Infrared curing of powder coating clearcoats: Why are our IR-cured samples cracking?

by ChemQuest | Oct 2025

Q: I am looking for insight on some samples that we cured for a potential customer. We are trying to cure a clearcoat epoxy, and we used three processes: Infrared (IR) using quartz tubes at 70% power for 4 minutes IR for two minutes and then 10 minutes in a...

Durability of powder-coated kitchen sink: Would common cleaning techniques negatively impact the longevity of a kitchen sink coating?

by ChemQuest | Sep 2025

Q: Do you think powder coating a sink is a good idea, given that you do not know what types of cleaners will be used on it (for instance, bleach and bleach-based cleaners)? What about when they take a scouring pad to it? Won’t the gloss be knocked down? Your thoughts?...

The ChemQuest Group Newsletter – September/October 2025

by ChemQuest | Sep 2025 | Newsletter

As we all know, personnel roles within specialty chemicals and advanced materials require specialized know-how and skills. This can make it incredibly difficult to find knowledgeable and experienced people to fill key positions. Compounding the problem is the fact...

Reclaimed powder in flame spray: Would it be feasible to reuse reclaimed powder in a thermal spray coating process?

by ChemQuest | Sep 2025

Q: As you know, most industrial powder coating systems have about 60-70% transfer efficiency on average, which means about 30-40% of the powder does not adhere to components being powder coated. Therefore, powder coaters tend to work on reusing the excess overspray...

The ChemQuest Group Newsletter – July/August 2025

by ChemQuest | Jul 2025 | Newsletter

High inflation and negative economic growth are certainly problematic on a macro level. However, the level of impact that those forces has on your company depends to a large degree on not only your organization’s overall fiscal health but its flexibility. Can you...