Abstract: A method is provided for predicting the durability of a composite structure, such as a composite polymeric coating. The method includes obtaining a sample of a first (reference) composite structure and analyzing at least one layer of the structure for indications of degradation. The sample can be obtained by low angle microtomy. Degradation values and a degradation slope of the first composite structure can be defined. One or more degradation values for a second composite structure can be obtained and the durability of the second composite structure can be predicted by comparing the degradation slope of the second composite structure to the degradation slope of the first composite structure.

Abstract: A method is provided for predicting the durability of a composite structure, such as a composite polymeric coating. The method includes obtaining a sample of a first (reference) composite structure and analyzing at least one layer of the structure for indications of degradation. The sample can be obtained by low angle microtomy. Degradation values and a degradation slope of the first composite structure can be defined. One or more degradation values for a second composite structure can be obtained and the durability of the second composite structure can be predicted by comparing the degradation slope of the second composite structure to the degradation slope of the first composite structure.

Abstract: A multi-component composite coating composition is provided which includes a basecoat deposited from an aqueous basecoat film-forming composition and a transparent topcoat applied over the basecoat, the transparent topcoat being deposited from a topcoat film-forming composition. The topcoat film-forming composition includes one or more crosslinkable film-forming resins and one or more amphiphilic adjuvants including: a water-soluble polar end having at least one terminal hydrophilic group selected from hydroxyl groups, carbamate groups, amide groups and urea groups; and a water-insoluble hydrocarbon end having at least six contiguous carbon atoms. The adjuvant has an acid value of less than 30 and is present in an amount ranging from about 0.01 to about 25 weight percent on a basis of total resin solids of the topcoat film-forming composition.

Abstract: A coated substrate is provided which includes an outer coating formed from a film-forming composition which includes a crosslinkable, non-gelled acrylic polymer and a crosslinking material capable of reacting with the acrylic polymer to form a crosslinked outer coating. The acrylic polymer is the reaction product of a polyoxyalkylene acrylate monomer comprising a terminal alkoxy group containing about 1 to about 6 carbon atoms and a copolymerizable ethylenically unsaturated monomer different from the polyoxyalkylene acrylate monomer. A multi-component composite coating composition is also provided.

Abstract: An aqueous aminoplast-curable film-forming composition is disclosed. The aqueous film-forming composition is a crosslinkable composition comprising (1) a material containing a plurality of carbamate and/or urea functional groups and (2) an aminoplast crosslinking agent. The aqueous composition provides a coating with improved acid etch resistance, making the compositions particularly useful as automotive clear coats.

Abstract: A stable aqueous dispersion containing cellulose ester, the dispersion being polymeric microparticles comprised of cellulose ester and a polymer formed from at least two different vinyl monomers of which at least one vinyl monomer is polyethylenically unsaturated. The dispersion of microparticles is formed by a high stress technique prior to polymerization of the vinyl monomers in the presence of the cellulose ester. Typically the dispersion also contains surfactant. A method of making the stable, cellulose ester-containing aqueous dispersion by (a) mixing together a cellulose ester, at least two vinyl monomers of which at least one vinyl monomer is polyethylenically unsaturated, surfactant, and water to form an emulsion; (b) particulating the emulsified mixture of (a) into microparticles by a high stress technique; and (c) copolymerizing the vinyl monomers in the cellulose ester-containing particulated emulsion of (b) to form a crosslinked polymer within the microparticles of the dispersion.