Fluidized bed process for mixing and transfer of powders to conductive substrates

1. A process for the mixing and gentle transport and the transfer of powders to substrates wherein the powder particles are first charged by friction in the presence of magnetic particles and then transported by means of a fluidized bed and optionally one or more mixing rolls to a brush drum and then electrostatically transferred and applied to a substrate by means of an electric field between the brush drum and a substrate drum carrying said substrate, wherein the mixing and the transport of the powder particles and the magnetic particles are carried out by means of the fluidized bed.

2. The process according to claim 1 , characterized in that the substrate is a metal sheet or a metallized plastic sheet, a conductive plastic sheet, a conductive glass or a glass having a conductive coating.

3. The process according to claim 2 , characterized in that the substrate is ITO (indium tin oxide) glass.

4. The process according to claim 1 , characterized in that the substrate is a metal sheet which is in intimate contact with a fibre-reinforced woven fabric or mat.

5. The process according to claim 4 , characterized in that the fibre-reinforced material is selected from the group consisting of glass fibre and high-performance fibres.

6. The process according to claim 5 , characterized in that the high-performance fibres are aramide fibres, carbon fibres or ceramic fibres.

7. The process according to claim 1 , characterized in that the powder coating particles are particles obtainable by

(i) mixing

a) a polymeric binder, an oxazene resin, a cyanate ester or a maleimide,

b) a hardener or initiator,

c) a paint additive,

d) optionally a filling agent,

e) optionally a compatibilizing polymer

and optionally further components

(ii) melt extrusion of the mixture obtained in step (i) above and

(iii) milling and sieving the extruded mixture.

8. The process according to claim 1 , characterized in that the size of the powder coating particles is <150 μm.

9. The process according to claim 1 , characterized in that the size of the powder coating particles is <100 μm.

10. The process according to claim 1 , characterized in that the size of the powder coating particles is <50 μm.

11. The process according to claim 1 , characterized in that the size of the magnetic particles is 20-100 μm.

12. The process according to claim 1 , characterized in that the powder coating has a layer thickness distribution of ±15% , preferably 10% and most preferably 5%.

13. The process according to claim 1 , characterized in that the coated substrate has a gloss value <60 measured with a glossmeter from Byk Gardner at 60°.

14. The process according to claim 2 , characterized in that the size of the powder coating particles is <150 μm.

15. The process according to claim 2 , characterized in that the size of the powder coating particles is <100 μm.

16. The process according to claim 2 , characterized in that the size of the powder coating particles is <50 μm.

17. The process according to claim 2 , characterized in that the size of the magnetic particles is 20-100 μm.