powder is a dry, clean finish that gives a highly durable coating.Powder is a dry coating. Instead of being dissolved or suspended in a liquid medium, such as solvent or water, powder is applied in a granular form. This material is finer than ground pepper but coarser than flour, and is applied directly to the surface to be coated. The powder is created by blending the various components (binders, resins, pigments, fillers and additives) and processing them through an extruder into a continuous mass. This homo-genous mass is cooled and broken into small chips, which are then ground into the powder. Each powder particle contains within it the necessary components for reforming into the finished coating. After the powder is applied to the part, typically using an electrostatic spray process, the part passes through an oven and cures, melting into a smooth film on the surface of the part. There are two distinct types of powder, Thermoset and Thermoplastic. The Thermoset powders are reactive, which means that under cure conditions there is a chemical "crosslinking", so that, once cured, the coating will not remelt. Epoxies, acrylics and most hybrids are examples of Thermoset powders, making up over 90% of the current powder market. Thermoplastic powders do not "crosslink" when cured, but simply melt and flow over the surface of the part. The film hardens on cooling, but if it is reheated it will remelt. Vinyls, nylons and fluorocarbons are examples of thermoplastic powders. Enamel powder is a specialized formulation used in applications that previously used liquid porcelain enamel. It utilizes glass in its formulation and is cured, or fired, at a very high heat. The result is a finish that is particularly resistant to heat, scratching and harsh chemicals, and is typically used in appliances, such as washers, dryers, ovens and ranges.