Liquid coating composition containing a latent catalyst

1. A liquid coating composition containing a crosslinkable binder A, as an optional component a crosslinker B for the binder A, and a latent catalyst C, wherein C is a carboxyl-functional resin which is present in the liquid coating composition as particles having a melting temperature of 40 to 180° C., measured by DSC at a heating rate of 10 K/min, wherein the crosslinkable binder A is a hydroxyl-functional binder that has a hydroxyl value of from about 60 to about 300 mg of KOH/g, and wherein the crosslinkable binder A is a liquid at room temperature, wherein the liquid coating composition is free of an epoxy-functional component.

2. The coating composition of claim 1 containing organic solvent(s) and/or water and having a solids content of 35 to 75 wt. %, wherein the solids content consists of the resin solids content, the latent catalyst C and optional components: pigments, fillers and further non-volatile additives.

3. The coating composition of claim 1 , wherein the binder A is a self-crosslinkable binder.

4. The coating composition of claim 1 , wherein the crosslinker B is selected from the group consisting of aminoplast crosslinkers and free polyisocyanate crosslinkers.

5. The coating composition of claim 1 , wherein the catalyst C is contained in a proportion of 1 to 10 wt. %, relative to the resin solids of the coating composition.

6. The coating composition of claim 1 , wherein the catalyst C has an acid value originating from its carboxyl groups of 50 to 350 mg of KOH/g.

7. The coating composition of claim 1 , wherein the catalyst C is a polyester resin or a polyurethane resin.

8. The coating composition of claim 1 , wherein the melting temperature of the catalyst C is from about 60 to about 160° C.

9. The coating composition of claim 1 , wherein the solubility of the catalyst C is less than 10 g per liter of butyl acetate or water at 20° C.

10. The coating composition of claim 1 , wherein the average particle size of the catalyst C particles determined by means of laser diffraction is 1 to 100 μm.

11. A process for the production of a coating layer on a substrate, comprising the steps:

1) applying a coating layer of a liquid coating composition on a substrate, wherein the liquid coating composition contains a crosslinkable binder A, as an optional component a crosslinker B for the binder A, and a latent catalyst C, wherein C is a carboxyl-functional resin which is present in the liquid coating composition as particles having a melting temperature of 40 to 180° C., measured by DSC at a heating rate of 10 K/min, wherein the crosslinkable binder A is a hydroxyl-functional binder that has a hydroxyl value of from about 60 to about 300 mg of KOH/g, and wherein the crosslinkable binder A is a liquid at room temperature, wherein the liquid coating composition is free of an epoxy-functional component, and

2) thermally curing the coating layer at an object temperature at or above the melting temperature of the catalyst C.