Improving mechanical properties of water-based acrylic aoatings through changing the pH of the nanoparticles dispersions

Different methods applied to improve mechanical properties of water-based road marking paints. In this study colloidal dispersions of fumed silica, methacrylsilane treated fumed silica and alumina nanoparticles in different pHs were used in the paint formulation. Dispersion of nanoparticles in the aqueous media and in the coating films was evaluated using turbidity meter and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), respectively. Mechanical properties of the coatings were evaluated through stress-strain analysis (SSA) according to the ASTM D2370. The results showed the untreated and treated silica nanoparticles, both increase work-to-break, as a representative for the abrasion resistance of the coatings, and therefore improve the mechanical properties of the coatings. In more details, the colloids of methacrylsilane treated fumed silica in pH 9 increases work-to-break of the coatings by 6.4 folds.