What are the types of automotive topcoats?
1 Answers
Automotive topcoats are generally divided into three types: solid paint, metallic paint, and pearl paint. Automotive topcoats can give cars a colorful and brand-new appearance. As the outermost layer of the entire paint film, topcoats are required to have more comprehensive performance than the underlying coatings. Here are the detailed introductions: 1. Solid paint: This is the simplest type, composed of resin, pigments, and additives. Solid paint is the most common automotive paint and appeared the earliest. Over a decade ago, most cars used this type of paint. Its characteristics include low cost and simple application, but it has poor gloss and surface hardness, making it particularly prone to scratches. Therefore, it is rarely used on sedans nowadays, and if it is, it's mostly on low-end models. It is more commonly used on trucks and buses, though cars with this type of paint have a price advantage. 2. Metallic paint: Also known as metallic flake paint, it is a popular type of automotive topcoat. Fine aluminum particles are added to its paint base. When light hits these aluminum particles, it is reflected back through the paint film, creating a sparkling metallic appearance. This metallic flake paint gives a pleasant, lively, and novel feeling, making it very popular. By altering the shape and size of the aluminum particles, the sparkle of the metallic paint film can be controlled. A layer of clear coat is applied over the metallic paint for protection. 3. Pearl paint: Also called mica paint, it is another popular type of automotive topcoat. Its principle is similar to metallic paint, but it uses mica instead of aluminum particles. The paint base contains mica pigments coated with titanium dioxide and iron oxide. When light hits the mica particles, it first takes on the color of titanium dioxide and iron oxide, then undergoes complex refraction and interference within the mica particles. Additionally, mica itself has a unique translucent color. As a result, the reflected light has a pearl-like shimmer. Moreover, titanium dioxide has a yellow hue, which changes to light blue when viewed at an angle, creating different colors from different perspectives. Thus, pearl paint gives a novel, dazzling, and colorful impression.