The growth of powder coatings has been dramatic during the last decade with new applications continually being developed, including plastics. Innovations in processes and materials have opened previously unimaginable opportunities. Although environmental advantages have been a strong motivating factor for the conversion of liquid coatings to powder coatings, the bottom line for many companies is increased profitability. Leading manufacturers of powder coating technology foresee untapped potential in plastics applications including automotive, appliances, and many more.
The technology for coating products with dry powder rather than conventional liquids has been used since the 1950s. The powder used for the process is a mixture of finely ground particles of pigment, polymeric resin, and fillers. The powder can be sprayed electrostatically onto the substrate surface, or the substrate (product) can be dipped into a fluidized bed of suspended powder. During post heat curing, the particles flow and fuse into a strong adhering coating.