What is the structure of car paint?
2 Answers
The structure of car paint: Automotive paint consists of three parts: primer, intermediate coat, and topcoat. The automotive topcoat is divided into two types: solid color paint and metallic flash paint. The automotive topcoat is composed of film-forming substances, pigments, solvents, and additives. The film-forming substance is the material that determines the type of paint, generally made of natural or synthetic resins. Its role is to keep the pigments bright, make the paint durable and adhere to the car body surface. Pigments are the substances that give the topcoat its color and do not volatilize; solvents are the volatile components in the paint, whose main function is to fully dissolve the resins in the paint film, allowing the paint to be applied normally; additives account for no more than 5% of the paint and serve to accelerate drying and enhance gloss, improving the chemical resistance of the car paint.
The car paint structure consists of several layers, just like dressing up a car, protecting it from the outside in. I'm most familiar with the paint construction of mainstream sedans: first, an electrophoretic layer is applied to the metal surface, which is specifically designed to prevent rust and corrosion; then, a primer is sprayed to make the surface smooth and even, laying a good foundation for subsequent coloring; next comes the color layer, where different pigments are used to display colors based on the car model and brand; finally, a clear coat is applied on the outermost layer to protect the color, prevent fading, and enhance gloss. I've noticed that if the clear coat peels off on some older cars, the entire paint surface appears dull. For regular maintenance, frequent washing and waxing can maintain the gloss of the clear coat and reduce damage from UV rays and acid rain. Periodic inspection of these layers helps extend the lifespan of the car paint, saving unnecessary expenses on repairs.
