What Is a Nylon Coating?
Nylon coating is a technology used to coat the surface of an object with nylon, a polymer.
Nylon powder, a crystalline thermoplastic resin, adheres to the base material and melts on the surface of the base material to form a coating. There are many types of nylon, but nylon 11, which has excellent properties is widely used.
Nylon 11 is derived from castor oil, which is a plant-derived material, and thus has a low environmental impact. Nylon coating can impart high heat resistance, abrasion resistance, impact resistance, weather resistance, and adhesion to base materials.
Uses of Nylon Coatings
Nylon coatings are used in a variety of fields due to their properties. For example, nylon coatings are used on the surfaces of many products, such as industrial parts, home appliances, automobile parts, agricultural equipment, medical equipment, and even sporting goods.
In particular, they are actively used in areas where friction is likely to occur, where electricity needs to be cut off, or where durability needs to be enhanced. Coatings can be applied to products as small as less than 1 cm to as large as several meters. However, its acid resistance is low, and it cannot be used in acidic environments.
Characteristics of Nylon Coatings
First, let us introduce the advantages and disadvantages of nylon coating.
1. Advantages
The advantage of nylon coating is that it can impart high heat resistance, abrasion resistance, impact resistance, seawater resistance, and weather resistance to the base material. This can extend the service life of the product.
It also serves as an insulator for electrical products because it does not conduct electricity. Furthermore, nylon coatings can change color, which is useful for enhancing the appearance of products.
Nylon 11 is plant-derived and safe, making it applicable to food sanitation laws. Therefore, it is known as one of the hygienic surface treatment methods that can be used for drainage pipes for drinking water.
2. Disadvantages
The disadvantage of nylon coating is that acidic chemicals cannot be used. Caution should be exercised if the product is to be used under acidic conditions. However, since it is highly resistant to chemicals other than acidic ones, it can be used for a wider range of applications.
In addition, specialized machinery and techniques are required to apply nylon coating, which makes the initial investment essential.
Other Information on Nylon Coatings
Methods of Nylon Coating
Nylon coatings have a long history. Since nylon was first synthesized in 1935, its properties have attracted attention, and it has been used as a surface treatment for various products. Since then, as technology has evolved, higher quality nylon coatings have become possible, and are used in many products to date.
Nylon coating is mainly applied by either the fluidized dipping method, electrostatic powder coating method, or mini-coating method.
1. Fluidized Dipping Method
Nylon powder is placed in an immersion tank with porous septum walls and inert gas is filled from the bottom. The pressure generated by the inert gas causes the powder to float, and the heated base material is immersed in it. Only the melted powder particles adhere to the surface of the base material, which is then post-heated to form a uniform coating layer.
2. Electrostatic Powder Coating Method
The electrostatic powder coating method uses static electricity to adhere nylon powder to the object to be coated. In this method, nylon powder is electrically charged and sprayed onto the object to be coated.
The charged nylon powder is attracted to the object and adheres to it, then heated in a high-temperature furnace to melt the powder and form a uniform coating layer.
3. Mini-Coat Method
The mini-coat method is particularly suitable for applying nylon coatings to small parts. In this method, the nylon powder is deposited on the part after the part is preheated. The part is then placed in a hot oven to melt the powder and form a uniform coating layer.