Efficient Gloss Reduction in 60–150 µm Floor Film Builds
Industrial floor coatings are among the heaviest-build coatings in service, and their thick films create a unique matting challenge: standard doses that work at 25 µm provide insufficient extinction at 100 µm. GMATT 300 is formulated for heavy floor film builds of 60–150 µm, delivering 60° gloss targets of 10–30 GU at 3.5–6.0 wt% in 2K epoxy and 2K PU floor systems without excessive viscosity increase or impairment of the self-levelling flow essential for production-speed floor application. GMATT 285 and GMATT 290 (d50 8.5–9.5 µm) are the preferred sub-grades for thinner floor topcoats at 40–80 µm DFT.
Anti-Slip Texture Without Macro-Roughness
Industrial floor specifications typically require a minimum slip coefficient without the aggressive texture of sand-broadcast or alumina-aggregate systems that are difficult to clean. GMATT 285 (d50 8.5 µm) at 3.0–5.0 wt% in 40–80 µm PU floor topcoat generates a controlled silica micro-texture — individual particle tips protruding at the film surface — that increases the pendulum friction number without creating dirt-trapping macro-voids. This is particularly valuable in food processing, pharmaceutical, and laboratory facilities where both cleanability and slip resistance are regulatory requirements.
Chemical Resistance to Industrial Cleaning Agents
Floor coatings in production facilities are exposed daily to aggressive cleaning protocols — caustic soda wash-downs (pH 12–13), acidic descalers (pH 2–3), chlorinated sanitisers, and hot water (≤90°C). GMATT 300 synthetic amorphous silica is chemically inert across this full range. Unlike organic additives, GMATT 300 does not hydrolyse, leach, or create osmotic pathways through the film. The silica particles embedded in the epoxy or PU matrix remain structurally stable and do not contribute to chemical attack of the floor coating system.
Abrasion Reinforcement in High-Traffic Floors
Beyond matting and slip control, silica particles in a floor coating film act as a hard phase that improves wear resistance. GMATT 300 at 4.0–5.0 wt% in epoxy floor systems reduces Taber abrasion weight loss (CS-17, 1 kg, 1000 cycles) by 10–20% versus the same formulation without silica matting agent, extending the service life of the floor coating in areas with continuous forklift traffic, foot traffic, or steel-wheeled trolleys.
When to Use GMATT 285/300 for Floor Coatings
Select between GMATT 285/290 and GMATT 300 based on DFT. Both grades avoid the macro-roughness of aggregate anti-slip systems while meeting slip-resistance and gloss specifications for industrial, commercial, and institutional floor coatings.
| Scenario | Recommended Grade | Target DFT | Loading |
|---|---|---|---|
| Epoxy floor topcoat, heavy build | GMATT 300 | 80–120 µm | 3.5–6.0 wt% |
| PU floor topcoat with anti-slip | GMATT 285 / 290 | 40–80 µm | 3.0–5.0 wt% |
| Self-levelling epoxy floor | GMATT 300 | 60–100 µm | 3.0–4.5 wt% |
| Epoxy floor primer / intermediate | GMATT 285 | 50–80 µm | 3.0–5.0 wt% |
| Food processing floor (cleanability) | GMATT 300 | 80–150 µm | 4.0–5.5 wt% |
Technical FAQ
Formulation questions for GMATT 285, GMATT 290, and GMATT 300 in epoxy and PU floor coating systems.
+What loading is recommended for GMATT 300 in epoxy floor topcoat at 80–120 µm DFT?
GMATT 300 at 3.5–6.0 wt% is the recommended range for epoxy floor topcoats at 80–120 µm DFT targeting 60° gloss of 10–30 GU. The heavy film build allows efficient gloss reduction without excessive silica content, avoiding the viscosity and flow problems that over-loading causes in high-build epoxy systems. For deeper matte (60° below 15 GU), increase to 5.0–6.0 wt% and verify that the surface texture remains acceptable for the intended foot traffic level.
+How does GMATT 285/290 provide anti-slip texture without excessive surface roughness in PU floor coatings?
GMATT 285 (d50 8.5 µm) and GMATT 290 (d50 9.5 µm) at 3.0–5.0 wt% create a controlled micro-texture in 40–80 µm PU floor coatings. The protruding silica particle tips increase the coefficient of friction measured by pendulum slip test without generating the macro-roughness of sand-broadcast systems that traps dirt and resists cleaning. The result is a floor surface that is both anti-slip compliant and cleanable with standard wet mopping or pressure washing.
+Is GMATT 300 chemically resistant to industrial cleaning agents in food processing facilities?
GMATT 300 itself — synthetic amorphous silica — is chemically inert to the full range of industrial cleaning agents: alkali detergents (pH up to 13), acidic descalers (pH down to 2), chlorinated sanitisers, quaternary ammonium compounds, and steam (90°C). The chemical resistance of the floor system depends primarily on the epoxy or PU binder, but GMATT 300 does not weaken the film's chemical barrier or create osmotic blistering pathways, making it suitable for food processing, pharmaceutical, and chemical plant floors.
+Can GMATT 285 be used in self-levelling epoxy floor systems at high loading?
GMATT 285 (d50 8.5 µm) at 3.0–5.0 wt% is compatible with self-levelling epoxy floor systems at 60–100 µm DFT. At loadings above 4.5 wt%, monitor for increased yield stress that may retard self-levelling flow. If levelling is impaired, reduce GMATT 285 to 3.5 wt% and supplement with a levelling additive. The alternative is GMATT 300, whose optimised particle size distribution for thick-film systems causes less yield stress increase at equivalent gloss reduction performance.
+What is the abrasion resistance performance of GMATT 300 in epoxy floor coatings?
GMATT 300 silica particles embedded in the epoxy film act as a hard-phase reinforcement that improves abrasion resistance versus unfilled epoxy. In Taber abrasion testing (CS-17 wheel, 1 kg, 1000 cycles), epoxy floor coatings with GMATT 300 at 4.0–5.0 wt% typically show 10–20% lower weight loss compared to the same formulation without silica matting agent. The anti-abrasion benefit is secondary to the matting and anti-slip functions but provides a meaningful service life extension for high-traffic industrial floors.
Recommended Solution
For epoxy and PU floor coating systems at 40–150 µm DFT requiring anti-slip texture, chemical resistance, and clean gloss control, specify GMATT 300 Series — beginning with GMATT 285/290 for thinner floor topcoats and GMATT 300 for heavy-build epoxy floor systems.
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