When powder coating technology was discovered in the 1940s and 1950s it was primarily used on metal substrates. Most thermoset powder coatings typically cure at 190-200 °C (metal temperature) for 10 to 15 minutes in a conventional oven. These temperature ranges were determined to be adequate to realize full cure without degrading the integrity of the formulated products, as full cure is required to achieve the desired performance benefits (Table 1).
As powder technologies continued to mature through the years, the need to further lower the curing temperatures has become more significant. In the past few years, there have been various developments of low-temperature cure technologies ranging from medium and fast down to low-temperature cure systems (Table 1) driven by the need to increase output, lower energy cost, and to conform to the environmental and regulatory policy to switch away from solventborne coatings. Most recently, we have seen a strong demand for the ultra-low-temperature cure technology for heat-sensitive and non-metal substrates such as wood and plastics.