Coating composition and a reflective coating system including same

1. A coating composition which forms a cured film having a transparency of at least 75% as measured according to ASTM 1746, and a solar reflectivity of at least 55% as measured according to ASTM E 1918 and ASTM E 903, wherein said coating composition is substantially free from chromate and comprises:

a self-crosslinking resin;

zinc phosphate; and

an interference pigment which comprises mica having a solar reflective coating disposed thereon.

2. A coating composition as set forth in claim 1 wherein the transparency of the cured film formed from said coating composition is at least 85%, as measured according to ASTM 1746.

3. A coating composition as set forth in claim 1 wherein said resin is further defined as an acrylic resin.

4. A coating composition as set forth in claim 3 wherein said acrylic resin comprises a waterborne acrylic resin.

5. A coating composition as set forth in claim 4 wherein said waterborne acrylic resin is further defined as a self-crosslinking waterborne acrylic resin having a weight average molecular mass of 200 to 500 g/mol.

6. A coating composition as set forth in claim 1 wherein said solar reflective coating of said interference pigment comprises an inorganic oxide.

7. A coating composition as set forth in claim 6 wherein said inorganic oxide is selected from the group of silicon oxides, metal oxides, and combinations thereof.

8. A coating composition as set forth in claim 7 wherein said metal oxides are selected from the group of titanium oxide, tin oxide, zirconium oxide, and combinations thereof.

9. A coating composition as set forth in claim 1 further comprising a second metal salt.

10. A coating composition as set forth in claim 9 wherein said second metal salt is selected from the group of calcium metal salts, metal phosphocarbonates, metal phosphosilicates, and combinations thereof.

11. A coating composition as set forth in claim 1 wherein said coating composition is free from color pigments other than said interference pigment.

12. A coating composition as set forth in claim 1 , comprising (based on total weight of the coating composition):

40 to 95% of the self-crosslinking resin;

0.01 to 5% of the zinc phosphate;

greater than zero to 15% of the interference pigment; and

25 to 45% water or solvent.

13. A reflective coating system comprising: a cured film disposed on a substrate and having a transparency of at least 75% as measured according to ASTM 1746, and a solar reflectivity of at least 55% as measured according to ASTM E 1918 and ASTM E 903 wherein said cured film is formed from a coating composition which is substantially free from chromate and comprises:

a self-crosslinking resin;

zinc phosphate; and

an interference pigment which comprises mica having a solar reflective coating disposed thereon.

14. A reflective coating system set forth in claim 13 wherein said transparency of said cured film is at least 85%, as measured according to ASTM 1746.

15. A reflective coating system as set forth in claim 13 wherein said cured film has a solar reflectivity of at least 65%, as measured according to ASTM E 1918 and ASTM E 903.

16. A reflective coating system as set forth in claim 13 wherein said substrate is further defined as a metal substrate.

17. A reflective coating system as set forth in claim 6 wherein said metal substrate is further defined as steel.

18. A reflective coating system as set forth in claim 16 wherein said metal substrate is further defined as steel having a coating of an aluminum-zinc alloy disposed thereon.

19. A reflective coating system as set forth in claim 13 wherein the resin of the coating composition comprises an acrylic resin.

20. A reflective coating system as set forth in claim 13 wherein the solar reflective coating of the interference pigment of the coating composition comprises an inorganic oxide.

21. A reflective coating system as set forth in claim 20 wherein the inorganic oxide of the solar reflective coating is selected from the group of silicon oxides, metal oxides, and combinations thereof.

22. A reflective coating system as set forth in claim 21 wherein the metal oxides of the solar reflective coating are selected from the group of titanium oxide, tin oxide, zirconium oxide, and combinations thereof.

23. A reflective coating system as set forth in claim 13 wherein the coating composition further comprises a second metal salt which is selected from the group of calcium metal salts, metal phosphocarbonates, metal phosphosilicates, and combinations thereof.

24. A reflective coating system as set forth in claim 13 , wherein the coating composition comprises (based on total weight of the coating composition):

40 to 95% of the self-crosslinking resin;

0.01 to 5% of the zinc phosphate;

greater than zero to 15% of the interference pigment; and

25 to 45% water or solvent.

25. A coating composition which forms a cured film having a transparency of at least 75% as measured according to ASTM 1746, and a solar reflectivity of at least 65% as measured according to ASTM 1918 and ASTM E 903, wherein said coating composition is substantially free from chromate and comprises:

a self-crosslinking waterborne acrylic resin;

0.01 to 5% zinc phosphate based on total weight of the coating composition;

0.01 to 5% of a second metal salt based on total weight of the coating composition; and

an interference pigment which comprises mica having a solar reflective coating comprising silicon oxide disposed thereon.

26. A coating composition as set forth in claim 25 wherein the second metal salt comprises a metal phosphocarbonate and/or a metal phosphosilicate.

27. A coating composition as set forth in claim 25 , comprising (based on total weight of the coating composition):

40 to 95% of the self-crosslinking resin;

0.01 to 5% of the zinc phosphate;

0.01 to 5% of the second metal salt;

greater than zero to 15% of the interference pigment; and

25 to 45% water or solvent.