New developments will be made in flame retardant, antibacterial applications and nanotechnology for powder coatings

Gunjan Khanijow, of Olin, says there are many new ways to explore the technological development of powder coatings in the coming years. In our interview, she talked about lowering baking temperatures, non-conductive substrates and other recent trends.
you see the development of powder coatings that make it easier to use powder coatings on non-conductive substrates?
Khanijow: As long as the substrate can be heated, there are enough solutions to support non-conductive substrate coatings
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. Challenges arise when the substrate is not conductive and cannot be heated. Then, you need to look for alternatives involving UV curing or LTC curing. In recent years, we have noticed a significant increase in research activity in cryogenic coating technology, indicating that the industry is actively seeking innovations in non-conductive substrate coatings.
reduce the baking temperature of powder coatings is often seen as a way to open up new market segments. Do you think the potential is much lower than today's temperature?
: Lowering temperatures is often more about the stability of powder coatings, shelf life and process stability than with curing the chemical itself. There is always the possibility of reducing the curing temperature, but a large number of modifications are required for the underlying chemicals. This improvement will be required to provide proper flow and finishing while maintaining process safety and ensuring the shelf life stability of the final product. We offer epoxy resins for wood and other non-conductive substrates, and we can reach curing temperatures as low as 110 degrees C, but to achieve lower temperatures we need creative formulations both in process and overall.
Khanijow is Olin's global strategy marketing manager
What other technical developments do you have for powder coatings in the coming years?
Khanijow: Powder coating is an exciting time. With the industry expected to grow at a compound annual rate of 5-6%, especially in emerging economies, we expect there will be many new ways to explore technological developments in the next three to five years. Development should not only have a positive impact on the life cycle costs of coatings and provide better performance, but should also be environmentally friendly and sustainable.
In our view, some of the upcoming areas of technological development are flame retardant of non-halogenated materials, antibacterial applications of epoxy resins, nanotechnology in coatings, and the proliferation of nanotechnology with nanofillers and graphene - to name just a few. Regulatory-driven requirements are also an important factor in the development of new products in the powder coatings industry. At Olin, we are committed to developing specialty products for epoxy-based functional applications that provide better corrosion resistance, high temperature resistance and toughness.
in decorative coatings based on epoxy resin blending, we anticipate more technological developments aimed at creating differentiation through coatings. Improved finishes in the form of low gloss, hammering and texture will drive innovation. Last but not least, while not traditional technology development, the industry is certainly very easy to accept process-based innovation through digital programs!