The invention pertains to an aqueous
coating composition comprising: an aqueous latex of a
copolymer consisting essentially of recurring units derived (i) from vinylidene
chloride (VDC), (ii) from
vinyl chloride (VC), (iii) from one or more than one
alkyl (
meth)
acrylate having from 1 to 12 carbon atoms in the
alkyl group [
monomer (MA)] and (iv) from one or more than one aliphatic alpha-beta unsaturated carboxylic acids [
monomer (AA)], the proportion of recurring units derived from
monomer (AA) being of at least 1.0 wt %, with respect to the total weight of the
copolymer [
copolymer (A)], wherein: (A) the said copolymer (A) is stable against dehydrochlorination, in a manner such that the total
chloride content of the
solid residue of the aqueous latex, after
thermal treatment at about 120 DEG C for 2 hours, is of less than 1000 ppm, with respect to the total weight of the copolymer (A); (B) the said copolymer (A) does not to undergo any significant
crystallization upon heating, in a manner such that the ratio of (j) its
crystallinity index (CI) after a
thermal treatment involving heating at 60 DEG C for 48 hours to (jj) its
crystallinity index before such
thermal treatment (Clafter thermal treatment / CI before thermal treatment) is less than 1.15; and at least one anti-
corrosion pigment comprising an
aluminium salt of a (poly)
phosphoric acid modified with an
alkaline earth metal oxide [
pigment (P)]; at least one non-ionic surfactant [surfactant (NS)]; and at least one
inorganic filler [filler (I)] different from
pigment (P), in an amount such that the overall pigment
volume concentration (PVC), comprehensive of pigment (P) and filler (I), is comprised from 20 to 40 % vol., when determined with respect to the dried
coating composition.