USAGE OF MICRON OR SUBMICRON SIZE TRANSPARENT OR TRANSLUCENT BEADS TO IMPROVE REFLECTANCE
A reflectant coating composition includes a binding agent and a plurality of transparent or translucent beads immersed within the binding agent.
1 . A reflectant coating composition comprising:
(a) a tire dressing; and
(b) a plurality of transparent or translucent beads immersed within the tire dressing.
2 . The reflectant coating composition of claim 1 , wherein the beads are formed of a material selected from the group consisting of glass, organic polymer particles, inorganic particles, organometallic particles, quartz, and mixtures thereof.
3 . The reflectant coating composition of claim 2 , wherein the organic polymer particles are selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene, polyacrylamide and mixtures thereof.
4 . The reflectant coating composition of claim 1 , wherein the beads are between about 0.1 microns and about 100 microns in diameter.
5 . The reflectant coating composition of claim 4 , wherein the beads are between about 4 microns and about 20 microns in diameter.
6 . The reflectant coating composition of claim 1 , wherein the reflectant coating composition has a loading of beads of between about 0.1% and about 60%.
7 . The reflectant coating composition of claim 6 , wherein the reflectant coating composition has a loading of beads of between about 0.5% and about 5%.
8 . A reflectant tire comprising:
(a) a tire having an outer surface;
(b) a dressing applied onto the outer surface of the tire, wherein the dressing is formed of a binding agent and a plurality of transparent or translucent beads immersed in the binding agent.
9 . The reflectant tire of claim 9 , wherein the beads are formed of a material selected from the group consisting of glass, organic polymer particles, inorganic particles, organometallic particles, quartz and mixtures thereof.
10 . The reflectant tire of claim 9 , wherein the organic polymer particles are selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene, polyacrylamide and mixtures thereof.
11 . The reflectant tire of claim 8 , wherein the beads are between about 0.1 microns and about 100 microns in diameter.
13 . The reflectant tire of claim 11 , wherein the beads are between about 4 microns and about 20 microns in diameter.
14 . The reflectant tire of claim 8 , wherein the dressing has a loading of beads of between about 0.1% and about 60%.
15 . The reflectant tire of claim 8 , wherein the dressing has a thickness of between about 0.1 microns and about 1000 microns.
16 . A method of applying a reflectant dressing onto a surface of a tire, the method comprising:
(a) applying a plurality of transparent or translucent beads onto the surface of the tire; and
(b) applying a binding agent onto the surface of the tire.
17 . The method of claim 15 , wherein applying the binding agent onto the surface of the tire comprises applying the binding agent to a thickness of between about 0.1 microns and about 1000 microns.
18 . The method of claim 16 , wherein applying the binding agent onto the surface of the tire comprises applying the binding agent to a thickness of between about 10 microns and about 3 millimeters.
19 . The method of claim 15 , wherein applying the plurality of beads onto the surface of the tire comprises applying a plurality of beads between about 0.1 microns and about 100 microns in diameter.
20 . The method of claim 15 , wherein applying the plurality of beads onto the surface of the tire and applying the binding agent onto the surface of the tire occur simultaneously.
21 . The method of claim 19 , wherein applying the plurality of beads and binding onto the surface of the tire simultaneously comprises mixing the plurality of beads and binding agent to form a coating having a bead loading of between about 0.1% and about 60%.