Abstract: Acrylic coating compositions containing silver metallic flake pigments are disclosed. The coatings are particularly adapted for use in automotive top coat systems as the base coat of a pigmented base coat/clear top coat coating system. The coating compositions have a hydroxyl content of less than about 8.0 wt. %. The resulting coating compositions when dried or cured to hard durable films do not exhibit discoloration associated with silver flake coatings.

Abstract: Decorative, highly reflective, adherent coatings suitable for automotive finishes comprise a base coat layer and a top coat layer. The base coat layer comprises a film-forming agent, leafing aluminum flake and, optionally, one or more colored pigmenting agents. The top coat layer comprises a transparent film-forming agent and an acidic adhesion promoting agent effective to inhibit delamination of the coating system. Optionally an alkylamine/fatty ester stabilizing agent is added to the base coat composition to stabilize the composition against deleafing during storage.

Abstract: A unique opalescent color effect is produced on a substrate material utilizing a multicoat coating system. The primer base coat is a nonmetallic primary color coat having an N-4 to N-8 value on the Munsell color chart. Directly on top of the primer base coat there is applied a transparent interference coat containing a polymeric binder and metal oxide encapsulated mica particles in a pigment to binder ratio of 0.06 to 0.13. On top of the previously applied coats is applied a transparent protective clear coat, the primary base color coat being a high solids content primer layer having good corrosion resistance, good adhesion, etc. The resultant coating in addition to being durable to the elements produces a unique opalescent color effect on the substrate material.

Abstract: Polymer coatings having high solids content and containing mica pigments are applied with uniform appearance when the liquid layer which is deposited on an article is greater in thickness than the nominal maximum length of the mica platelets. Coatings which contain 0.01-5 weight percent mica having up to 60 micrometers maximum platelet length are produced in thicknesses of 0.045-0.076 mm. The coatings are best applied by a conventional turbobell rotary atomizer.