Powder Coating Application: Curing

The final step to the powder coating application process is curing. The following is some important information about curing TCI powder coatings:

Different Baking Needs for Different Powders: 

Thermoplastic powders need enough heat to liquefy and smooth out the coating film.

Thermoset powders need enough heat to liquefy the film and enough time at the specified bake temperature to fully develop the coating’s properties.

The Stages of Curing Powder Coatings:

The melt point is when powder particles change from solids to a semi-liquid state.

The flow stage is when the powder is completely liquefied and the film will smooth out.

The cross-linking stage refers to when the heat triggers chemical reactions within the film to change the product’s chemical and physical properties.

The gel stage happens after sufficient crosslinking has occurred and the coating starts to solidify again.

Cure development is the most important stage, when the coating has fully developed all of its final properties.

For more information about powder coating application, read TCI's Troubleshooting Guide. 

Intech Services and TCI Powder Coatings have partnered to create TruPak, a program that offers over 300 of TCI's most popular powder coatings in 1, 3, 5, and 10 pound boxes. Click here to buy TruPak powder coatings.