Cure of an Unsaturated Polyester Coating. Effect of Various Parameters

The cure of an unsaturated polyester coating was studied by using experiments and a model of the process. Experiments involved spraying the catalyst-resin mixture on a surface and following the hardness of the coating. The numerical model takes into account the heat transferred by convection at the surface of the coating and by conduction through the coating and the surface, as well as the heat generated by the cure reaction. The kinetics of heat evolved from the cure reaction was determined by calorimetry. The effect of various parameters, such as the temperature of the surrounding and the thickness of the coating was studied by considering the state of cure and the hardness.