Multilayer Sparkling Coating With Glass Flakes and Joint Curing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing multilayer coatings in the automotive industry face challenges in achieving a high degree of sparkle and luster while maintaining good mechanical properties such as adhesion to the substrate and intercoat adhesion, and are limited by the amount of effect pigments that can be included due to industrial applicability, price, and storage stability issues.
Innovation Solution
A process involving the application of a composition comprising platelet glass flake pigments with specific size ranges directly onto a substrate, followed by sequential application and joint curing of basecoat and clearcoat layers, utilizing a combination of binders, solvents, and glass flake pigments to enhance sparkle and luster without altering standard application methods.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If the amount of effect pigments is increased to achieve higher sparkle and luster, then the aesthetic quality improves, but the storage stability and price increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the particle size parameter of glass flake pigments, using a bimodal distribution with particles of 30-54 μm and 55-80 μm. This parameter optimization allows achieving high sparkle and luster with lower overall pigment concentration, thereby improving storage stability while maintaining aesthetic quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a composite approach by combining glass flake pigments with specific binder systems (polyester, polyurethane, or acrylic resins) and crosslinking agents. This composite formulation enhances the optical properties and storage stability of the coating composition.
2Illumination intensity
If effect pigments are added to enhance sparkle, then the aesthetic quality improves, but the price increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the particle size parameters of glass flake pigments to achieve maximum light reflection and sparkle effect at lower concentrations. The bimodal size distribution (30-54 μm and 55-80 μm) creates enhanced optical effects with reduced material quantity, thereby lowering cost.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies effect pigments selectively in a sparkling coat layer rather than uniformly throughout all coating layers. This localized application concentrates the aesthetic effect where most visible while reducing overall pigment consumption and cost.
3Illumination intensity
If glass flakes with specific size ranges are used to enhance sparkle, then the luster improves, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent specifies precise particle size parameters (D90 values of 30-54 μm and 55-80 μm) for glass flake pigments. These standardized parameter ranges allow for consistent quality control and simplified manufacturing processes while achieving superior luster and sparkle effects.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the glass flake pigment population into two distinct size groups (30-54 μm and 55-80 μm) with a gap between them. This segmentation creates optimal light reflection properties while using commercially available standardized particle size distributions, simplifying the manufacturing process.
4Illumination intensity
If multiple coating layers are applied sequentially, then the aesthetic quality and protection improve, but the production time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the sparkling effect function into a dedicated sparkling coat layer that is jointly cured with surrounding coating layers. This consolidation achieves aesthetic quality enhancement while reducing the number of separate curing cycles, thereby improving productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies the sparkling coat layer containing optimized glass flake pigments as a preliminary layer before final clearcoat application. This preliminary action ensures sparkle effect is established early, and subsequent layers provide protection without requiring additional sparkle-enhancing steps.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The process produces multilayer coatings with outstanding sparkle and luster, along with improved adhesion to the substrate and intercoat adhesion, suitable for use in the automotive industry without modifying existing application methods, and capable of enhancing color tone variants.
Implementation Method 1
applying a composition (Z2) directly to the basecoat layer (BL2a) or the uppermost basecoat layer (BL2-z) or the clearcoat layer (C1) to form a coating layer (L3)
Implementation Method 2
joint curing of all applied layers
Data Source
AI summary
Described herein is a process for producing a multilayer coating (MC) on a substrate (S), the process including producing at least one basecoat layer, optionally at least one clearcoat layer, at least one layer including a mixture of glass flakes and at least one further clearcoat layer and jointly curing all applied layers. Also described herein is a multilayer coating obtained by the described process.