RECENT ADVANCES IN FLAME SPRAYED THERMOPLASTIC POWDER COATINGS

The types of thermoplastics suitable for the plastic flamespray proces s and the effect of the flamespray on the physical properties and degr ee of crystallinity in semicrystalline thermoplastics are investigated . Novel coating application techniques and the use of polymer blends t o produce viable coatings are also reported. Ethylene-carboxylic acid copolymers, aliphatic polyketones, polyether block amides, and liquid crystal polymers as flamesprayable coating materials are reviewed. The flamespray process does not significantly affect the crystallinity in the polymers studied; however, polymers possessing functional hydroly zable groups in the backbone such as the polyether block amide may exp erience some reduction in physical properties during the flamespray pr ocess.