Abstract: The present invention provides a process for preparing metal particle-containing powder coating compositions as well as the powder coating compositions produced by this process. The process involves spraying a solution which comprises solvent, resin, curing agent, and suspended metal particles to form droplets, and collecting the sprayed droplets in a liquid bath. The liquid bath contains a liquid which is miscible with the solvent but which is non-solvent for the solutes of the solution. The liquid bath is subjected to a radial motion. Thus the powder coating compositions are precipitated in substantially non-agglomerated form.The resulting metal particle-containing powder coating compositions are useful in powder coating applications such as powder painting when it is desired to impart a metallic finish to an article such as an automobile. These powder coating compositions are particularly useful when it is desired to impart to a surface a thin film, such as a coil coating.

Abstract: There is disclosed a process for preparing shear degradable particle-containing resin powders. This process comprises (a) preparing a first composition comprising shear degradable particles and molten resin in the absence of high shearing forces on the particles, (b) intimately blending the first composition with a second composition comprising molten resin and curing agent to form a shear degradable particle-containing molten resin mixture in the absence of high shearing forces on the shear degradable particles, (c) solidifying this shear degradable particle-containing molten resin mixture, and (d) grinding the solidified mixture to desired particle size. The particles may then be classified according to particle size.The final powder particles contain shear degradable particles or flakes in substantially undegraded form. The powder particles are especially useful in powder coating applications such as in automobile and appliance topcoats.

Abstract: The metal platelets contained in a metal-containing powder coating composition may be oriented substantially parallel to a surface coated with this composition by the process herein described. This process comprises (a) coating the metal-containing powder coating composition on the surface, (b) heating the coated surface in order to melt the metal-containing powder coating composition, (c) simultaneous with the heating step, blowing a stream of hot fluid substantially parallel to the coated surface so as to orient the metal platelets substantially parallel to the surface, and (d) cooling the coated surface after the metal platelets have become oriented substantially parallel to the surface.Contoured surfaces coated in accordance with this process have an appearance of depth similar to that obtained using a solvent system metallic paint.