Major Resin Types

The resin component in the formulation will largely determine the processing and end-use performance properties of powder coatings. A summary of the characteristics and applications for the most common thermosetting and thermoplastic powder coatings may be found in the following sections (click on resin for summary).

There are other powder coating resins that are in commercial use, but not included here because they are either used less frequently.

There are two main classifications for powder coatings: thermoplastic and thermoset. A thermoplastic powder coating melts and flows when heat is applied, but continues to have the same chemical composition once it cools to a solid coating. Thermosetting powder coatings also melt when exposed to heat. However, after they flow to form a continuous film, they chemically crosslink on additional heating. The final coating has a different chemical structure than the applied powder. Table 3 and 4 provide properties of thermosetting and thermoplastic powders respectively.

Once cured, thermosetting powders are heat stable and, unlike thermoplastic powder coatings, will not revert back to the molten stage when reheated. Thermosetting powders are also tougher, have better adhesion to metal substrates, and are more resistant to solvents and chemicals than thermoplastic coatings. Thermosetting powders account for about 95% of all powder coatings.

Thermoplastic powders are typically high molecular weight materials that require high temperatures to melt and flow. The primary advantage of thermoplastic coatings is that they form a smoother finish and require less energy. They are commonly applied by fluidized bed application, and the parts are both preheated and postheated. Most of the thermoplastic powder coatings have marginal adhesion so that the substrate must be pretreated and sometimes primed prior to coating application.