When you were a child, and you accompanied your mother to the grocery, did she caution you not to select the food cans that were dented? If so, she was right as this universal knowledge was actually very good advice! In order to protect food from coming into contact with metal, food cans used to be coated internally with a phenolic lining. This lining was brittle and if the food can was dented, it was likely that the interior lining had cracked and was then mixed with the food. Today, linings are more sophisticated and offer the chemical protection of a phenolics plus the flexible properties of epoxies. Together, these epoxy/phenolic coatings are chemically resistant and able to adhere to a surface when it is damaged. While the epoxy/phenolic is a sprayed-on and cured coating (like paint), a passive rust inhibitor is applied to all our carbon steel drums in order to remove surface oil and prepare the steel surface for lining and painting.
Selection of a lining is critical to insure compatibility with the contents. A Chemical Compatibility Test can be performed to determine the effects of content contact with various lining formulas. When performing the Compatibility Test, contents are monitored for reactions to the lining formula as well as the endurance of time and temperature on the test sample. Once determined, an interior lining can then be chosen to use confidently. If you would like to consider an epoxy/phenolic lined drum to store or ship your product, please contact us to discuss our lining options.