Coating systems for cement composite articles

1. A method for preparing an aqueous film-forming curable coating composition comprising:

mixing at least one latex polymer and at least one aliphatic epoxy resin having an epoxy equivalent weight less than 1000 and being distinct from the at least one latex polymer to provide an aqueous first component; and

providing a second component having reactive groups that can react with the at least one aliphatic epoxy resin;

wherein a mixture of the first and second components provides the aqueous film-forming curable coating composition; and the coating composition contains about 5 to about 60 wt. % solids based on the total weight of non-volatile components in the coating composition and contains at least about 2 wt. % and less than about 40 wt. % aliphatic epoxy resin based upon total solids in the coating composition.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the latex polymer has a Tg of at least 5° C.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the latex polymer is a multistage latex.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the multistage latex has a hard segment having a Tg between 30 and 70° C. and a soft segment having a Tg between 0 and 25° C.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one latex polymer comprises one or more epoxy functional groups.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the at least one latex polymer is prepared from glycidyl methacrylate, glycidyl acrylate, 4-hydroxybutyl acrylate glycidylether, or combination thereof.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one aliphatic epoxy resin is the reaction product of an oxirane precursor molecule with an alcohol containing material, and at least a portion of the alcohol containing material is ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, 1,3-propanediol, 1,4-butanediol, 1,3-butanediol, 2-methyl-1,3-propanediol, neopentyl glycol, 2,2-butylethyl propanediol, hexanediol, diethylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, polyethylene glycols, polypropylene glycols, cyclohexane dimethylol, 2,2,3-trimethylpentanediol, trimethylol propane, ethoxylated trimethylol propane, propoxylated trimethylol propane, glycerine, propoxylated glycerine, pentaerythritol, ethoxylated pentaerythritol, propoxylated pentaerythritol, dipentaerythritol, tripentaerythritol, ethoxylated di-pentaerythritol, propoxylated di-pentaerythritol, ethoxylated tri-pentaerythritol, propoxylated tri-pentaerythritol, ditrimethylolpropane, hydroxypivalyl hydroxypivalate, hydrogenated bisphenol A, ethoxylated hydrogenated bisphenol A, propoxylated hydrogenated bisphenol A, isosorbide, or a mixture thereof.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one aliphatic epoxy resin component is the reaction product of an oxirane precursor molecule with a carboxylic acid containing material, and at least a portion of the carboxylic acid containing material is malonic acid, succinic acid, glutaric acid, sebacic acid, fumaric acid, adipic acid, pimelic acid, hexahydrophthalic acid, 1,3-cyclohexanedicarboxylic acid, 1,4 cyclohexanedicarboxylic acid, orthophthalic acid, isophthalic acid, maleic acid, chlorendic acid, glycolic acid, citric acid, trimellitic acid, lactic acid, caprolactone, or a mixture thereof.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one aliphatic epoxy resin has an epoxy equivalent weight of about 90 to 350.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second component comprises an amine.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the amine comprises an amidoamine, aliphatic amine, cycloaliphatic amine, waterborne amine, water dispersed amine, dicyandiamide, polyoxyalkyleneamine, amino functional phenolic resin, isophorone diamine or piperazine.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the coating composition has a minimum film-forming temperature that is lowered by the at least one aliphatic epoxy resin.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the coating composition has a minimum film-forming temperature of less than about 20° C.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first or second component further comprises one or more pigments.

15. The method of claim 1 , further comprising mixing the first and second components to form the aqueous film-forming curable coating composition, and applying the coating onto a substrate.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the substrate comprises an article having major and minor surfaces, and the coating composition is applied to at least one major surface of the substrate and up to four minor surfaces of the substrate, including edges.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the applied coating composition, when cured, can withstand at least 30 freeze-thaw cycles.

18. A method for preparing an aqueous film-forming curable coating composition comprising:

mixing at least one latex polymer and at least one aliphatic epoxy resin having an epoxy equivalent weight less than 1000 and being distinct from the at least one latex polymer to provide an aqueous first component; and

providing a second component having reactive groups that can react with the at least one er-mere aliphatic epoxy resin;

wherein a mixture of the first and second components provides the aqueous film-forming curable coating composition; and wherein the at least one latex polymer comprises acetoacetoxy-functionality.

