New trends in OEM and refinish automotive coatings

Presents the view that higher solids clearcoats (more than 60 per cent solids) appear to be an attractive way for original equipment manufacture and refinish to meet European legislations as of 1998. New inventions in the area of low MW oligomers, alternative crosslinking mechanisms and rheology control agents appear to be capable of meeting the automotive and refinish performance levels. New developments in the area of surfactant free copolymerization open a new horizon to formulate waterborne clearcoats with excellent properties and appearance.