Conductive Powders (PART 2)

Question:

I just received the November PF magazine and read in your column about the query about conductive powders. When I was with Spraylat, we developed conductive powders for a computer furniture manufacturer. They needed to dissipate static electricity, and these conductive powders did the trick. They can be formulated in any color, although a pure white was not possible. I don’t remember what the resistance of these conductive coatings were, but he can check his requirements directly with Spraylat. G.C.

Answer:

Thanks for the information. Of course, I will pass it on. It was great to hear from you.

Most all powder coatings are dielectric materials and provide resistance to true earth ground. However, some metallic and zinc-rich powders have been used to provide some conductivity to ground in similar applications. What is unclear is if these powders allow enough conductivity to eliminate the need to mask surfaces to ensure perfect grounding. Only you can answer that by testing prior to committing to changing your process.