19. A method for preparing an aqueous film-forming curable coating composition comprising:

mixing at least one latex polymer and at least one aliphatic epoxy resin having an epoxy equivalent weight less than 1000 and being distinct from the at least one latex polymer to provide an aqueous first component; and

providing a second component having reactive groups that can react with the at least one aliphatic epoxy resin;

wherein a mixture of the first and second components provides the aqueous film-forming curable coating composition; and wherein the first or second component further comprises a water-soluble silicate salt.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the silicate salt is potassium silicate, ammonium silicate, sodium silicate, lithium silicate, or a mixture thereof.

21. A method for preparing an aqueous film-forming curable coating composition comprising:

mixing at least one latex polymer and at least one aliphatic epoxy resin having an epoxy equivalent weight less than 1000 and being distinct from the at least one latex polymer to provide an aqueous first component; and

providing a second component having reactive groups that can react with the at least one aliphatic epoxy resin;

wherein a mixture of the first and second components provides the aqueous film-forming curable coating composition; and wherein the first or second component further comprises one or more olefinic compounds and the coating composition is radiation curable.

22. A method for preparing an aqueous low-VOC film-forming curable coating composition comprising:

mixing at least one latex polymer and at least one aliphatic epoxy resin having an epoxy equivalent weight less than 1000 and being distinct from the at least one latex polymer to provide an aqueous first component; and

providing a second component having reactive groups that can react with the at least one aliphatic epoxy resin;

wherein the at least one latex polymer is selected from the group consisting of single-phase latex polymers having a Tg of at least 5° C. and multi-stage latex polymers having a hard segment with a Tg between 30 and 70° C. and a soft segment with a Tg between 0 and 25° C.;

wherein a mixture of the first and second components provides the aqueous low-VOC film-forming curable coating composition; and

wherein the coating composition: has a VOC content of less than about 5%, based on the total weight of the coating composition; does not contain a volatile reactive coalescing agent; contains about 5 to about 60 wt. % solids based on the total weight of non-volatile components in the coating composition; and contains at least about 2 wt. % and less than about 40 wt. % aliphatic epoxy resin based upon total solids in the coating composition.

23. A method for preparing an aqueous film-forming curable coating composition comprising:

mixing at least one latex polymer and at least one aliphatic epoxy resin having an epoxy equivalent weight less than 1000 and being distinct from the at least one latex polymer to provide an aqueous first component; and

providing a second component having reactive groups that can react with the at least one aliphatic epoxy resin;

wherein a mixture of the first and second components provides the aqueous film-forming curable coating composition; and

further comprising mixing the first and second components to form the aqueous film-forming curable coating composition, and applying the coating composition onto a substrate, wherein the substrate comprises cement.

24. A method for preparing an aqueous film-forming curable coating composition comprising:

mixing at least one latex polymer and at least one aliphatic epoxy resin having an epoxy equivalent weight less than 1000 and being distinct from the at least one latex polymer to provide an aqueous first component; and

providing a second component having reactive groups that can react with the at least one aliphatic epoxy resin;

wherein a mixture of the first and second components provides the aqueous film-forming curable coating composition; and

further comprising mixing the first and second components to form the aqueous film-forming curable coating composition, and applying the coating composition onto a substrate, wherein the substrate comprises cement fiberboard.

25. A method for preparing an aqueous film-forming curable coating composition comprising:

mixing at least one latex polymer and at least one aliphatic epoxy resin having an epoxy equivalent weight less than 1000 and being distinct from the at least one latex polymer to provide an aqueous first component; and

providing a second component having reactive groups that can react with the at least one aliphatic epoxy resin;

wherein a mixture of the first and second components provides the aqueous film-forming curable coating composition; and

further comprising (i), (ii), or (iii): (i) applying a latex-containing primer onto a substrate before applying the coating composition onto the substrate, (ii) applying a latex-containing topcoat after applying the coating composition onto a substrate, and (iii) both (i) and (ii).

26. The method of claim 25 , wherein the latex-containing primer or the latex-containing topcoat comprise a functionalized latex polymer, a multistage latex polymer or a functionalized multistage latex polymer.

27. The method of claim 25 , wherein the latex-containing topcoat is applied after applying the coating composition onto the substrate, and the latex-containing topcoat comprises an acetoacetoxy-functional latex polymer.

28. The method of claim 25 , wherein the latex-containing topcoat is applied after applying the coating composition onto the substrate, while the coating composition is wet.

29. The method of claim 25 , wherein the first or second component further comprises one or more olefinic compounds and the coating composition is radiation curable; and further comprising radiation-curing the applied coating composition.