Fine coating powders for application in automobile industry

拟议研究项目的主要目标是创建新的基础工程知识，以解决汽车工业，特别是加拿大通用汽车公司（GM）在涉及粉末型底漆的油漆应用中遇到的技术挑战。将研究几种创新方法，从技术上解决和定义GM加拿大遇到的问题，并开发粉末表征方法，以消除这些问题的质量控制。使用这些表征方法，将评估各种细粉末涂料产品的工业应用，以证明使用细粉末涂料的可行性。研究结果将旨在提供必要的行业指南，以扩大细粉末涂料的使用范围，从引擎盖部件到底漆和汽车外表面的透明涂层。由于粉末涂料在环保和材料再利用方面远优于液体涂料，这将为汽车行业以及其他需要表面涂层的行业带来显着的效益。这一密切的合作项目以及与一家领先的汽车制造商的合作，将为加拿大大学发起的“超细粉末涂料”技术进入加拿大重要产业奠定坚实的基础，并加速其实施，为社会创造经济和环境回报。这项工作也将为整个涂料行业带来新的突破，因为高质量和薄膜涂饰的应用将产生超出汽车行业的影响。

The main objective of the proposed research project is to create new fundamental engineering knowledge regarding the technical challenges encountered by the automotive industry, specifically General Motors of Canada (GM), in paint applications involving powder-form prime coatings. Several innovative approaches will be investigated to technically address and define the issues encountered by GM Canada, and to develop powder characterization methods for quality control for the elimination of these issues. Using those characterization methods, the industrial applications of the various fine powder coating products will be evaluated to demonstrate the viability of using fine powder coating.  The research results will aim to provide the necessary industry guidelines required to widen the use of fine powder coating from underhood parts to primers and clear coats of the automobile exterior surfaces. As powder coating is much superior to liquid coating, in term of environmental protection and material reuse, this will lead to significant benefits to the auto industry, as well as other industries where surface coating is required. This close collaborative project and the partnership with a leading automotive manufacturer will lay a solid foundation for and accelerate the implementation of the Canadian university originated "Ultrafine Powder Coating" technology into a vital Canadian industry, creating both economic and environmental rewards for society. This work will also lead to new breakthroughs for the whole coating industry, since the application of high-quality and thin film finishing will have impacts beyond the automotive industry.