Anodised effects with powder coatings

With the new powder coating series PP7001K, FreiLacke has developed a new coating system with anodised colours. The established colours from the anodising of aluminium served as the basis for the colour shades. As the coatings have a polyester base, components with this powder coating are particularly suitable for outdoor applications.
To protect aluminium against corrosion, a protective oxide layer is produced by anodic oxidation. This anodised layer is very hard and scratch-resistant; however, it is also very brittle, which is why workpieces must be fully shaped before they are anodised.
Furthermore, the process costs of the anodising process are relatively high. This is why there have been frequent attempts to replace the anodised layer with a powder coating. Visually, the oxide layer has a very matt, velvety surface. The colour of the oxide layer can be changed using colourising metal salts in the electrolyte or by using organic or inorganic dyes.