The sustainability advantages of architectural powder are impressive. To understand the technical performance and additional benefits, one must go back to the basics and look at what is a powder coating, how it is manufactured and applied and the technical performance capabilities.
How do powders perform?
There are many different types of powder coatings made from different ingredients to deliver various performance capabilities. Some of the most important ingredients include the pigments, hardeners, and resins. Combinations of various pigments give the powders their colors. There are thousands of colors, metallics, and special effect options to choose from. There are also different ‘grades’ of pigments; for example, manufacturing superior performance coatings with extended color retention requirements of 20 years to certain performance parameters would require different pigments than coatings with only a one-year color retention requirement.
Crosslinkers, or hardeners as they are also known, are also an important ingredient. Once the powder is applied, the hardeners are activated by heat in the oven and the powder crosslinks, essentially undergoing a chemical reaction, to turn from a powder into a durable, solid film.
Similar to other types of paint, the resin in the coating delivers a lot of the technical capability. Different performance capabilities are derived by utilizing the various properties of different types of resin. For example, if excellent chemical and stain resistance is required, then an epoxy resin would be a great choice. In the architectural world, exterior weathering and durability, including protection from the effects of humidity and resistance to salt, are desirable in an exterior performance coating. In this case, a fluoropolymer or super durable polyester resin would be a great fit based on the level of performance required. Handel Architects chose a FEVE fluoropolymer powder for the exterior curtain wall system of their 15 East 30th, New York project, as it offers long term color and gloss retention and durability.
There are other raw materials used in a powder; antioxidants, fillers, metallic, or mica if a sparkle or shimmer effect is required; however, the ingredients mentioned previously are some of the most important.
In terms of the powder itself, regardless of chemistry or product type, it pretty much looks the same in its raw form. The application process is also basically the same, and in architectural applications, the powder delivers a tough, thermosetting finish that also delivers those great sustainability advantages.
Powders and the FGIA performance coating specifications
There are powder coatings that will meet and exceed the performance requirements of the Fenestration and Glazing Industry Alliance’s (FGIA’s) coating specifications.
