COMPERATIVE STUDIES OVER UV-CURABLE AND CONVENTIONAL THERMOSETTING POWDER COATING TECHNOLOGY

Vipin Shukla * and Madhu Bajpai Oil and Paint Department H.B. Technological Institute Kanpur 208002 (India) Mudit Goyal**, D.K. Singh and M. Singh Jaydeep Polycon (P) Ltd. Panki Industrial Area, Site-4 Kanpur (India) ABSTRACT The growth of UV-curing in the past two decades has been phenomenal and as a result, has become an established industrial process in order to improve performance, increase profitability and gain environmental acceptance. The market for UV technology has been growing at doubledigit rates the last 10 years. A significant reason for the technologys growth is its unique process characteristics, which allow UV-curable powder coating to be applied on virtually any substrates such as plastic, metals, heat sensitive alloys, wood composite substrates (ie. Medium density fiber board) etc. curing powder coating with UV-light instead of heat opens up new possibilities for powder coating in a wider range of applications. Thanks to the fast curing cycles and low temperature requirements. UV-powder offer interesting benefits including time, space, energy saving, high productivity. To whom all correspondence should addressed. * E-mail : Vipin_1222@rediffmail.com ** goyal_mudit@rediffmail.com

INTRODUCTION Surface protection by electrostatic powder painting has increased sharply in recent years. The term powder coating is applicable to powder coating compositions which are totally free of solvents, and which are composed of binder, pigment flow control additives and filler1, which remain finely divided during storage under suitable conditions, to a substrate and melted into a continuous film by the application of heat or radiation energy. 2,3 Thermosetting powder coating were successfully developed in the U.S.A. in late 1950s. In the early days, powder coating were manufactured in ball mills or other primitive mixing devices but with the advent of extruder in 1961, powder coatings started manufacture in three stage process namely premixing compounding.4,5 Thermally curable powder coating are widely used for coating metallic component due to the unique combination of technological, environmental and economic benefits. The curing of powder coating with UV light instead of heat results in some additional benefits and also opens up new possibilities for powder coatings in a wider range of applications. Fast curing cycles and lower temperature requirements now extend the use of powders to heat sensitives substances such as wood, plastics, heat sensitive alloys and metal components pre-assembled with heat sensitive parts. Higher line speeds and higher productivity can be achieved resulting in considerable time, space, energy saving and high productivity.6,7 Thermosetting Powder Coating Thermosetting powder coating, with minor exceptions, are based on resins that are cured by addition reaction rather than condensation reactions.

Thermosetting resins more versatile than thermoplastic resins in the following respect : many types are available in varying molecular weight ranges and with different functional groups, a variety of cross-linking agents is available. The properties of thermosetting coating powders are given in Table-1. In addition to the melt velocity of the resin, the reaction rate of resin and curing agent significantly affects the smoothness of the coating. During the heating operation, the individual particles must melt, fuse and flow out to wet the substrate, form a continuous film and cure or cross-link8-11. Conventionally thermosetting powder coating are cured at high, usually 180-200C. Cross-linking can start before the powder has melted completely and achieved a good flow, resulting in poor surface properties. Orange peeling is one of the well known drawbacks in the quality of powder coating12-15. Figure-1 shows a schematic representation of the application and curing processes of powder coating. UV-Curable Powder Coating In the first phase, the powder, which is applied by a corona charge or a tribostatic gun, is melted on the substract either in a conventional or IR (or combination of both) oven. The fusion of the powder can be prolonged as long as needed to obtain a good flow. Curing cannot start before the UV-light source is turned on16-18. Figure-2 shows the principle of UV-curable powder coatings where the melting and curing process are kept separate. The curing of powder coating with UV-light instead of heat give some additional benefits. Fast curing cycles and the lower temperature requirements now allow the use of powder on heat sensitive substrates such as wood, plastic, paper, heat sensitive alloys and for the coating of metal substrates combined with heat sensitive parts. Higher line speed and higher productivity can be achieved resulting in considerable

