The quantitative method for the evaluation of the degree of pigment dispersion in powder coatings is described here. The quantitative information is obtained using selective oxygen plasma etching, scanning electron micrography and image analysis. This procedure was used in order to analyse the influences of the input power of the extrusion equipment on the pigment dispersion in powder coatings. The correlation between the particle size distribution graphs and the energy input during the extrusion process is discussed and compared to the colorimetric analysis. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.