Abstract: An electrode binder of a lithium ion battery comprising: (a) a polyvinylidene binder dispersed in an organic diluent with (b) a (meth)acrylic polymer dispersant. The binder can be used in the assembly of electrodes of lithium ion batteries.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to curable film-forming compositions comprising a first film-forming polymer prepared from at least one hydrophobic monomer, a second film-forming polymer prepared from at least one hydrophobic monomer, and a curing agent. Upon application of the curable film-forming composition to a substrate to form a coating layer, the first film-forming polymer is distributed throughout the coating layer, and the concentration of the second film-forming polymer is greater at the surface of the coating layer than the concentration of the second film-forming polymer within the bulk of the coating layer. The invention is additionally drawn to substrates coated with the curable film-forming composition. The present invention is also drawn to methods of mitigating dirt build-up on a substrate, comprising applying to at least a portion of the substrate the curable film-forming composition described above and at least partially curing the curable film-forming composition.

Abstract: A coating composition includes: an aqueous medium; first core-shell particles dispersed in the aqueous medium, where the first core-shell particles include (i) keto and/or aldo functional groups, (ii) a polymeric shell including carboxylic acid functional groups and urethane linkages, and (iii) a polymeric core at least partially encapsulated by the polymeric shell, where the polymeric shell and/or the polymeric core may comprise the keto and/or aldo functional groups; second core-shell particles dispersed in the aqueous medium, where the second core-shell particles are different from the first core-shell particles and include (a) a polymeric shell including carboxylic acid functional groups and hydroxyl groups, and (b) a polymeric core including hydroxyl functional groups and which is at least partially encapsulated by the polymeric shell; a first crosslinker including a polyhydrazide reactive with the first core-shell particles; and a second crosslinker reactive with the first and second core-shell particle

Abstract: The present invention is directed to an acrylic polymer prepared from a reaction mixture comprising: (i) an ethylenically unsaturated monomer comprising hydroxyl functional groups; (ii) an ethylenically unsaturated monomer comprising polydialkylsiloxane groups; (iii) an ethylenically unsaturated monomer comprising carboxylic acid functional groups or amine functional groups; and (iv) a reactive diluent that is reactive with the ethylenically unsaturated monomer (iii). The reactive diluent (iv) is present initially in the reaction mixture as a medium in which the monomers polymerize. The present invention is further directed to aqueous polymeric dispersions prepared therefrom and aqueous, curable film-forming compositions prepared from the dispersions. The curable film-forming compositions are low VOC and are useful in methods of mitigating dirt build-up on a substrate.

Abstract: A coating composition includes: (a) a first acrylic polymer formed from a reaction mixture including: (i) an ethylenically unsaturated monomer including an acid group or an amine group; (ii) a reactive solvent reactive with the ethylenically unsaturated monomer (i); and (iii) a second monomer reactive with ethylenically unsaturated monomer (i); and (b) a second acrylic polymer different from the first acrylic polymer, where the second acrylic polymer (b) has a Mw of at least 100,000 Da. A method of preparing such a coating composition and coatings and coated substrates formed therefrom are also disclosed. Coatings formed from the disclosed coating composition may exhibit improved stain resistance.

Abstract: A coating composition including: an aqueous dispersion of self-crosslinkable core-shell particles, where the core-shell particles include (1) a polymeric core at least partially encapsulated by (2) a polymeric shell having urethane linkages, keto and/or aldo functional groups, and hydrazide functional groups, where the polymeric core is covalently bonded to at least a portion of the polymeric shell, and an acrylic polymer, where the acrylic polymer is non-reactive with the polymeric core and the polymeric shell. A substrate coated with a coating formed from the coating composition and a method of improving stain resistance of a substrate are also disclosed.

Abstract: Curable film-forming sol-gel compositions that are essentially free of inorganic oxide particles are provided. The compositions contain: a tetraalkoxysilane; a solvent component; and non-oxide particles, and further contain either i) a mineral acid or ii) an epoxy functional trialkoxysilane and a metal-containing catalyst. Coated articles demonstrating antiglare properties are also provided, comprising: (a) a substrate having at least one surface; and (b) a cured film-forming composition applied thereon, formed from a curable sol-gel composition comprising a silane and non-oxide particles. A method of forming an antiglare coating on a substrate is also provided.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method of preparing an alkoxy silane functional ionic liquid comprising reacting a halogenated compound comprising a halogen and an active hydrogen functional group, an isocyanato functional alkoxy silane, and an ionizable compound capable forming an ionic bond with the halogen to form the alkoxy silane functional ionic liquid. The present invention is also directed to alkoxy silane functional ionic liquids.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to coated articles demonstrating a transmission of electromagnetic radiation having a frequency of 22 to 81 GHz in the range of 70% to 100%. The articles comprise substrates coated with curable film-forming compositions comprising a first film-forming polymer prepared from at least one hydrophobic monomer, a second film-forming polymer prepared from at least one hydrophobic monomer, and a curing agent. Upon application of the curable film-forming composition to the substrate to form a coating layer, the first film-forming polymer is distributed throughout the coating layer, and the concentration of the second film-forming polymer is greater at the surface of the coating layer than the concentration of the second film-forming polymer within the bulk of the coating layer. The present invention is also drawn to methods of mitigating contaminant build-up on a substrate using the curable film-forming compositions described above.

