Plastic coating

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Plastic coating is a term that is commonly used in technology but is nevertheless ambiguous. It can be understood to mean the coating of plastic (e.g., metallization of plastics [1] ) or the coating of other materials (e.g., electrical cable) with plastics. [2]

Contents

Polymer coating

A polymer coating is a form of plastic coating or surface coating and consists of a plastic base. There are also tribological polymer coatings that can be adapted to numerous application needs thanks to the variety of polymers available. [3] The coating reduces friction and abrasion, thus preventing the product from wearing out due to corrosion and scratching. [4] [5]

Advantages

Coatings made of polymers can be produced from various compounds. They can therefore be applied to almost any surface. Polymer coatings are accordingly particularly suitable for places where plain bearings cannot be used. A tribological coating can be used, for example, where space is limited and access is difficult. [6]

In addition, polymer coatings can be customized to suit a wide range of applications, such as particularly high-temperature environments or in the food industry.

The steps to prepare parts for coating with a polymer base are cost-effective compared to other coating options. In addition, the coated end products are consumer-friendly: coated parts are popular because liquids such as water and oil bead off when the surface is coated with a hydrophobic material. This makes it easier to maintain and clean the end products.

Furthermore, the color of the polymer coating can also be adjusted, however with some limitations. The reason for this is that more pigments are needed depending on the color shade, which ultimately influences the coating.

Applications

Metallization of plastics

Technical process

The application of ultra-fine metal coatings to plastic surfaces is becoming increasingly important. [2]

Plastic coating of materials

The coating process is also called coating technology. Of particular technical importance is the coating of all kinds of materials with plastics. One example is cable sheathing for electrical cables or the coating of cutlery baskets in dishwashers.

Technical process

Theoretically, coatings are also plastic-like coatings. A boundary can be drawn by whether a reaction or crosslinking of the coating takes place (automotive clear coat) or whether a plastic merely melts and solidifies on the surface (vortex sintering with thermoplastics), but the transitions are fluid. As a rule, plastic coatings have significantly higher film thicknesses than conventional paint.

For polymer coating, powder coating is commonly used. [11] There are also options for wet coating, vacuum coating, dip coating, or thermal spraying. The coating can be applied to a polymer or a polymeric material.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Epoxy</span> Type of material

Epoxy is the family of basic components or cured end products of epoxy resins. Epoxy resins, also known as polyepoxides, are a class of reactive prepolymers and polymers which contain epoxide groups. The epoxide functional group is also collectively called epoxy. The IUPAC name for an epoxide group is an oxirane.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Powder metallurgy</span> Process of sintering metal powders

Powder metallurgy (PM) is a term covering a wide range of ways in which materials or components are made from metal powders. PM processes can reduce or eliminate the need for subtractive processes in manufacturing, lowering material losses and reducing the cost of the final product.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Selective laser sintering</span> 3D printing technique

Selective laser sintering (SLS) is an additive manufacturing (AM) technique that uses a laser as the power and heat source to sinter powdered material, aiming the laser automatically at points in space defined by a 3D model, binding the material together to create a solid structure. It is similar to selective laser melting; the two are instantiations of the same concept but differ in technical details. SLS is a relatively new technology that so far has mainly been used for rapid prototyping and for low-volume production of component parts. Production roles are expanding as the commercialization of AM technology improves.

Plating is a finishing process in which a metal is deposited on a surface. Plating has been done for hundreds of years; it is also critical for modern technology. Plating is used to decorate objects, for corrosion inhibition, to improve solderability, to harden, to improve wearability, to reduce friction, to improve paint adhesion, to alter conductivity, to improve IR reflectivity, for radiation shielding, and for other purposes. Jewelry typically uses plating to give a silver or gold finish.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Metallizing</span>

Metallizing is the general name for the technique of coating metal on the surface of objects. Metallic coatings may be decorative, protective or functional.

In materials science, the sol–gel process is a method for producing solid materials from small molecules. The method is used for the fabrication of metal oxides, especially the oxides of silicon (Si) and titanium (Ti). The process involves conversion of monomers into a colloidal solution (sol) that acts as the precursor for an integrated network of either discrete particles or network polymers. Typical precursors are metal alkoxides. Sol–gel process is used to produce ceramic nanoparticles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coating</span> Substance spread over a surface

A coating is a covering that is applied to the surface of an object, or substrate. The purpose of applying the coating may be decorative, functional, or both. Coatings may be applied as liquids, gases or solids e.g. powder coatings.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Superalloy</span> Alloy with higher durability than normal metals

A superalloy, or high-performance alloy, is an alloy with the ability to operate at a high fraction of its melting point. Key characteristics of a superalloy include mechanical strength, thermal creep deformation resistance, surface stability, and corrosion and oxidation resistance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rotational molding</span> Making hollow plastic objects in a heated mold

Rotational molding involves a heated mold which is filled with a charge or shot weight of the material. It is then slowly rotated, causing the softened material to disperse and stick to the walls of the mold forming a hollow part. In order to form an even thickness throughout the part, the mold rotates at all times during the heating phase, and then continues to rotate during the cooling phase to avoid sagging or deformation. The process was applied to plastics in the 1950s but in the early years was little used because it was a slow process restricted to a small number of plastics. Over time, improvements in process control and developments with plastic powders have resulted in increased use.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Metal injection molding</span> Metalworking process in which finely-powdered metal is mixed with binder material

