Product and process for low gloss coating

Abstract

This disclosure describes a composition and a process for forming silica particles as either a neat film or in polymers during curing at atmospheric pressure and room temperature or thermal or radiation curing. The process includes formation of a nanoparticle precursor solution comprising a small amount of a particulate matting agent such as a silica powder matting agent in combination with a low viscosity liquid silica precursor materials such as a liquid alkoxide, alkoxysilane, tetraethylorthosilicate, sol gel silica or combinations thereof. The precursor solution can be applied to surfaces either neat to form a film upon heating or mixed into a curing polymer resin. The precursor has low viscosity so that it can be easily mixed into the resin, but during curing of the resin, the precursor rapidly forms particles, usually less than 10 microns in size depending on the concentration of the precursor used and the polymer composition.