Abstract: A multi-layer coating includes: a first basecoat layer applied over at least a portion of a substrate; and a second basecoat layer applied over the first basecoat layer. The first basecoat layer and second basecoat layer are formed from compositions having a polyhydrazide and core-shell particles dispersed in aqueous mediums. The core-shell particles of the first basecoat composition includes (1) a polymeric core at least partially encapsulated by (2) a polymeric shell comprising urea linkages, and keto and/or aldo functional groups. The polymeric core of the core-shell particles of the first basecoat composition and the second basecoat composition are each independently covalently bonded to at least a portion of the polymeric shell of the core-shell particles.

Abstract: A curable film-forming composition is provided, comprising: (a) a polymeric polyester binder comprising a plurality of carbamate groups; (b) a curing agent reactive with the carbamate functional groups of (a); and (c) a reaction product of: (1) a hydroxyl functional polymer comprising the reaction product of: (i) a monomer comprising at least two ethylenically unsaturated double bonds; (ii) a monomer comprising a carbon atom that is bonded to four moieties wherein one of the moieties is a hydrogen atom and the remainder of the moieties comprises an alkyl group, wherein at least one of the alkyl group-containing moieties comprises an ethylenically unsaturated double bond; and (iii) at least one monomer that is polymerizable with (i) and (ii); and (2) a lactone or lactam. Also provided are a multi-component composite coating composition that includes the curable film-forming composition described above and methods for forming a composite coating on a substrate.

Abstract: A coating composition includes an aqueous carrier medium, at least a first polymer, and polymeric core-shell particles dispersed in the aqueous carrier medium. The first polymer includes: (i) a barrier segment having aromatic groups and urethane linkages, urea linkages, or a combination thereof; and (ii) an elastomeric segment having a glass transition temperature of less than 0° C. The barrier segment can make up at least 30% of the first polymer, based on the total solids weight of the first polymer.

Abstract: Compositions comprising hydroxy functional alkyl polyureas are disclosed.

Abstract: Curable film-forming sol-gel compositions that are essentially free of inorganic oxide particles are provided. The compositions contain: a tetraalkoxysilane; a solvent component; and non-oxide particles, and further contain either i) a mineral acid or ii) an epoxy functional trialkoxysilane and a metal-containing catalyst. Coated articles demonstrating antiglare properties are also provided, comprising: (a) a substrate having at least one surface; and (b) a cured film-forming composition applied thereon, formed from a curable sol-gel composition comprising a silane and non-oxide particles. A method of forming an antiglare coating on a substrate is also provided.

Abstract: The present invention provides a slurry composition comprising: (a) an electrochemically active material and/or an electrically conductive agent; and (b) a binder comprising: (i) a polymer comprising a fluoropolymer dispersed in a liquid medium; and (ii) a polymer comprising an addition polymer comprising constitutional units comprising the residue of a heterocyclic group-containing ethylenically unsaturated monomer. The present invention also provides electrodes and electrical storage devices.

Abstract: A curable film-forming composition is provided, comprising: (a) a polymeric binder comprising reactive functional groups; (b) a curing agent comprising functional groups that are reactive with the reactive functional groups of (a); and (c) a polysiloxane resin comprising aromatic functional groups and terminal active hydrogen groups. In certain examples of the present invention, the polymeric binder (a) comprises an acrylic polyol prepared from a monomer mixture comprising a hydroxyl functional monomer, and the curable film-forming composition further comprises a rheology modifier comprising: (1) a non-aqueous dispersion of an internally crosslinked organic polymer; (2) a silica dispersion; and/or (3) a reaction product of an amine and an isocyanate. Also provided are coated substrates that include the curable film-forming compositions described above and methods for forming a composite coating on a substrate.

Abstract: An automated system and method for retaining images in a smart phone are disclosed. The system may then determine a no-reference quality score of the image using a PIQUE module. The PIQUE module utilizes block level features of the image to determine the no-reference quality score. The system may present the image and the no-reference quality score to the user and accept a feedback towards quality of the image. The system may utilize a supervised learning model for continually learning a user's perception of quality of the image, the no-reference quality score determined by the PIQUE module, and the user feedback. Based on the learning, the supervised learning model may adapt the no-reference quality score and successively the image may either be retained or isolated for deletion, based on the adapted quality score and a predefined threshold range.

Abstract: An electrode binder of a lithium ion secondary battery comprising an aqueous dispersion of: (a) a polyvinylidene binder; (b) a (meth)acrylic polymer dispersant; (c) a crosslinking agent comprising an aminoplast and/or a polycarbodiimide; and (d) an organic diluent. The (meth)acrylic polymer dispersant is prepared from a mixture of monomers comprising one or more carboxylic acid group-containing (meth)acrylic monomers and one or more hydroxyl group-containing (meth)acrylic monomers, and carboxylic acid groups on the (meth)acrylic polymer dispersant are at least partially neutralized with a base. The binder can be used in the assembly of electrodes of lithium ion secondary batteries.

Abstract: A coating composition including: an aqueous dispersion of self-crosslinkable core-shell particles, where the core-shell particles include (1) a polymeric core at least partially encapsulated by (2) a polymeric shell having urethane linkages, keto and/or aldo functional groups, and hydrazide functional groups, where the polymeric core is covalently bonded to at least a portion of the polymeric shell, and an acrylic polymer, where the acrylic polymer is non-reactive with the polymeric core and the polymeric shell. A substrate coated with a coating formed from the coating composition and a method of improving stain resistance of a substrate are also disclosed.

Abstract: An aqueous dispersion includes an aqueous medium and self-crosslinkable core-shell particles dispersed in the aqueous medium. The core-shell particles include (1) a polymeric core at least partially encapsulated by (2) a polymeric shell having urethane linkages, keto and/or aldo functional groups, and hydrazide functional groups. Further, the polymeric core is covalently bonded to at least a portion of the polymeric shell.