Method for incorporating water soluble, reactive, phosphorescent pigments into a stable waterborne coating through pH buffering

Abstract

Stable, phosphorescent, water-based coating compositions include a latex emulsion, at least one metal aluminate pigment as a source of phosphorescence, and an effective buffering amount of a buffering agent, which may be an organic acid. The ratio of metal aluminum phosphorescent pigment to latex binder in the latex emulsion may be in the range of about 0.5:1 to about 2.0:1. The effective amount of buffering agent may be from about 0.1% to about 10% with respect to emulsion weight. Compositions according to the present invention may have useful shelf lives of six months or longer. Methods of using the phosphorescent latex coatings and coated substrates are also taught.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.