Process for drying anode coating

A method of coating a carbon material with a chemical treatment for preventing or reducing air oxidation of said carbon material, said chemical treatment comprising a first layer comprising an aqueous priming coating composition covering an external surface exposed to air of said carbon material;

• and a second layer, covering said first layer, comprising an aqueous coating composition,
• the aqueous priming coating composition comprising a mixture of aluminum oxide (Al2O3), comprising a combination of aluminum oxide selected from the group consisting of calcined aluminum oxide, reactive aluminum oxide, and white fused aluminum oxide;
• and water,
• the aqueous coating composition comprising a combination of a sodium salt of carbonate and a potassium salt of carbonate providing an equivalent Na2O:K2O molar ratio of about 0.4 to about 2.0, and water, said aqueous coating composition having a melting temperature of up to about 600° C.;
• the method comprising:
• a) applying said aqueous priming coating composition to said external surface exposed to air of said carbon material and in an environment at a temperature of from about 74° C. to about 124° C., applying to said aqueous priming coating composition forced air at a temperature of from about 80° C. to about 126° C., a velocity of about 2 to about 20 m/s, and a relative humidity of 15% or less, in combination with actinic infrared radiation from a distance from said external surface of about 5 cm to about 15 cm, for a time sufficient to dry said aqueous priming coating composition, to form said first layer,
• b) applying said aqueous coating composition to said first layer having a surface temperature of about 59° C. to about 100° C. and in an environment at a temperature of from about 108° C. to about 127° C., applying to said aqueous coating composition forced air at a temperature of from about 110° C. to about 275° C., a velocity of about 2 to 22 m/s, and a relative humidity of 15% or less, in combination with actinic infrared radiation from a distance from said external surface of about 5 cm to about 15 cm, for a time sufficient to dry said aqueous coating composition and form said second layer, or
• applying said aqueous coating composition to said first layer having a surface temperature of about 60° C. to about 80° C. and then introduce said carbon material in an environment at a temperature of from about 40° C. to about 60° C. and a relative humidity of 12 to 16% for a time sufficient to dry said aqueous coating composition and form said second layer.