Abstract: The invention relates to an aqueous pseudoplastic gel composition, having a first viscosity ?1 at a shear rate of 0.01 s?1 of between 5 and 200 Pa·s and a second viscosity ?2 at a shear rate of 100 s?1 that is between 10 and 1000 times lower than the first viscosity, wherein the aqueous pseudoplastic gel consists of, based on the total weight of the composition: 15-60 wt. % of water; 20-60 wt. % of spherical glass beads having a median particle diameter D50, as measured with laser diffraction, between 5 and 150 ?m, and a refractive index, measured at a wavelength ? of 589 nm, between 1.8 and 2.8; 0.15-1.5 wt. % of a thickener; and 0-50 wt. % of one or more further ingredients. The invention further relates to methods for its preparation. The invention further concerns a process for coating a substrate with a retroreflective layer using said aqueous pseudoplastic gel composition and to substrates coated with a retroreflective layer obtainable by said process.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for providing a composition selected from the group consisting of aqueous pastes, inks, paints and coating formulations with retroreflective properties, said method comprising the steps of: a) providing an aqueous paste, ink, paint or coating formulation without retroreflective properties, said aqueous paste, ink, paint or coating formulation having a viscosity ?1 of between 0.25 and 1000 Pa·s at a shear rate of 0.01 s-1; b) providing an aqueous pseudoplastic gel composition comprising a thickener; c) admixing the aqueous ink, paint or coating formulation provided in step (a) with the aqueous pseudoplastic gel composition provided in step (b) in a weight ratio of between 30 : 70 to 70 : 30; and d) admixing the mixture obtained in step (c) with 0 - 2 wt.%, based on the total weight of the aqueous paste, ink, paint or coating formulation with retroreflective properties, of a thickener.