Powder Coating

Powder coating is a type of a coating that is applied as a free-flowing ,dry powder .The main difference between a conventional liquid paint and a powder coating is that the powder coating does not require a solvent to keep the binder and filler parts in a liquid suspension form . The coating is typically applied electrostatic ally and is then cured under heat to allow it to flow and form a " skin" . The powder may be a thermoplastic or a thermoset polymer . It is usually used to create a hard finish that is tougher than conventional paint. Powder coating is mainly used for coating of metals ,such as household appliances ,aluminum extensions ,drum hardware and automobile and bicycle parts .Newer technologies allow other materials ,such as MDF( medium-density fiberboard ),to be powder coated using different methods . The powder coating process was invented around 1945 by Daniel Gustin US Patent 2538562 .

Advantages of powder coating instead of other coatings :

1. Powder coating contain no solvents and release little or no amount of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) into the atmosphere . Thus ,there is no longer a need for fisher to buy costly pollution control equipment .
2. Powder coatings can produce much thicker coating than a conventional liquid coatings without running or sagging .
3. Powder coated items generally have fewer appearance differences between horizontally coated surfaces and vertically coated surfaces than liquid coated items .
4. The wide range of specially effects are easily accomplished using powder coatings that would be impossible to achieve with other coating processes .
5. Curing time is significantly faster with powder coating as compared to liquid coating .

Types of powder coating : Thermosets and Thermoplastics .

Production :

1.The polymer granules are mixed with hardener, pigments and other powder ingredients in an industrial mixer, such as a turbomixer

2. The mixture is heated in an extruder

3. The extruded mixture is rolled flat, cooled and broken into small chips

4. The chips are milled and sieved to make a fine powder

The powder coating process :

Market :

1.aluminum extrusion used in windows, doorframes, building facades, kitchen, bathroom and electrical fixtures

2.agricultural equipment, exercise equipment, file drawers, computer cabinets, laptop computers, cell phones, and electronic components

----

--This article is quoted from"Wikipedia",for personal learning purposes only, please contact " [email protected]" to delete if it is infringing act involved.