Thermal bridging occurs when exterior elements like steel beams transfer outside temperature into buildings, causing issues like condensation. Aerolon is a fluid-applied thermal break coating that can be applied to surfaces like steel to prevent thermal bridging. It was used on a university student union project, where it was sprayed onto steel beams in the shop and touched up in the field. Aerolon helped the architects design without having to work around thermal bridging issues, and it provides benefits like corrosion protection and allowing interior steel temperatures to stay higher and prevent condensation. The coating is acrylic-based and waterborne, making it environmentally friendly.

1. F), once [110 mils] of the aerogel coating has been applied.”
By raising the surface temperature of the substrate, the
window frame surface stays above the dew point and
condensation does not form. These conditions can be
modeled using a given environment’s data to determine the
effectiveness of Aerolon at varying thicknesses.
The article goes on to say, “a fluid-applied, thermal insulating
coating utilizing aerogel particles can impart exceptional
insulative properties to a variety of substrates.”
Fluid-applied thermal break coatings with aerogel offer
thermal properties similar to that of conventional insulation
and can be applied in the shop, or the field, to steel and
concrete structures to limit the transfer of the outside
temperature into the building envelope.
The application of Aerolon on buildings throughout the
northeast, from Boston to Minnesota, has further proven
its effectiveness. One case study was at a Pennsylvania
university, where the architect was looking for a thermal
bridging solution for its new student union.
Rather than use thermal break pads, which were originally
specified, the contractor and architects agreed that
In early 2015, following detailed research and product
development, Tnemec Company, Inc., introduced a new
solution to thermal bridging that allows architects to
design without having to engineer around the issue. The
solution is a fluid-applied thermal break coating known
as Aerolon, which has recently gained further attention in
the architectural industry following an explanatory article
published in Construction Specifier, entitled “Fluid-applied
Thermal Break Coatings 101.”
Thermal bridging – a common problem for architects
designing with exterior-exposed elements in mind, such as
architecturally exposed structural steel, roof penetrations,
and canopies – can cause countless issues in buildings,
including condensation buildup and the loss of energy
performance. Other available solutions for this issue, most
commonly referred to as thermal breaks, require a physical
break between the external and interior elements.
“Up until now, architects and structural engineers have
had only a handful of options when it comes to finding an
adequate solution to thermal bridging,” said Andy Hoffman,
Product Manager – Insulation and Specialty Products, for
Tnemec. “Aerolon offers another option that is easier to
apply and could offer significant cost savings.”
The Construction Specifier article supports this idea.
Written by Paul Nutcher, CSI, CDT, AIA Allied, the paper
introduces insulative coatings like Aerolon and describes
their effectiveness through various studies and examples.
One such example in the article offered statistics for a
window frame coated with an aerogel-infused thermal
break coating, stating, “an existing aluminum window
frame within a high relative humidity (RH) room with an
outside temperature of -2 C (28 F) will go from a spot
surface temperature reading of 8.4 to 20.3 C (47.1 to 68.5
FLUID-APPLIED SOLUTION PROVIDES
BREAK FROM THERMAL BRIDGING
TNEME-NEWS
QUARTER FOUR 2015

2. Aerolon would provide the most benefits and cost savings,
according to Wally Bates, Tnemec coating consultant with
Del-Val Coating Consultants.
“They decided to apply the thermal break coating in-shop
and some minor touch-up was completed later in the field,”
stated Bates. “Steel beams for the union’s canopy were
shipped to the general contractor’s location and the product
was easily spray-applied to the beams with a texture pump.”
Steel members for the building’s canopy first received a
coat of Tnemec’s single-component, moisture-cured MIO/
zinc-filled polyurethane primer, Series 394 PerimePrime,
at 3.0 mils dry film thickness (DFT). The prime coat was
followed by 60 mils DFT of Series 971 Aerolon Acrylic.
When applied to steel, this coating system also provides
benefits beyond mitigating thermal bridging. Aerolon
can be applied to a variety of different primers, including
zinc-rich urethanes for increased corrosion protection
and the primer’s bond to the steel helps with associated
issues, such as corrosion under insulation (CUI). And, as
the aforementioned article states, “the warmer interior
temperature of the structural members of the building
can decrease condensation and assist in the prevention of
mold.”
The article also details how products like Aerolon can
contribute to earning points for LEED certification and other
green initiatives. While fluid-applied thermal break coatings
provide many benefits, their environmental impact is
small. Most of these coatings are acrylic-
based and waterborne,
making them
low odor and low VOC.
“We hope that this paper on thermal break coatings will
help others recognize the benefits of Aerolon,” responded
Andy Hoffman. “This fluid-applied solution helps control
project costs and can allow architects and engineers to
return to designing with traditional methods while still
combating the issue of thermal bridging.”
Engineers at Morrison Hershfield conducted tests and
published a report on the successes of thermal break
coatings on various architectural assemblies. Based
on these findings, Tnemec has made available several
construction detail guides to assist in Aerolon’s application
and specifications are also available for parties interested in
the thermal bridging solution. These resources are available
at thermalbreak.tnemec.com.
The article, “Fluid-applied Thermal Break Coatings 101,”
can be read in full on the Construction Specifier website. It
originally appeared in the magazine’s December 2015 issue.
Tnemec Company, Inc. 6800 Corporate Drive Kansas City, Missouri 64120-1372 1-800-TNEMEC1 Fax:1-816-483-3969 www.tnemec.com