## 1 Introduction
[13] used an infrared heating system to rapidly cure a polyester-based powder coating. Near-infrared (NIR) heating technology is widely used in the coating industry due to its high energy density and fast curing ability [14; 15]. Catalytic infrared radiation is energy in the form of electromagnetic waves, which are generated from the reaction of natural gas with oxygen under the action of a catalyst. Catalytic infrared radiation has resulted in remarkable achievements in the dried food industry [16; 17; 18]. However, to the best of our knowledge, the properties and primary experimental data for catalytic infrared curing of powder coatings have not yet been reported. The application of catalytic infrared technology for powder coating curing has the following potential advantages [19; 20; 21; 22]:  
* Catalytic infrared heating equipment predominantly produces mid-wave and long-wave infrared radiation. This matches the spectral absorption characteristics of powder coatings, accelerating the curing process;
* Catalytic infrared technology directly converts gas into infrared radiation under the action of a catalyst, resulting in higher energy conversion efficiency. The conversion rate for methane, the main component of natural gas, can reach more than 98%;
* Catalytic combustion releases infrared radiation energy, enabling the efficient and complete combustion of gas at low temperatures. Low-temperature (<600 \({}^{\circ}\)C) combustion reduces the generation of polluting gases, such as CO and NOx. Lower pollutant emissions can be obtained (~5 ppm compared to 150-200 ppm with conventional combustion) [21]. It is assumed that only CO\({}_{2}\) and H\({}_{2}\)O are produced [23]. Therefore, employing catalytic infrared technology for the curing of powder coatings has important research significance and good potential for application in engineering. Changes in the coating temperature during curing impact the coating quality. Numerical simulation is an effective strategy for the visualization of heat transfer behavior in curing processes and their performance. Studies have used numerical simulation methods to investigate the thermal behavior of a drying process [24], an air conditioning plant paint-curing oven [25], a cranberry-drying process [26], a potato slice-drying process [27], and a household toast grill [28]. With regard to powder coating curing, [PERSON] and [PERSON] et al. coupled thermal simulations and curing process dynamics to develop a model for the prediction of the evolution of the coating temperature and the degree of conversion under electric infrared radiation [13; 29]. However, no model has yet been reported for the prediction of the temperature changes in coatings under catalytic infrared radiation. Accordingly, this work aimed to study the influence of catalytic infrared treatment on coating quality under different heating conditions. The quality of the cured coatings under different conditions was evaluated in terms of adhesion, gloss, hardness, impact resistance, and color. The best curing parameters for a polyester-based powder coating were obtained, and a model was established for the prediction of the temperature changes in this powder coating with catalytic infrared heating. This work is expected to serve as a guide for the production of powder coatings and the design of catalytic infrared systems and may help improve the efficiency and energy savings of catalytic infrared heating systems. To clearly describe the work and the steps in this study, the research framework is shown in Figure 1.