04/23/2010

Liquid Metal as an automotive paint

• BASF Coatings lends car a metallic appearance

Münster. Daimler and BASF Coatings have joined forces to develop the Alubeam paint that lends a special fascination to the F 800 Style by Mercedes Benz.BASF's Liquid Metal basecoat immerses the car in a radiant deep gloss, making it look as if it were made of chrome rather than painted.The research vehicle's latest appearance was at the Geneva Motor Show.

The F 800 Style's appearance was a key factor in the sensation.The new coating gleams like liquid metal.Alubeam stretches around the body like a metallic skin, lending the F 800 Style coated in gray metallic a highly dynamic note. The successful integration of a special-effect pigment into a waterborne paint system is the key to the unique metallic look.This makes the system environmentally friendly, complying with all environmental legislation.

Like a metallic skin

Liquid Metal paintsuse aluminum flakes as effect pigments.For the latest generation of Liquid Metal paints, BASF uses so-called PVDA pigments (physical vapor deposited aluminum).As a result, the paint has a more uniform appearance and seems to stretch across the car’s body like a metallic skin, emphasizing the important lines and contours of the vehicle design more significantly.The surfaces can reflect the light with greater intensity and are given additional gloss.The resulting metallic look has an intensity that could not previously be achieved with conventional metallic paints.

BASF Coatings’ Liquid Metal is available today as an environmentally friendly waterborne basecoat and complies with the required specifications for adhesion and weathering.Add-on parts can be painted in the color of the vehicle, too.