can be applied over complex geometry without the seams, joints and thermal bridges of blanket or board insulation.
- Hydrophobic grades shed water, keeping the substrate dry and preserving the insulating value over time.
Limitations and precautions
- Cost per square metre is significantly higher than conventional insulation — justify it against energy savings or process temperature control, not on first cost alone.
- Not every substrate and every operating temperature has an aerogel solution. Check the temperature rating of the exact grade before specifying.
- Surface preparation is critical; contamination will cause loss of adhesion and eventual blistering.
- Some grades require careful film build to reach the rated thermal performance — under-application means under-performance.
- Mechanical damage to a thin coating can compromise the insulation path; protect high-traffic or high-impact areas.
Storage and shelf life
- Store unopened drums between 5 °C and 30 °C in a dry, shaded store, away from direct sunlight and freezing.
- Do not allow the coating to freeze — frozen material must be thawed and mechanically re-mixed before use.
- Stir thoroughly before opening and during application; the material settles during storage.
- Use first-in-first-out stock rotation and observe the shelf life printed on the label.
Safety, PPE and ventilation
- Water-based grades are low hazard, but always wear gloves, safety goggles and a dust mask when mixing or sanding.
- Provide ventilation when applying in confined spaces, even with water-based material.
- Contain overspray and do not discharge wash water into surface water systems.
- Some high-temperature grades contain solvents — read the specific safety data sheet before handling.
Quality control and inspection
- Check the surface preparation standard and the blast profile before coating begins — this is recorded on the inspection report.
- Verify film thickness by wet film gauge during application and by magnetic induction gauge or dry film readings on the completed coat.
- Holiday test the primer before overcoating, particularly over welds, connections and edges.
Pricing and how to order
Delshine quotes this product per square metre at a specified dry film thickness, or per drum/litre depending on the project. The material cost is usually the smallest part of the installed cost — surface preparation, access and application labour dominate. Send us the substrate, the service conditions and the required DFT and our technical team will return a full system recommendation with a firm price.
Aerogel coating is specified per square metre of surface at a defined dry film thickness, and the price is driven mainly by the required build. A 2-3 mm build on a 500 m² pipeline section typically needs several drums plus primer and topcoat — request a full system quote including surface preparation rather than a material-only price.
Frequently asked questions
The questions below are the ones our technical team is asked most often about this product family.
What is aerogel coating used for?
Aerogel coating is used wherever heat needs to be stopped in a thin layer: insulating pipework and heat exchangers, retrofitting exterior walls and roofs, protecting furnaces and exhaust lines, and acoustic dampening on interior surfaces. The advantage over conventional insulation is thickness — a few millimetres of aerogel can replace several centimetres of mineral wool.
Is aerogel coating safe for buildings?
Yes. The water-based grades are low-VOC, non-toxic and do not off-gas harmful fumes. The transparent alkali-resistant sealing primer used under the system is specifically designed to keep the coating free of efflorescence staining.
How thick should aerogel coating be?
It depends on the required thermal reduction, the substrate and the operating temperature. Typical applications use between 1 and 5 mm total build, applied in multiple passes. Always work from the thermal conductivity figure and the required heat-loss reduction rather than from a generic film thickness.
Can aerogel coating be painted over?
Yes, and for most architectural and equipment applications it should be. Once fully cured, the surface can be finished with an appropriate topcoat for colour, UV protection or additional chemical resistance.
Does aerogel coating work at high temperatures?
There are dedicated grades for continuous service up to 650 °C for furnaces, exhaust lines and boilers, and cryogenic grades for liquid nitrogen and LNG service down to -196 °C. The standard architectural grade is not a high-temperature product — always specify the correct grade.
How long does aerogel coating last?
With correct preparation and the right grade for the service condition, an aerogel insulation system typically gives 10-25 years. Life is limited far more by surface preparation and premature water ingress than by the coating itself.
Related products
These products are normally used in the same system as the product described above.
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