Water-based coating for color sampling

1. A method of making a color sampling display product, the method comprising:

providing an unsized paper substrate selected from card stock, paper board, or laminate with a thickness of 50 μm to 125 μm and having at least a first major surface to which a coating composition can be applied;

applying a film-forming amount of a radiation-curable acrylic coating composition comprising

a water-based polymer composition; and

a support polymer composition

to the first surface of the unsized paper substrate to form a visually opaque colored film; and

using electron beam radiation to cure the applied coating composition onto the first surface of the paper substrate,

wherein the coating composition is substantially free of volatile organic compounds, and comprises no more than 2 wt-% surfactant, and

wherein the color sampling display product comprises a device for accurate display of one or more colors.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the device is a color card.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the device is not wrinkled, buckled or curled by the application of the coating composition.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the water-based polymer composition further comprises a water-dispersible polymer selected from the group consisting of polyurethanes, epoxies, polyamides, chlorinated polyolefins, acrylics, oil-modified polymers, polyesters and mixtures thereof.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the water-dispersible polymer is an ethylenically unsaturated polyurethane.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the ethylenically unsaturated polyurethane comprises (meth)acrylate functionality.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the ethylenic unsaturation comprises auto-oxidative carbon-carbon double bonds.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the support polymer comprises a latex emulsion.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the latex emulsion comprises at least a first stage comprising a styrene-acrylic emulsion.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the latex emulsion is alkali soluble.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising an efficacious amount of a performance-enhancing additive.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the performance-enhancing additive is selected from the group consisting of waxes, flatting agents, mar and abrasion additives, and mixtures or combinations thereof.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the performance-enhancing additive comprises a water-soluble linear polymer with a weight average molecular weight (M w ) of about 300 to about 1000.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the water-soluble linear polymer comprises polyethylene glycol with a weight average molecular weight (M w ) of about 400 to about 800.