Coating processes – Electrical product produced – Integrated circuit – printed circuit – or circuit board
Patent
1984-11-05
1986-04-08
Page, Thurman K.
Coating processes
Electrical product produced
Integrated circuit, printed circuit, or circuit board
4272481, 427337, 427340, 427348, 427377, 427378, B05D 104, B05D 302
Patent
active
045812446
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND ART
In the past it has been known to cure a surface coating such as a coating of paint or ink by applying a vapour phase material to the coating, containing a catalyst which reacts with the coating to at least initiate the curing thereof. Such coatings may typically comprise synthetic polymers which are cured by the formation of long chains with cross-linking, accelerated by the catalyst contained in the vapour phase material.
In this specification the term "catalyst" will be used to refer to any suitable substance capable of use in a vapour phase for impingement onto a coating for accelerating and/or initiating curing of the coating.
Examples of methods for accelerating curing of the coatings of the type referred to above are to be found in the following patent specifications:
The range of coatings with which the present invention is concerned is not restricted to but includes by way of example paint-like coatings such as urethane-resinous hybrid based paints, and printing inks.
It is a disadvantage of the curing of surface coatings by the application of vapour phase materials containing a catalyst, that while the coating so "cured" is nominally touch-dry after the application of the vapour phase material, the sub-surface layers of the coating may not yet be fully cured and a considerable time is necessary for a full cure of the surface coating. This time may delay further handling or packaging, etc., of the article to which the surface coating has been applied and results in inconvenience or delays which may be expensive in a manufacturing situation.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a method of and apparatus for curing a coating on a substrate which will obviate or minimise the foregoing disadvantage in a simple yet effective manner, or which will at least provide the public with a useful choice.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
Accordingly in one aspect the invention consists in a method of curing a coating on a substrate wherein at least the initiation of the curing is achieved by the application of a catalyst, characterised by the step of applying a gas blast to the coating after the application of the catalyst substantially removing remaining and/or unused catalyst from the coating.
In a further aspect the invention consists in apparatus for curing a coating on a substance, said apparatus comprising first means adapted to apply a vapour phase material containing a catalyst to the coating for the predetermined period of time, the apparatus being characterised by second means adapted to subsequently apply a gas blast to the coating to substantially remove catalyst from the coating.
Surprisingly, it has been found that relatively small proportions of "catalyst" material remaining on the coating can substantially delay curing of the coating and furthermore, at least in some circumstances, can prevent the coating ever forming its intended characteristics. In particular, the coating could form a skin thereby preventing the coating properly curing throughout its thickness with resultant great disadvantage.
Most importantly, use of the invention can improve the reliability of coating methods and provide rapid curing which will be very significant economically.
Preferably, for maximum convenience and economy the gas glast is an air blast which has been found successful with a range of synthetic polymer coatings and preferably the blast has a velocity greater than 1.5 meters per second.
It is considered that a highly effective and advantageous velocity to be employed in use of the present invention is a velocity in the range of 1.5 to 8 meters per second and most advantageously the blast is applied at on acute angle to the surface of the coating, to rapidly and effectively remove catalyst by a scouring action.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the method also extends to include applying the catalyst material in a vapour phase to a coating on a substrate by causing impingement on the coating of the catalyst at a substantially higher velocity than has hitherto been th
REFERENCES:
patent: 3678890 (1972-07-01), Ehrensing et al.
patent: 4066801 (1978-01-01), Hoyer et al.
patent: 4366193 (1982-12-01), Linden et al.
patent: 4442143 (1984-04-01), Reed
Apptech Equipment Pty., Limited
Mattenson Charles R.
Page Thurman K.
Winburn John T.
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