SOLAR ACTIVE POWDER FOR FUSION POWDER COATING
A fusion powder coating useful in forming a coating by fusion of the powder comprising a solar active or a photovoltaic pigment in combination with a resin including a conductive resin and a device for generating electric energy from solar or photo illumination comprising an electrode, a first powder coated layer of an absorptive pigment and a resin, a second powder coated layer of the aforementioned solar active powder, and a protective layer.
1 - 20 . (canceled)
21 . A method of preparing a photo-active material in combination with a powder coating composition to create a solar-active powder coating composition, the method comprising:
creating a solar-active masterbatch composition having from conductive pigments, polyurethane resin, titanium dioxide, and silicon dioxide, said masterbatch composition having particles with a size of less than about 9.0 microns; and
blending the solar-active masterbatch composition into a conductive resin to produce a solar-active powder coating composition; and
wherein the solar-active powder coating composition, when fused into a continuous film on a substrate, produces electricity when exposed to light.
22 . The method according to claim 1 wherein the solar-active masterbatch includes nanocrystal semiconductors with indium tin oxide.
23 . The method according to claim 2 wherein the particles are formed as droplets having a size between 1.0 and 2.0 microns.
24 . The method according to claim 3 wherein the conductive pigment is a conjugated phenolic resin.
25 . The method according to claim 4 wherein the conductive resin has a melt viscosity of about 8500 cps at 200° C.
26 . The method according to claim 5 wherein the solar-active masterbatch is provided at between 2.5 to 4.5 wt. % of the solar-active powder coating composition.
27 . The method according to claim 1 wherein the conductive resin is at least one selected from poly(2-methoxy-5-(3′7′-dimethyloctyloxy)-1,4-phenylene vinylene and poly(3-hexylthiophene-2,5-diyl).
28 . The method according to claim 1 wherein the solar-active masterbatch is provided at between 2.5 to 4.5 wt. % of the solar-active powder coating composition.
29 . The method according to claim 1 wherein the conductive pigment is a conjugated phenolic resin.
30 . The method according to claim 1 wherein the curative is triglycidylisocyanurate.
31 . A solar-active powder coating composition comprising:
a photoactive material including solar nanodots and a conductive resin;
wherein the solar nanodots are nanocrystalline semiconductors having indium tin oxide; and
wherein the powder coating composition produces electricity upon exposure to light when heated to form a fused, continuous film.
32 . The solar-active powder coating composition of claim 31 wherein the conductive resin has a glass transition temperature (Tg) greater than about 60° C. with differential scanning calorimetry (DSC).
33 . The solar-active powder coating composition of claim 31 wherein the conductive resin has a hydroxyl number between 40 to 45 and a hydroxyl equivalent weight between 1200 and 1403.
34 . The solar-active powder coating composition of claim 31 wherein the conductive resin is a phenolic or a conjugated polymer, a polymer containing a conductive pigment, an acrylate resin, or combinations thereof.
35 . The solar-active powder coating composition of claim 31 wherein the fusion coating powder composition further comprises an adsorptive pigment.
36 . The solar-active powder coating composition of claim 35 wherein the adsorptive pigment is titanium dioxide.
37 . The solar-active powder coating composition of claim 1 wherein the powder coating composition has an average particle size between 25 and 35 micrometers.
38 . A fused, continuous film comprising a plurality of layers wherein a first layer comprises the solar-active powder coating composition of claim 31 with a protective layer positioned adjacent to the first layer.
39 . A fused, continuous film comprising a plurality of layers wherein a first layer comprises the solar-active powder coating composition of claim 31 with an absorptive layer positioned adjacent to the first layer.
40 . The film of claim 39 further comprising an absorptive layer proximate to the first layer but on an opposite of the first layer in comparison to the protective layer.