Process for the production of a dark-color multi-layer coating

1. A process for the production of a dark-color multi-layer coating, comprising the successive steps:

(1) applying an NIR-opaque coating layer A′ from a solventborne pigmented coating composition A to a substrate,

(2) applying a coating layer B′ from a solventborne pigmented coating composition B onto the substrate provided with coating layer A′,

(3) subjecting the coated substrate obtained in step (2) to a drying step,

(4) applying a clear coat layer from a clear coat composition onto the coated substrate obtained in step (3), and

(5) thermally curing the coating layers applied in steps (1), (2), and (4) simultaneously;

wherein both coating compositions A and B comprise resin solids consisting of binder solids plus crosslinker solids comprising melamine-formaldehyde resin crosslinker, wherein coating composition A comprises at least one component selected from the group consisting of (i) (a) >5 to 20 wt. % of cellulose ester binder and up to 10 wt % of NAD binder or (b) 10 to 100 wt. % of NAD binder and up to 5 wt. % of cellulose ester binder, the wt. % in each case being based on the weight of the binder solids of coating composition A, (ii) 0.2 to 1.5 wt %, based on the weight of the resin solids of coating composition A, of sheet silicate, (iii) 0.5 to 2 wt. %, based on the weight of the resin solids of coating composition A, of fumed silica, (iv) 0.5 to 2.5 wt. %, based on the weight of the resin solids of coating composition A, of urea SCA and (v) 0.5 to 8 wt. %, based on the weight of the resin solids of coating composition A, of polyolefine wax,

wherein coating composition B comprises at least one component selected from the group consisting of (i′) (a) >5 to 20 wt. % of cellulose ester binder and up to 10 wt. % of NAD binder or (b) 10 to 100 wt. % of NAD binder and up to 5 wt. % of cellulose ester binder, the wt. % in each case being based on the weight of the binder solids of coating composition B, (ii′) 0.2 to 1.5 wt. %, based on the weight of the resin solids of coating composition B, of sheet silicate, (iii′) 0.5 to 2 wt. %, based on the weight of the resin solids of coating composition B, of fumed silica, (iv′) 0.5 to 2.5 wt. %, based on the weight of the resin solids of coating composition B, of urea SCA and (v′) 0.5 to 8 wt. %, based on the weight of the resin solids of coating composition B, of polyolefine wax,

wherein the pigment content of coating composition A comprises <90 wt. % of aluminum flake pigments and is composed in such a way that NIR-opaque coating layer A′ exhibits an NIR reflection of at least 48% over the entire wavelength range of 780 to 1600 nm and of at least 30% over the entire wavelength range above 1600 to 2100 nm,

wherein the pigment content of coating composition B consists 50 to 100 wt. % of at least one black pigment with low NIR absorption and 0 to 50 wt. % of at least one further pigment, which is selected in such a way that coating layer B′ exhibits an NIR reflection of at least 33% over the entire NIR wavelength range of 780 to 2100 nm if it were applied and dried or cured NIR-opaque coating pigmented exclusively with aluminium flake pigment and that the dark-color multi-layer coating exhibits a brightness L* (according to CIEL*a*b*, DIN 6174), measured at an illumination angle of 45 degrees to the perpendicular (surface normal) and an observation angle of 45 degrees to the specular (specular reflection), of at most 10 units.

2. The process of claim 1 , wherein the pigment content of coating composition A comprises less than 25 wt. % of aluminum flake pigments.

3. The process of claim 1 , wherein coating composition A is a solid color coating composition free of special effect pigments.

4. The process of claim 1 , wherein the pigment content of coating composition A comprises 80 to 100 wt. % of titanium dioxide.

5. The process of claim 1 , wherein coating composition A does not contain any carbon black.

6. The process of claim 1 , wherein coating composition A comprises components (i) (a) and (v).

7. The process of claim 1 , wherein coating composition A comprises components (i) (b) and (ii), or components (i) (b) and (iii), or components (i) (b), (ii) and (iii).

8. The process of claim 1 , wherein the at least one black pigment with low NIR absorption is selected from the group consisting of iron oxide black pigments, mixed metal/iron oxide black pigments and perylene black pigments.

9. The process of claim 1 , wherein coating composition B does not contain any carbon black.

10. The process of claim 1 , wherein coating composition B comprises components (i′) (a) and (v′).

11. The process of claim 1 , wherein coating composition B comprises components (i′) (b) and (ii′), or components (i′) (b) and (iii′), or components (i′) (b), (ii′) and (iii′).

12. The process of claim 1 , wherein coating layer B′ is a transparent or a visually opaque coating layer.

13. The process of claim 1 , wherein coating composition B is applied to coating layer A′ when at least 50 wt. % of the volatiles of coating composition A are still present in coating layer A′.

14. The process of claim 1 , wherein coating composition B is applied within 10 to 600 seconds of the application of coating composition A.

15. The process of claim 1 , carried out in the context of an industrial mass production coating process.