January Newsletter Article - How to use antimicrobial coatings

One of the most common questions for a manufacturer regarding the use of antimicrobials is how they will be placed in or on a product.  For metals, antimicrobials must be applied through a paint or powder coating system.  The three most prevalent coating application techniques for metal (coil coating, powder coating, and post application liquid coating) can be placed into two categories.  The categories are determined by whether the antimicrobial coating is placed on the product before (pre-application) or after (post-application) it is manufactured.      

Powder coating is the technique of applying dry product to a part after production and thermosetting the powder in an oven.  The two most predominate methods are either placing the part in a fluidized bed of dry powder or electrostatically bonding the powder particles to the part.  After applying the powder to a part, the coated product is cured in an oven for several minutes to permanently set the powder.     

Post-application liquid coatings can be applied using several different methods, including brushing, rolling, and spraying.  Proper equipment and care should be taken to vent the application areas and protect the applicator.  There are many formulas that have improved safety and environmental features such as waterborne or high solid paints.  Liquid paints also provide choices as to how the product can dry.  In the production environment, a product can either air dry or force dry.  The latter of these methods uses an oven to speed the dry time of the coating.   

The coil coating process applies the coating before a product is fabricated.  It is the process of applying a liquid paint to a flat rolled steel or aluminum coil in a production line.  This process is continuous and begins with the coil being degreased and chemically pretreated.  After the coil has been cleaned, the coating can be applied by roll coating one or both sides.  Once the coating has been applied, the coil is taken through an oven where the coating is cured before recoiling.  There are a wide variety of formula options available for coil coats, such as solvent-based or waterborne formulas.       

As in coil coats, both liquid and powder coatings are available in a diverse array of formulas and a highly adjustable pallet of colors, including clears and gloss levels to match manufacturers’ needs.  The various forms that antimicrobials are able to be applied to metal lend themselves to a wide variety of product applications.  If you would like to learn more about how antimicrobial coatings can be used on metals, please click here.