PPG Industries’ industrial coatings business has introduced Zircobond 4500 pretreatment, a zirconium-based metal pretreatment formulated to pass rigorous appliance-industry tests for corrosion resistance. Zircobond 4500 pretreatment replaces a two-step iron-phosphate and passivating sealer process with a single step, simplifying the metal finishing system and making it more cost-efficient and environmentally responsible. Zircobond 4500 pretreatment is based on proprietary technology PPG developed for the automotive industry. The original Zircobond product won a 2008 R&D 100 Award from R&D Magazine for its ability to help users save energy, conserve water and reduce waste. Jack McIntyre, PPG technical manager, industrial coatings pretreatment and engineered products, said Zircobond 4500 pretreatment is the first zirconium-based pretreatment for steel substrates that passes the high-temperature detergent-soak test. “Zircobond 4500 pretreatments meet the appliance industry’s toughest performance standards for corrosion-resistance and paint adhesion,” he said. “They also eliminate the need for passivating sealer rinses, which often contain chromium. The result is a pretreatment process that has fewer steps, uses less energy and is better for the environment.” PPG also manufactures Zircobond 4200 pretreatment, which replaces zinc-phosphate pretreatments in electrocoating operations, and X-Bond 4000 pretreatment, an alternative to iron-phosphate pretreatments for powder and liquid coating operations.