(758e) Development of Resin-Containing Polymer Particles for Thermoset Powder Coatings

Due to their superior durability, mechanical properties, and chemical resistance, thermoset coatings are broadly used across various industries, such as, transportation, food processing, healthcare, marine, and power generation. Unfortunately, the thermoset resins and hardeners that are used in commercial coating applications are solvent-based and thus, they emit volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Due to the significant environmental and human health risks that VOCs pose, the emphasis on reducing VOCs is increasing. Cold sprayed coatings exhibit numerous improvements over the current industrial coatings, including their faster curing behavior, zero-VOCs, unlimited shelf life, low cost, and expanded operational conditions that include application at any temperature. The objective of this project is to synthesize reactive particles that have a low glass transition temperature (T_g) and that when cold sprayed, form high-performance industrial coatings with a high T_g. In this study, we utilized suspension polymerization to synthesize two different reactive thermoplastic particles, one with thermosetting resins and the other with hardeners. The thermal and mechanical properties of the particles were tuned for powder coating processes by introducing a core-shell structure and by varying the monomer composition. Additionally, the cold spray processing parameters were modified to optimize coating properties. The expected outcome of this study is a novel coating that is easy to apply, has high performance, significant environmental benefits, and a commercial feasibility.