High Performance Paint Coating and Then Color
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Are high performance powders really comparable with high performance liquid coatings?
The simple answer is yes. But there are so many different ways to compare them. Most importantly, there's performance, but also environmental impact, color and effects, warranties…so let's jump right into it.
Which products are we talking about?
We're talking about comparing high performance 100% FEVE Fluoropolymer powders with high performance 70% PVDF liquid coatings. Both are Fluoropolymer coatings. FluoroEthylene Viny Ether, or FEVE Fluoropolymer coatings are thermosetting, unlike liquid PolyVinyliDene Fluoride (PVDF) paints which are thermoplastic. When thermosetting powders are cured, a whole new chemistry is created on the part, that cannot be broken. Thermoplastics (as the name plastic suggests) are softer. The thermosetting properties of architectural grade powders mean that a very tough, hard, surface is created, that offers excellent scratch and mar resistance and extremely good durability.
Coatings are generally tested on mechanical, chemical and weathering performance and the AAMA coating specifications (AAMA 2605 being the applicable coating specification for Fluoropolymer performance) set out the testing and performance required.
Powder coatings are tough and the thermosetting properties of high performance powders ensure maximum film integrity. Similarly high performance powders also provide improved scratch resistance, for example up to around a 4H pencil test scratch resistance for powder compared with only around an H pencil test scratch resistance for liquid paint.
As well as scratch resistance, powder also delivers excellent taber and sand abrasion test results. So, because powder is tough, the need for replacements and touch ups is much decreased. It also offers superior protection against mechanical damage in high use or high traffic areas. The thermosetting properties and inherent toughness can mean powder coated surfaces are less susceptible to the settling of dirt and mildew growth, unlike softer, thermoplastic liquid PVDF coatings.
High performance powders will also easily pass 2000 hours aggressive cyclical salt spray testing (roughly 4000 hours of standard salt spray testing) on aluminum in ONE, single coat. High performance Fluoropolymer powders also meet and exceed the AAMA 2605 weathering performance requirements, demonstrating excellent color retention and a more consistent gloss retention performance at an AAMA 2605 level than liquid coatings.
In high performance coatings, it's the resin system that does a lot of the hard work. A high performance FEVE powder uses a FEVE rather than PVDF chemistry, but both are Fluoropolymers. Our FEVE high performance powders use 100% Fluoropolymer resin. Equivalent liquid PVDF coatings use 70% PVDF resin.
So performance is a given – FEVE Fluoropolymers deliver excellent, world-class coating performance. But do they have the nasty environmental impact that solvent borne liquid PVDF does?
The good news is that high performance powders are much more environmentally responsible than solvent borne liquid PVDF coatings!
So what are the powder benefits?
- There are no solvents and therefore no or extremely low Volatile Organic Coatings (VOCs) in powder coatings.
- There are no toxic compounds in powder coatings.
- Powder coatings achieve the same or better levels of chemical, mechanical and weathering performance than liquid coatings, but in a single coat. This means there is a significant energy saving
- Any over spray can reclaimed and reused or recycled, unlike with liquid paints where any overspray is instantly lost. This also gives up to a 97% utilization rate from a box of powder – very impressive!
- IFS powder coatings can be used over non-chrome pretreatment on aluminum and still meet and exceed AAMA 2605 performance requirements - and get a warranty.
- IFS powder coatings NEVER require a chrome based primer when used on aluminum, and will still meet and exceed AAMA 2605. In fact, most of the time, no primer – chrome or otherwise – is required on aluminum.
- In a life cycle analysis (DSM study), powder coatings were shown to have both lower VOC and lower carbon dioxide emissions than liquid coatings.
- There is no toxic hazardous waste generated during the application process. This means there is also no toxic waste creating toxic landfill. Unlike with liquid paint systems.
- Powders often cure at lower temperatures, which means a reduced energy bill. What's more, the need to recycle air in the spray booth is significantly reduced (due to the lack of solvents), which also results in decreased energy usage.
- EPA - The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends powder coatings as a sustainable coating option.
- Environmental Credentials - IFS Architectural powders each come with an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) that is require by LEED v4 and contributes to LEED points. IFS Architectural powder will also pass all Red list and Living Building product requirements.
In this era of sustainable design, it's awesome having a high performance coating that will also help deliver on your sustainability commitment.
Of course there are literally thousands of colors available, but also a wider range of gloss capabilities and even some fine textures! Solid colors, metallic and mica effects, anodic styles and more are all available in high performance powder, and custom color matching is available to those who need a specific shade or an exact match.
And finally, the industry has become used to great warranties with liquid coatings on aluminum, so can we expect the same from high performance powder?
Yes of course. If the performance capabilities are the same or better, and all of this is achieved with a much reduced environmental impact, then of course a great warranty is also available when applied by a registered applicator to architectural aluminum.
High Performance Paint Coating and Then Color
Source: https://www.ifscoatings.com/content/news/blog/are-high-performance-powders-really-comparable-with-high-performance-liquid-coatings/