Curing catalysts can accelerate crosslinking reactions but often deteriorate surface performance due to heterogeneous catalysis, which can be resolved by improved homogeneous dispersion of nanoscale catalysts and thus uniform catalysis of resin crosslinking reaction. Nonetheless, nanosizing solidified catalysts, typically organic small molecular crystals, present challenges using conventional top-down and bottom-up methodologies. Herein, we present a straightforward approach to preparing nano-curing catalysts by leveraging the dry-water structure and obtaining high-performance low-temperature curing coatings. The stable dry-water structure, with micro-scale catalyst solution droplets surrounded with hydrophobic fumed silica, was formed. Confinement of fumed silica effectively limits the size of the organic catalyst crystals on a nanoscale by ensuring the low 2-eim content in the separated compartment. Coatings incorporating the obtained catalyst, cured at a lower temperature of 170 °C for 15 minutes, exhibit mechanical strength, and chemical resistance compared to standard powder coatings cured at 190 °C for 15 minutes. Furthermore, with the improved uniform catalysis brought from the nano-catalyst, the low-temperature curing coatings demonstrate excellent surface performance, maintaining gloss levels comparable to the original powder coating film. This study delves into the mechanism of the dry-water structure, offering a facile approach for fabricating nanoscale curing catalysts and achieving high-quality surfaces in powder coating applications.
