Car Knowledge | How many layers are there in car paint? Do you really know?
Car paint is generally composed of four basic components: film-forming substances, pigments, solvents and additives.
①. Film-forming substances
This is the main component of car paint. It is generally made of natural resin or artificial resin. Its function is to keep the pigment in a bright state, make it strong and durable, and adhere to the surface of the car body or parts. It is the substance that determines the type of car paint.
②, pigment
This is a non-volatile substance in car paint. It determines the color and durability of the topcoat. It also gives the car paint hiding power, improves strength and adhesion, changes gloss, improves fluidity and painting performance.
③、Solvent
This is a volatile component in car paint. Its main function is to fully dissolve the resin in the paint film so that the car paint can be sprayed normally. Since traditional solvents are volatile organic compounds, which have pungent odors and are harmful to the human body and the environment, many car brands have begun to replace traditional volatile organic compounds with water. This is water-based paint.
④. Additives
This proportion in car paint does not exceed 5%, but its role cannot be underestimated. Common additives include curing agents, retarders, matting agents, etc. These additives play an important role in improving the physical and chemical properties of car paint.
How many layers of car paint are there in total?
If your vehicle is scratched, you may find that there is more than one coat of paint. In fact, car paint is made up of many layers. Generally speaking, the structure of car paint consists of primer, midcoat, topcoat and clearcoat from inside to outside.
Primer is used to form a solid, stable, and smooth layer of paint on the metal surface, laying a good foundation for the spraying of topcoat. It also has an anti-rust effect.
The mid-coat paint is between the primer and the topcoat. It usually appears on mid-to-high-end cars. In addition to having good adhesion and bonding force with the upper and lower coatings, it also has the ability to fill and polish, thereby achieving a smooth surface. s surface.
The topcoat is a coating based on the primer to express the color of the car body.
Varnish is a colorless, transparent and glossy coating. It is the top layer of car paint. It forms a thin film on the surface of the topcoat, which is specially used to protect the topcoat and also bring brightness to the surface of the topcoat.
The so-called “car paint” refers to the “topcoat” and does not refer to the “primer” or “clearcoat”.
Why is car paint dull?
After a vehicle has been driven for a long time, the paint is in contact with the outside world and is subject to interference from external factors and the influence of the external environment, making it vulnerable to “harm”.
The major “killers” that damage car paint include:
1. Ultraviolet rays – Ultraviolet rays in the sun will reduce the oil content inside the car paint, causing the car paint to appear dry, rough, and weakened in brightness.
2. Harmful gases – such as SO2. The friction between the car and the air during driving causes static electricity to be generated on the surface of the car body. The static electricity absorbs gas molecules in the air through adsorption. If the harmful gas molecules are attached to the surface of the car paint for a long time, they will A film is formed on the surface of the car paint, causing the paint surface to darken and seriously affecting the quality of waxing.
3. Acid rain – The main damage caused by acid rain to car paint is the corrosion of the paint surface. Especially in the spring and autumn when acid rain is more frequent, the damage to the paint surface is even more continuous.
Regular maintenance of car paint is essential
The paint surface is equivalent to the “face” of your car. If it lacks maintenance, it can easily make your car lose its “face”.
Ultraviolet rays in the sun can easily cause damage to car paint. When parking, it is best to park the vehicle in a cool place or an underground garage to avoid direct sunlight.
When it rains, because the rainwater contains acidic components, if these acidic components adhere to the surface of the car paint, it will cause damage to the car paint. Therefore, the vehicle should be cleaned in time after the rain.
How often is the appropriate time to wash your car?
Some car owners go to wash the car as soon as they see dust on the car; some car owners are too lazy to wash the car, and the car body almost turns into a map before going to wash the car. In fact, both of these methods are not advisable. Generally speaking, it is appropriate to wash your car once a week.
Washing your car too frequently will accelerate the oxidation of the paint. When washing a car, there is always some dust and sand in the air, and some dust will also adhere to the car wash cloth in the car wash shop. Therefore, whenever the car is washed, there will always be a trace of wear and tear, causing minor scratches on the car.
At the same time, the car wash liquid in a car wash shop always has a certain pH. If you wash too frequently, the number of reactions between the car wash liquid and the car paint will increase, which is not conducive to the maintenance of the car paint.