Rapidly low temperature curable high gas barrier coating

A high-barrier, moisture-insensitive coating containing at least 2% by weight solids in water, wherein the solids portion of the composition comprises:

• a. from 25 to 55% by weight, a nonpolymeric organic binder comprising at least one member selected from the group consisting of melamine, formaldehyde, derivatives of melamine, and derivatives of formaldehyde, where such derivatives are capable of chelation with boric acid;
• b. optionally, a water-soluble or water dispersible organic binder, selected from the group consisting of
• i) polysaccharides and cellulosic materials selected from cellulose, hydroxymethyl cellulose, carboxymethyl cellulose, amylose, pluran, starch, and hydroxyethyl cellulose;
• ii) water-soluble ethylene-vinyl alcohol (EVOH) copolymers;
• iii) water-soluble polyamides;
• iv) melamine formaldehyde resin;
• v) polyethylene glycol;
• and
• vi) blends thereof;
• c. from 10% up to 70% by weight, based on the dry weight of the first coating layer, an inorganic laminar mineral selected from the group consisting of montmorillonite, laponite, organo-modified montmorillonite and mixtures thereof;
• d. from 2 to 12% by weight, based on the dry weight of the first coating layer, boric acid;
• and
• e. from 0 to 6% by weight, based on the dry weight of the first coating layer, of a hydroxyl-containing species, other than poly(vinyl alcohol), that has two hydroxyl groups on one side of the molecule with which the boric acid can form a chelate.