Formaldehyde emission, combustion behavior, and artificial weathering characteristics of electrostatic powder coated wood composite panels

ABSTRACT

Recently, research and development works have expanded to include the application of electrostatic powder coatings on non-conductive materials such as plastic, wood, and wood-based composite panels. Within the scope of this research, low temperature curing (120–130°C) was applied to wood-based composite panels of medium-density fiberboard (MDF), particleboard, and plywood panels to facilitate conductivity. Epoxy, polyester, and hybrid (epoxy-polyester) types of powder coating and waterborne acrylic liquid coating were applied to the surface of the materials. The panels coated with the powder coatings were compared to the panels coated with the waterborne acrylic resin coating (control group). Combustion behaviors was determined according to ISO 13927 standard, formaldehyde emission according to TS EN 717-2, and color and gloss changes after accelerated weathering according to ASTM G151 and ASTM G154. The best results for combustion behavior were obtained with the plywood panels and MDF panels coated with waterborne acrylic coating, for formaldehyde emission with plywood panels coated with epoxy powder coating and waterborne acrylic coating and plywood panels, MDF panels, and particleboard coated with polyester powder coating. The least color change and gloss loss were detected in the plywood panels, particleboard, and MDF panels groups with polyester-based powder coating.

KEYWORDS:

• Wood based panels
• electrostatic powder coatings
• formaldehyde emission
• fire resistance
• weathering

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Pulver Chemicals Inc. (Kocaeli, Turkey), Kastamonu Integrated Wood Industry and Trade Inc. (Kocaeli, Turkey), and Pelit Arslan Plywood Factory Inc. (Istanbul, Turkey) for their contribution in providing experimental materials and testing facilities. This study has been produced from the Ph.D. thesis that “Application of Powder Coating Systems to Wood Composite Panels and Investigation of Its Effects on Performance Properties”.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Türkiye Bilimsel ve Teknolojik Araştirma Kurumu (TUBITAK) under grant number 115O604. The authors are grateful for the support of the Bilimsel Araştirma Projeleri Birimi, Istanbul Üniversitesi (Grant BAP No. 22263).