time, energy and space saving19,20. UV-curable powder coating exhibit a high gloss (60 > 90%), very smooth finish, excellent adhesion, film flexibility, chemical resistance, corrosion resistance and weathering resistance and give attractive textured finishes in a one coat process. Pigmented UV-Curable Powder Coating UV-curable powder coating were formulated with various pigments (organic and inorganic), applied to steel or medium, density fiber board, and after IR heating and UV-curing, tested in relation to pendulum hardness, contrast, etc. It has concluded that the most difficult colour to cure is yellow. At present, it is not possible to cure this colour if a high colour strength is required. In reductions with titaniumdioxide it is Orange brown, some possible to cure yellow at low colour strength.

greens and grey are also not easy to cure. Reds and blues are, however, relatively easy to cure. Black pigments have good hiding powder and may be used in UV-curable powder coatings, but only at concentrations less than 1%. Recommendations are provided for pigments for use in powder coatings both in reduction and at full shades. In curing coloured pigmented powder coatings it is essential that enough light is able to be absorbed by the photoinitiators at the bottom of the coating. A higher ratio of bisacylphosphine oxide/alpha-hydroxy ketone of 4:1 is therefore recommended than the 1:1 commonly used for white pigmented systems, but at the same total concentration of 2.5%21.

Table-1: Physical and chemical properties of thermosetting powders

Property Fusion range (C) Cure time (min at C) Storage temp, C (maximum) Adhesion Gloss, Garner (60 meter) Hardness (Pencil) Flexibility Resistance (i) Impact (ii) Overbake (iii) Weathering (iv) Acid (v) Alkali (vi) Solvent E F-P P G G G G-E G-E G-E F P F G-E E E G F F-G G-E G-E P-F G G F F G G-E F P F Epoxy 120-200 1-30 at 240-135 30 E 5-95 H-4H E Polyurethanea 160-220 10 at 200 30 G-E 20-95 H-2H E Polyesterc 160-200 10 at 200 30 G-E 40-95 H-2H E Hybrid 140-210 8 at 190 30 G-E 20-95 H-2H E Acrylicb 120-200 10 at 200 30 G 80-95 H-2H F

E = excellent, F = fair, G= good, P= poor a=b= hydroxy functional blocked isocyanate cure c= TGIC (Triglycidylisoanurate) cure

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(10) Nakamichi, T.; Progress Organic Coating 8, (9) (1980). (11) Eley, R.R.; Org. Coat. Plast. Chem. Am. Chem. Soc. 42, 417 (1980). (12) Witti, M. and Gohman, T.; Polymer Paint Colour Journal, 184, 34 (1994).

(13) Fink, D. and Brindopke, G.; European Coating Journal, 9, 606, (1995). (14) Witte, F.; European Coating Journal, 3, 115, (1996). (15) Thomas, S. and Rawlinks, J.; Powder Coating, 19, (1996). (16) Maetens, D.; International Waterborne, 26th Waterborne, High Solid and Powder Coatings Symposium, New Orleans LA/USA (1999). (17) Valet, A. and Rogez, D.; Journal of Oil and Colour Chemist Association; 02, (6), P. 293 (1999). (18) Laver, H. and Chamberlin, D.T.; Formulating and UV-Curing of Powder coating, Powder coating conference, Birmingham, (1999). (19) Mills, P.; Praxis Forums Oberflachentechnik, Bad

Nauheim/Germany (1998). (20) Mills, P.; Radtech Europe. 1999, Berlin (1999). (21) John, R.; Proc. Powder Coatings Europe 2000, Amsterdam, P. 309 (2000). ACKNOWLEDGEMENT This communication is a contribution by Jaydeep Polycom (P) Ltd., Kanpur and H.B.T.I. Kanpur and is published with the permission of the Managing Director Mr. Sandeep Shukla to whom the authors express their gratitude and I am grateful to Mrs. Sandhya Shukla, Director, Jaydeep Polycom (P) Ltd., Kanpur (India) for her valuable suggestion and excellent support to this work.