The Corrosion Performance of Powder Coatings

A powder coating is a fine powder which melts, flows, and forms a continuous film as heat is applied. Due to the nearly 100% non-volative nature of powders, higher molecular weight resins can be utilized to increase the corrosion and chemical resistance of the coating. In addition, solvents, amines, and other volatiles associated with conventional liquid coatings are not employed and cannot be trapped in the cured film. Due to this basic polymer chemistry, powder coatings normally provide superior corrosion resistance to their liquid counterparts. While powder coatings have been successfully utilized in the automotive industry, their use has been limited. Current products offer many proven advantages, and future developments may even further increase their effectiveness.