The main purpose of this work was to study the production of a thermal spray coated poly(ethyleneterephthalate) steel. Poly(ethylene terephthalate) coatings were made of a thin grinding waste produced by a PET recycling company, and of a PET powder, which was obtained by grinding post-consumer beverage bottles. Some grinding conditions, using a ceramic ball mill, were studied. Scanning Electronic Microscopy (SEM) and optical microscopy (OM) were used in the study of powder and coating morphologies, and this analysis showed that PET coating presents bubbles due to polymer degradation. PET powder and coating characteristics were investigated using Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) and measurements of intrinsic viscosity. It was observed that the powder morphology and the degradation and the size distribution of the PET powder affect significantly the characteristics and properties of coatings.
Poly(ethylene therephthalate); thermal spray; recycling; thermal analysis; intrinsic viscosity
