RIASSUNTO
ABSTRACT:
Micro FT-IR analysis was performed to the point with a 50 to 80 µm spatial resolution to verify the exact structure of a new blend thermoplastic powder coating film. Resistance to certain artificially accelerated conditions and actual outdoor exposure were examined to confirm the performance of the film as a protective coating for use in the telecommunication field. The new blend powder coating film consists of primary PET and secondary PVB resins, and has a distinct dual phase structure. Specifically, it forms a continuous PVB phase in a surface layer with a thickness of approximately 100 to 150 µm. Good corrosion resistance was confirmed in artificially accelerated testing using salt water spray, heat cycle and accelerated UV tests. In actual outdoor exposure in a metropolitan area (Shinkiba in Tokyo) and a coastal area (Miyake Island) revealed good weathering performance throughout the study period. The secondary PVB phase that covered the surface area of the film probably protected the film against the accelerated conditions and outdoor exposure.
INTRODUCTION
We provide telecommunication services throughout Japan, and so we have an enormous amount of telecommunication plant and material throughout Japan including approximately 2 million kilometers of cable, and nearly 12 million telephone poles.1,2 Outdoor plant materials in particular are exposed to a wide range of environments and are subject to UV light, a range of temperatures and humidity, salt water from the sea, alkalinity and acidity. Therefore, these materials are protected by some type of weathering prevention technology, and a wide variety of anti-corrosion technologies have been developed for each type of environment. Polymeric materials such as those used for coatings offer highly effective protection and have been developed and introduced in the industrial telecommunication field. For instance, solvent-based coatings have been applied to wireless steel towers and cable pipes.