PREMISE: Environmental/Energy Comparative Analysis of Polymer Powder Coating Systems

在这个产品实现和环境制造创新系统(Premise)项目中，技术方法包括选择传统的溶剂介质间歇聚合工艺，并与替代的无溶剂连续工艺进行比较。生产的固体粉末的应用将从以下两个方面进行比较：a)传统的高温固化和b)紫外线辐射的低温固化。研究计划包括详细的工程计算；成本比较；生命周期分析(LCA)原则和环境设计(DFE)方法的应用，以确定替代系统的潜在优势，以及启动在连续无溶剂反应堆中开发紫外光固化粉末配方的实验工作。聚合物粉末涂料为民用和军用的各种基材提供环境保护和腐蚀保护。与溶剂型涂料相比，后者的应用往往伴随着大量的VOC排放，而粉末涂料的生产有时被认为是一种“绿色”工艺。然而，传统粉末涂料产品的生命周期中仍有许多元素，从聚合粉末的制造到随后的应用和固化，都存在能源和溶剂使用量过高的问题。与传统体系相比，基于无溶剂连续本体聚合过程，然后在低温下紫外光引发固化的体系似乎是减少能源消耗和降低环境影响的极佳候选者。这项研究与涂料行业的研发重点高度相关，即较低的总体成本和较低的固化温度，以及较低的VOCs和有害空气污染物(HAPS)。它还与聚合物工程学术课程中日益增长的需求相关，即在工艺/产品设计中纳入与工业生态和环境问题有关的案例研究。

The technical approach in this Product Realization and Environmental Manufacturing Innovative Systems (PREMISE) project involves the selection of conventional batch polymerization processes in solvent media and comparison with alternative solventless continuous processes. Application of the produced solid powders will be compared by considering: a) conventional high temperature curing and b) lower temperature curing by UV radiation. The research plan includes detailed engineering calculations; cost comparison and application of life cycle analysis (LCA) principles and Design for Environment (DFE) methodologies to identify the potential advantages of the alternative systems as well as initiation of experimental work towards developing UV curable powder formulations in continuous solventless reactors. Polymeric powder coatings provide environmental and corrosion protection to a variety of substrates for civilian and military applications. By comparison to solvent based coatings whose application is often associated with significant VOC emissions, the production of powder-coated items is sometimes considered as a "green" process. However, there are still many elements in the lifecycle of conventional powder coated products, from manufacturing of the powder by polymerization to its subsequent application and curing, which are excessive in energy and solvent usage. Systems based on continuous bulk polymerization processes in the absence of solvents, followed by UV initiated curing at low temperatures appear to be excellent candidates for reduced energy usage and lower environmental impact versus conventional systems. This research is highly relevant to the R&D priorities of the coating industry, i.e. lower overall cost and lower curing temperatures along with low VOCs and hazardous air pollutants (HAPs). It is also relevant to the growing need in polymer engineering academic curricula to incorporate case studies related to industrial ecology and environmental issues in process/product design.