Powder coatings: “Recent developments offer potential on heat-sensitive substrates”

Where do you see the biggest potential for growth of powder coatings and where are the limitations?

Mehmet Ali Kamacioglu: Powder coatings, by their very nature, fit well within the existing trend towards more environmentally friendly coating solutions, as they don’t contain any solvents and release very low levels of VOCs during their curing process.

As environmental regulations become more stringent, the demand for environmentally friendly coatings is likely to increase. We are already seeing this shift from liquid to powder systems in architectural coatings, where powder coating stands out against alternative technologies, particularly in providing solutions for greener buildings.

Another significant potential for powder coatings may be in the automotive industry and in particular the emerging electric vehicles. EV battery packs require robust coating systems and increased safety through good thermal runway management. Powder coating is an ideal solution for the corrosion, insulation and durability requirements of the battery packs. In addition, recent developments encourage us that powder coating will be the leading coating solution for these rapidly developing areas, as it also offers significant manufacturing efficiency benefits.

Finally, recent developments in low-temperature curing technologies offer significant potential, particularly on heat-sensitive substrates such as MDF, wood and some heat-sensitive metals, where powder coating has not been possible to date. 

The application of powder coatings and different types of substrates are the main limitations as they require specialised equipment and knowledge. Some industries may be reluctant to adopt powder coating technology due to initial investment, lack of skills and limitations in powder application and curing of different types and sizes of objects.

Read the complete interview with two experts in the December issue of the European Coatings Journal.