Acrylate-modified aspartates and gel coat compositions made therefrom

1. A coating composition comprising as component I,

a) a polyaspartic acid ester comprising the reaction product of one or more diamines, one or more difunctional acrylate-containing compounds and one or more maleic and/or fumaric acid esters;

b) at least one moisture scavenger;

c) at least one deaerator;

d) at least one plasticizer;

and

as component II,

one or more polyisocyanates.

2. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the polyaspartic acid ester and polyisocyanate are present in a molar ratio of from 1.0 polyaspartic acid ester: 0.8 polyisocyanate to 1.0 polyaspartic acid ester:2.0 polyisocyanate.

3. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the polyisocyanate has an average functionality of at least 3 NCO groups.

4. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the polyisocyanate is aliphatic.

5. The composition of claim 4 , wherein the polyisocyanate is a mixture of an asymmetric trimer of HDI and an HDI-based polymeric isocyanate containing biuret groups.

6. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the diamine is isophorone diamine or 4,4-diaminodicyclohexylmethane.

7. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the difunctional acrylate-containing compound is 1,6-hexandiol diacrylate.

8. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the diamine, acrylate and ester are reacted together in a ratio of from 1 equivalent amine:0.1 moles acrylate: 0.9 moles maleate, to 1 mole amine:0.02 moles acrylate:0.98 moles maleate.

9. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the diamine, acrylate and ester are reacted together in a ratio of from 1 equivalent amine:0.1 equivalents acrylate:0.95 equivalents maleate, to 1 equivalent amine:0.04 equivalents acrylate: 0.98 equivalents maleate.

10. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises between 35-65 wt. % polyaspartic acid ester, 25-35 wt. % polyisocyanate, 0.5-4.0 wt. % plasticizer, 0.25-3.0 wt. % alkoxysilane and 0.25-3.0 wt. % defoamer.

11. A method of making a coating composition comprising the steps of

1) mixing the polyaspartic acid ester with a plasticizer, a deaerator and a moisture-scavenger, to make component I of the composition of claim 1 ; and

2) mixing the product of step 1 with one or more polyisocyanates as component II,

both of steps 1) and 2) carried out under vacuum.

12. A method of coating a substrate, the method comprising the step of mixing and applying components I and II of the coating composition of claim 1 to a substrate using a low-pressure spray apparatus.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the coating composition is sprayed on the substrate while maintaining a volumetric ratio of from 1:10 to 10:1 for the ratio of component I to component II.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein a 2:1 volumetric ratio of component I to component II is maintained.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein the coating is applied to the substrate in a thickness of 3 to 100 mils.

16. A substrate coated with the composition of claim 1 .

17. The substrate of claim 16 , wherein the substrate is comprised of metal, natural and/or synthetic stone, ceramic, glass, brick, cement, concrete, cinderblock, wood and composites and laminates thereof; wallboard, drywall, sheetrock, cement board, plastic, paper, PVC, styrofoam, plastic composites, acrylic composites, polyurethane composites, polyester composites, asphalt, fiberglass, soil, or gravel.

18. A polyaspartic acid ester comprising the reaction product of one or more diamines, one or more difunctional acrylate-containing compounds and one or more maleic and/or fumaric acid esters.

19. The polyaspartic acid ester according to claim 18 , wherein the ratio of amine to amine-reactive components is from 0.8/1.0 to 1.2/1.0.

20. The polyaspartic acid ester according to claim 19 , wherein the ratio of amine to amine-reactive components is 1.0/1.0.

21. The polyaspartic acid ester according to claim 20 , wherein the one or more diamines, one or more difunctional acrylate-containing compounds and one or more maleic and/or fumaric acid esters are reacted together 1 equivalent diamine:0.1 equivalents difunctional acrylate:0.9 equivalents maleic and/or fumaric acid ester, to 1 equivalent diamine:0.02 equivalents difunctional acrylate:0.98 equivalents maleic and/or fumaric acid ester.

22. The polyaspartic acid ester according to claim 18 , comprising the reaction product of 4-4′diamino dicyclohexyl methane, 1,6 hexanediol diacrylate and diethyl maleate,

23. The polyaspartic acid ester according to claim 18 , consisting of the reaction product of 4-4′diamino dicyclohexyl methane, 1,6 hexanediol diacrylate and diethyl maleate.