Reinforced powder paint for composites
A fiber reinforced powder paint provides improved flexural fatigue resistance for composites substrates. Fiber loading in the powder is greater than 40%. Aramid fiber loading in an epoxy based powder paint is exemplified. A composite bow limb coated with the powder paint survives a remarkably greater number of bending cycles before failure when coated with the powder paint.
1. A method comprising:
providing an article;
applying a powder coating mixture to a surface of the article, the powder coating mixture comprising powder paint and reinforcing fibers, the reinforcing fibers comprising at least 60% of the powder coating mixture by volume; and
curing the powder paint.
2. The method of claim 1 , the article comprising a thermoset composite material.
3. The method of claim 1 , comprising machining the article prior to applying the powder coating mixture.
4. The method of claim 3 wherein the article has reinforcement fibers embedded therein and machining exposes ends of the reinforcement fibers.
5. The method of claim 1 , comprising mixing powder paint and reinforcing fibers to form the powder coating mixture.
6. The method of claim 1 , the powder paint comprising epoxy resin.
7. The method of claim 1 , the reinforcing fibers comprising polymer fibers, carbon fibers or glass fibers.
8. The method of claim 1 , the reinforcing fibers comprising aramid fibers.
9. The method of claim 1 , the reinforcing fibers having a maximum dimension of 100 μm.
10. The method of claim 9 , the reinforcing fibers having a minor dimension of 50 nm or less.
11. The method of claim 1 , the powder paint comprising epoxy resin and the reinforcing fibers comprising polymer.
12. The method of claim 1 , wherein said curing comprises applying heat.
13. A method comprising:
providing an article;
applying a powder coating mixture to a surface of the article, the powder coating mixture comprising powder paint and reinforcing fibers selected from the group consisting of polymer fibers, aramid fibers, or glass fibers; and wherein the reinforcing fibers have a maximum dimension of 100 μm and a minor dimension of 50 nm or less; and
curing the powder paint.
14. The method of claim 13 , the article comprising a thermoset composite material.
15. The method of claim 13 , comprising machining the article prior to applying the powder coating mixture.
16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the machining exposes ends of reinforcement fiber embedded in the article.
17. The method of claim 13 , comprising mixing powder paint and reinforcing fibers to form the powder coating mixture.
18. The method of claim 13 , wherein said curing comprises applying heat.
19. A method comprising:
providing an article;
applying a powder coating mixture to a surface of the article, the powder coating mixture comprising powder paint and at least 40% by volume of reinforcing fibers wherein the reinforcing fibers have a maximum dimension of 100 μm and a minor dimension of 50 nm or less; and
curing the powder paint.