New PolySeal product set to change the future of industrial water sealing

Local polymer manufacturer, Polymer Pavements’ new revolutionary industrial strength spray-on dam liner called PolySeal, has the potential to add significant value to the mining and engineering industry in South Africa. This product is an elastomeric polymer that when applied as a liquid emulsion, will take on the shape of the structure it is applied to.

“We are extremely excited about this product as it can be sprayed onto virtually any surface, and brings a new dimension to dam sealing as it is elastomeric and remains flexible, expandable and is completely UV resistant unlike current offerings,” explains Nick Muller, CEO of Polymer Pavements.

The conventional way of sealing dams is to place a layer of clay in and around the constructed dam and then to utilise rolls of industrial HDPE plastic sheets, which are welded together. The problem with these black liners are when they reach temperatures exceeding 80°C in the sun and as these liners are inflexible this make them susceptible to environmental stresses and thermal cracking. Leaking of welded seams is another issue for HDPE liners.

Polymer Pavements has partnered with several international companies to develop various industry leading polymer products, with an exclusive focus on manufacturing polymers for use in road construction and the industrial sectors. All products ISO9001 and ISO14000 certified and are tested in accordance with the highest standards to ensure that it meets and exceeds industry requirements. The structural strengths of polymer technology meets and exceeds AASHTO standards.

As such PolySeal has undergone extensive testing at the Soil Science/Geology Department at the University of Potchefstroom. These tests involved the stability of each sample of the polymers being tested under highly acidic and alkaline environments. The results were highly encouraging, with PolySeal demonstrating virtually zero reaction to the acidic tests, and only reflecting some slight discolouration after the alkaline testing.

Muller concludes that these results reveal that PolySeal can offer the mining industry distinctive value, “Polymer Pavements has invested a significant amount of time in developing PolySeal as we wanted to ensure that the product we were offering the industry is a definite improvement of they are currently using.

“This approach has resulted in PolySeal being formulated as an industry leading and unique product that can withstand the daily rigors of mining, as it will not crack or become brittle. Ultimately, these attributes enable it to provide vast and sustainable benefits to the mining industry.”

For further information on Polymer Pavements, www.polyroads.com