A small company in Massillon, Ohio is using tiny molecules to solve a big energy infrastructure problem. Founded in 2012, Tesla NanoCoatings Inc. has developed a new solution for corrosion control using nanotechnology, which is the manipulation of matter on a near-atomic scale to produce new structures, materials and devices.

The entrepreneur behind Tesla NanoCoatings is Founder, President and CEO Todd Hawkins, who was trained in petroleum engineering and geology. While working in the aerospace industry, Hawkins was inspired to develop a new corrosion-resistant coating system that uses carbon nanotubes.

Carbon nanotubes are among the stiffest and strongest materials known, says Hawkins, adding that the technology offers up to 200 times the tensile strength of steel.

The system Hawkins’ company has developed, called Teslan Carbon NanoCoating, is a two-coat system comprising a low-VOC epoxy primer and topcoat that Hawkins says offers many benefits in terms of protection against corrosion for steel surfaces, as well as a reduction in the time and effort to apply the coating. Application time is reduced as the product can be applied wet-on-wet, allowing the topcoat to be applied 30-45 minutes after the primer. Teslan is designed to replace more conventional three and four coat liquid corrosion prevention systems and fusion bonded epoxy (FBE).

Hawkins and Tesla NanoCoatings Chief Scientist Jorma Virtanen worked together to develop the Teslan formulation, which offers unique mechanical, thermal and electrical properties, while forming a stronger protective barrier than conventional rust paints and exhibiting characteristics self-healing to resist abrasions.

The product can be applied by spray, brush or roller, just like other conventional coatings.
Although Tesla NanoCoatings products have yet to be used on onshore transmission pipelines, Hawkins adds that the company has provided corrosion protection coatings for a variety of piping in the oil and gas industry, primarily offshore. and in refineries.

Hawkins calls offshore oil and gas facilities the “bread and butter” of Tesla NanoCoatings’ business. The company’s corrosion protection products are currently used to protect deepwater power generation assets in the Gulf of Mexico, West Africa and the Middle East, including platforms, pumps, trucks, tanks, plumbing and pipelines. The company also has a corrosion resistant deck coating which has the added benefit of providing traction for improved worker safety. However, Hawkins says Tesla NanoCoatings is looking for business opportunities to protect the onshore pipeline.

“It’s a natural fit for us,” Hawkins said. “We are already working with a majority of these customers who have [onshore] pipelines. Our products are easily adaptable to pipeline applications.

The Teslan coating system eliminates the need for strip coating at solder joints and has unique conductive properties that allow it to work well with cathodic protection systems, says Hawkins. The company is currently working to test its products for cathodic disbonding, a problem specific to the onshore pipeline industry.

Teslan applies like paint but acts like a veneer. As one of the strongest materials known to man, the mechanical properties of carbon nanotubes can be transformed into epoxy. Benefits include increased tensile strength and barrier properties, the ability to eliminate micro cracks and prevent the coating from breaking down due to weathering.

Local resources

From its headquarters in Massillon, Ohio, approximately 80 km south of Cleveland and less than 16 km west of Canton, Tesla NanoCoatings serves customers worldwide. The company is based in a former newspaper building, which once housed offices, printing presses and a warehouse. These facilities provide the perfect space for its new resident, providing a mix of corporate amenities and space for research and development, storage and shipping. Products are manufactured off-site.

Tesla NanoCoatings is backed by proven field experience and academic research and development talent. Located 20 miles south of Akron, the company has access to the scientific minds of the University of Akron and other nearby institutions where technological and corrosion breakthroughs continue to be made.

Entrepreneurial recognition

Tesla NanoCoatings has won several technical and professional awards in recognition of a wide range of applications. R&D World (formerly R&D Magazine) awarded the company its R&D 100 Award in 2011, and the company received the NorTech Innovation Award in 2012.

CNBC recognized Tesla NanoCoatings as No. 15 on its inaugural Upstart 25 list of promising startups. The Cable News Network began recognizing entrepreneurial success stories in 2017, highlighting companies that are moving quickly, growing their user bases and sales. The list grew to become the Upstart 100.

The Silicon Review named the company to its list of the 50 Smartest Companies of the Year in 2018.
“We are demonstrating a value proposition that we are able to provide the longest life coating that will save the asset owner time and money,” Hawkins said. “Although we are more expensive per unit cost, our liners offer the lowest installed cost compared to other liners.”

Hawkins says the company continues to conduct testing on its products to develop a significant amount of data to support its claims.

“We represent a change in philosophy in the oil and gas industry,” he says.

Bradley Kramer is editor of North American energy pipelines. Contact him at [email protected]

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