LuminOre®

In 1976 while working in his high-end furniture business, Tom Valente had a revolutionary idea: Why not develop a metal that could be easily sprayed?

17 years and $500,000 later, LuminOre® composite metals were born.

Valente founded LuminOre®, Incorporated in 1993, and made it the company's mission to change the way the world works with metal.

Why should this matter to you?

LuminOre's® nine composite metals (aluminum, brass, bronze, copper, iron, nickel-silver, stainless steel, X-metal and Z³) are sprayed or poured onto virtually any surface using conventional spray equipment.

"We have not just created a new product; we have created a new industry," adds Valente.

Companies that traditionally cast or forge metal are turning to LuminOre® to save time and increase their profits. Items that would be too heavy if made of solid metal can now be made with LuminOre® at a fraction of the weight, and a fraction of the cost.

Traditional

• Fire Rating-Material as cured: NFPA Class A; UBC Class 1
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• Pull Off Strength using Portable Adhesion Tester Type II with a 0-2000 psi scale -astm D4541-95; No coating to substrate failures were reported.
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• It is non-corrosive and it will not leach due to the properties of the binder.
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• LuminOre® does not conduct electricity and it will not arc in a microwave oven, opening the doors to a wide range of electronic applications.

Modern

• Fire Rating - Material as cured: NFPA Class B; UBC Class 2 *Modern Metals

Webster & Sons is pleased to bring you the complete LuminOre® product line as well as LuminOre® ’s fully accredited training course.

Currently LuminOre® is available in two product categories:

1. Sprayable Metal
2. Castable Metal

Showman Fabricators of Brooklyn, NY found innovative solutions in the use of LuminOre Nickel-Silver while constructing three double DNA helixes for a groundbreaking exhibition for a New York City natural history museum.

“The first challenge we faced was to identify a finish that would meet the museum’s design criteria of having the helixes appear as though they had been machined out of one single piece of alien titanium,’” says Showman’s President Bob Usdin.

The LuminOre finish was applied to the helixes, which were constructed from plywood, bending luan, polycarbonate and aluminum. The next solution LuminOre provided was a light weight alternative to using various types of metals. The exhibition dealing with the subject of genomes will travel to other US museums in beginning in early 2002.

Manufacturers Specifications for:
LuminOre® Composite Metal
LuminOre® Cold Spray Metalizing Process

Description: LuminOre® is a patented metalizng process using a cold-spray, coldcast method of seamlessly applying composite metal to nearly any surface using conventional spray equipment. Each composite consists of:
A) The metal granule
B) A hybrid polymer binder
C) Catalyst

LuminOre® composite metals are not in suspension. The metal and the polymer binder interact in a chemical reaction creating an extremely stable homogeneous composite. After catalyzing, the polymer and metal chemically bond, producing extremely strong adhesion between the composite and the substrate.

The patented process allows a thin layer of composite metal to be applied seamlessly over any substrate in virtually any conceivable configuration of design. LuminOre® composite metals will adhere to foam, plastic, gypsum, wood, metal, fiberglass, plaster, ceramics, concrete, terracotta, as well as unusual surfaces like cardboard or paper products and other materials. LuminOre® is a real metal that, when properly applied, is durable, will not crack, chip or peel and is suitable for exterior as well as interior use. Once cured, the product looks and acts like solid metal, with all the characteristics of a cast metal piece including texture, luster, heat conductivity and reflection.

SUBSTRATE SURFACE PREPARATION : Porous surfaces such as wood or plaster should be sealed with a two part catalyzed primer such as a polyester or urethane. Lacquer and latex primers are not recommended. A wet on wet application of the catalyzed composite over primer is permissible. Non porous surfaces such as fiberglass, plastic, glass and all metals should be sandblasted with 80 grit sand or 100 grit sandpaper to facilitate a mechanical bond.

CURING PROCEDURE LuminOre® composite metals are mixed with a binder for a cold spray application as well as cold casting.
A) Brass, Bronze, Nickel-Silver, Iron, Aluminum and Copper can be added up to 98% by weight to binder.
B) MEKP ( Methyl Ethyl Ketone Peroxide) : 0.05% in grams of total weight of composite.

Pot life is 30 minutes and may be extended; coating dries to the touch in approximately one hour. Heat is not required for the curing process. Recommended cure temperature is above 65°F; cure time is over night, but may be accelerated for polishing purposes. Shelf life of binder at room temperature is 3-4 months; refrigeration of binder at 45°F will increase shelf life to 6-8 months. The metal component does not have a shelf life.

SPRAYING: LuminOre® composite metals are cold spray applied with conventional HVLP equipment and cleaned with acetone. Tip orifices ranging from 0.028" to 0.052 may be used. One 8 mil ( 0.008 in ) coat, evenly applied, is adequate to produce all desired effects of the LuminOre® coating. Multiple coats can be applied, waiting 20 minutes between coats; LuminOreâ composite metals will stay homogenous regardless of thick ness.

FINISHING : The cured composite metals may be sanded, sandblasted, metal polished, wire brushed, acid washed, ground, machined ( with adequate thickness ), engraved, sealed and treated in the same manner as solid metal.

PHYSICAL PROPERTIES: LuminOre® composite metals are class 1, class A fire rated and will not support a flame. All metals are nonconductive electrically, are non-magnetic and do not have a magnetic field, are anti-corrosive and absorb microwave energy. LuminOreâ composite iron has a magnetic field and is magnetic.

Weight per Gallon: 23.9 pounds astm: D 1475 (90)

Specific Gravity: 2.87 g/ll. astm: D 1475 (90)

Percent of Solids by Weight: 94.21% astm: D 2369 (90)

Nonvolatile Solids %: 63.5% astm D2369

Percent of Solids by Volume: 68.84%, astm: D 2369 (90), D2832 (90)

Viscosity # 2 Zahn Cup: 36-38 seconds astm D 4212 (88)

Leach Rate Test Data: 1020 parts per billion

Weatherometer Test: astm D2565 Completed 3000 hours without any delaminating, corrosion, blistering or breakdown.

Envirotest Machine: astm D2246 Completes 3000 hours without any delaminating, corrosion, blistering or breakdown.

Flashpoint: astm d56 78 F TCC * Traditional Metals, Casting Metals

Flame Spread: astm E 84 0 * Traditional Metals

Fire Rating - Material as cured: NFPA Class A; UBC Class 1 *Traditional Metals

Fire Rating - Material as cured: NFPA Class B; UBC Class 2 *Modern Metals

Pull Off Strength using Portable Adhesion Tester Type II with a 0-2000 psi scale - astm D4541-95: No coating to substrate failures were reported.

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