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

产品实现和环境制造创新系统（PREMISE）项目的技术方法包括在溶剂介质中选择传统的间歇聚合工艺，并与替代的无溶剂连续工艺进行比较。将通过考虑：a)常规高温固化和b)紫外线低温固化来比较所制备的固体粉末的应用。研究计划包括详细的工程计算；成本比较和应用生命周期分析（LCA）原则和环境设计（DFE）方法，以确定替代系统的潜在优势，并开始在连续无溶剂反应器中开发紫外线固化粉末配方的实验工作。聚合物粉末涂料为民用和军事应用的各种基材提供环境和腐蚀保护。与溶剂型涂料相比，粉末涂层产品的生产有时被认为是一种“绿色”工艺，而溶剂型涂料的应用往往与大量VOC排放有关。然而，在传统粉末涂层产品的生命周期中，从粉末的聚合制造到随后的应用和固化，仍然存在许多因素，这些因素在能源和溶剂的使用方面过量。在没有溶剂的情况下，基于连续本体聚合过程的体系，随后在低温下进行紫外线固化，与传统体系相比，似乎是减少能源使用和降低环境影响的绝佳选择。这项研究与涂料行业的研发重点高度相关，即降低总体成本、降低固化温度以及降低挥发性有机化合物和有害空气污染物（HAPs）。它也与聚合物工程学术课程日益增长的需求有关，在过程/产品设计中纳入与工业生态和环境问题相关的案例研究。

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.