Metal injection molding (MIM) is a metalworking process in which finely-powdered metal is mixed with binder material to create a "feedstock" that is then shaped and solidified using injection molding. Metal injection molding combines the most useful characteristics of powder metallurgy and plastic injection molding to facilitate the production of small, complex-shaped metal components with outstanding mechanical properties. The molding process allows high volume, complex parts to be shaped in a single step. After molding, the part undergoes conditioning operations to remove the binder (debinding) and densify the powders. Finished products are small components used in many industries and applications.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Powder coating</span> Type of coating applied as a free-flowing, dry powder

Powder coating is a type of coating that is applied as a free-flowing, dry powder. Unlike conventional liquid paint, which is delivered via an evaporating solvent, powder coating is typically applied electrostatically and then cured under heat or with ultraviolet light. The powder may be a thermoplastic or a thermoset polymer. It is usually used to create a thick, tough finish that is more durable than conventional paint. Powder coating is mainly used for coating of metal objects, particularly those subject to rough use. Advancements in powder coating technology like UV-curable powder coatings allow for other materials such as plastics, composites, carbon fiber, and MDF to be powder coated, as little heat or oven dwell time is required to process them.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Plastic extrusion</span> Melted plastic manufacturing process

Plastics extrusion is a high-volume manufacturing process in which raw plastic is melted and formed into a continuous profile. Extrusion produces items such as pipe/tubing, weatherstripping, fencing, deck railings, window frames, plastic films and sheeting, thermoplastic coatings, and wire insulation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Physical vapor deposition</span> Method of coating solid surfaces with thin films

Physical vapor deposition (PVD), sometimes called physical vapor transport (PVT), describes a variety of vacuum deposition methods which can be used to produce thin films and coatings on substrates including metals, ceramics, glass, and polymers. PVD is characterized by a process in which the material transitions from a condensed phase to a vapor phase and then back to a thin film condensed phase. The most common PVD processes are sputtering and evaporation. PVD is used in the manufacturing of items which require thin films for optical, mechanical, electrical, acoustic or chemical functions. Examples include semiconductor devices such as thin-film solar cells, microelectromechanical devices such as thin film bulk acoustic resonator, aluminized PET film for food packaging and balloons, and titanium nitride coated cutting tools for metalworking. Besides PVD tools for fabrication, special smaller tools used mainly for scientific purposes have been developed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thermal spraying</span> Coating process for applying heated materials to a surface

Thermal spraying techniques are coating processes in which melted materials are sprayed onto a surface. The "feedstock" is heated by electrical or chemical means.

Surface engineering is the sub-discipline of materials science which deals with the surface of solid matter. It has applications to chemistry, mechanical engineering, and electrical engineering.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thermal barrier coating</span> Form of exhaust heat management

Thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) are advanced materials systems usually applied to metallic surfaces on parts operating at elevated temperatures, such as gas turbine combustors and turbines, and in automotive exhaust heat management. These 100 μm to 2 mm thick coatings of thermally insulating materials serve to insulate components from large and prolonged heat loads and can sustain an appreciable temperature difference between the load-bearing alloys and the coating surface. In doing so, these coatings can allow for higher operating temperatures while limiting the thermal exposure of structural components, extending part life by reducing oxidation and thermal fatigue. In conjunction with active film cooling, TBCs permit working fluid temperatures higher than the melting point of the metal airfoil in some turbine applications. Due to increasing demand for more efficient engines running at higher temperatures with better durability/lifetime and thinner coatings to reduce parasitic mass for rotating/moving components, there is significant motivation to develop new and advanced TBCs. The material requirements of TBCs are similar to those of heat shields, although in the latter application emissivity tends to be of greater importance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cold spraying</span> Coating deposition method

Gas dynamic cold spraying or cold spraying (CS) is a coating deposition method. Solid powders are accelerated in a supersonic gas jet to velocities up to ca. 1200 m/s. During impact with the substrate, particles undergo plastic deformation and adhere to the surface. To achieve a uniform thickness the spraying nozzle is scanned along the substrate. Metals, polymers, ceramics, composite materials and nanocrystalline powders can be deposited using cold spraying. The kinetic energy of the particles, supplied by the expansion of the gas, is converted to plastic deformation energy during bonding. Unlike thermal spraying techniques, e.g., plasma spraying, arc spraying, flame spraying, or high velocity oxygen fuel (HVOF), the powders are not melted during the spraying process.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Automotive paint</span> Coloring and resistance to corrosion of cars

Automotive paint is paint used on automobiles for both protective and decorative purposes. Water-based acrylic polyurethane enamel paint is currently the most widely used paint for reasons including reducing paint's environmental impact.

Dry lubricants or solid lubricants are materials that, despite being in the solid phase, are able to reduce friction between two surfaces sliding against each other without the need for a liquid oil medium.

Anti-scratch coating is a type of protective coating or film applied to an object's surface for mitigation against scratches. Scratches are small surface-level cuts left on a surface following interaction with a sharper object. Anti-scratch coatings provide scratch resistances by containing tiny microscopic materials with scratch-resistant properties. Scratch resistance materials come in the form of additives, filters, and binders. Besides materials, scratch resistances is impacted by coating formation techniques. Scratch resistance is measured using the Scratch-hardness test. Commercially, anti-scratch coatings are used in the automotive, optical, photographic, and electronics industries, where resale and/or functionality is impaired by scratches. Anti-scratch coatings are of growing importance as traditional scratch resistance materials like metals and glass are replaced with low-scratch resistant plastics.

References

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