The success of powder coatings over the last decades can be attributed to several advantages that this technology offers in comparison with traditional solventborne systems and the newer technologies such as high solids and water-based formulations, including no VOC emissions, minimal loss of material (recycle of overspray possible) and no waste water.
Powder coatings are used in both indoor and outdoor applications and in a very broad range of gloss levels (from high gloss, through silk or egg-shell gloss, to dead-matte). Generally, amongst other things, the gloss level depends on the coating thickness and the loading level of the filler(s). Apart from the loading level, the level of gloss is strongly affected by particle shape, particle size and the particle size distribution (PSD) of the filler(s). The topcut (D97) and the average particle size (D50) in cumulative PSD are normally used to characterize the PSD of the filler.