# US 9,752,233 B2 · Process and seal coat for improving paint adhesion > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,752,233 B2 - Document ID: US9752233B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/792,789 - Filed: 2015-07-07 - Published: 2015-10-29 - Granted: 2017-09-05 - Earliest claimed: 2010-12-15 - Assignees: Bulk Chemicals, Inc. - Applicants: Bulk Chemicals, Inc. - Inventors: Ted M. Schlosser; Jose B. Rivera - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9752233B2 ## CPC - C23C 22/60: using alkaline aqueous solutions with pH greater than 8 - B05D 3/102: {Pretreatment of metallic substrates (C23C takes precedence)} - C09D 5/002: {Priming paints (C09D5/08 takes precedence)} - C09D 5/084: {Inorganic compounds} - C09D 129/04: Polyvinyl alcohol; Partially hydrolysed homopolymers or copolymers of esters of unsaturated alcohols with saturated carboxylic acids - C23C 22/62: Treatment of iron or alloys based thereon - C23C 22/68: using aqueous solutions with pH between 6 and 8 - C23C 22/78: Pretreatment of the material to be coated - C25D 13/20: Pretreatment - B05D 7/51: {One specific pretreatment, e.g. phosphatation, chromatation, in combination with one specific coating (pretreatment of metallic substrates C23C; pretreatment before coating in general B05D3/00)} - C23C: COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL (making metal-coated products by extrusion B21C23/22; covering with metal by connecting pre-existing layers to articles, see the relevant places, e.g. B21D39/00, B23K; metallising of glass C03C; metallising mortars, concrete, artificial stone, ceramics or natural stone C04B41/00; enamelling of, or applying a vitreous layer to, metals C23D; treating metal surfaces or coating of metals by electrolysis or electrophoresis C25D; single-crystal film growth C30B; by metallising textiles D06M11/83; decorating textiles by locally metallising D06Q1/04) - B05D: PROCESSES FOR APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL (conveying articles or workpieces through baths of liquid B65G, e.g. B65G49/02) - C09D: COATING COMPOSITIONS, e.g. PAINTS, VARNISHES OR LACQUERS; FILLING PASTES; CHEMICAL PAINT OR INK REMOVERS; INKS; CORRECTING FLUIDS; WOODSTAINS; PASTES OR SOLIDS FOR COLOURING OR PRINTING; USE OF MATERIALS THEREFOR (cosmetics A61K; processes for applying liquids or other fluent materials to surfaces, in general, B05D; staining wood B27K5/02; glazes or vitreous enamels C03C; natural resins, French polish, drying-oils, driers, turpentine, per se, C09F; polishing compositions other than French polish, ski waxes C09G; adhesives or use of materials as adhesives C09J; materials for sealing or packing joints or covers C09K3/10; materials for stopping leaks C09K3/12; processes for the electrolytic or electrophoretic production of coatings C25D) - C25D: PROCESSES FOR THE ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PRODUCTION OF COATINGS; ELECTROFORMING; APPARATUS THEREFOR ## Abstract Aqueous compositions useful as pretreatments prior to painting and to reduce the formation of rust in the uncoated condition consist essentially of water, an organo-functional silane, a compound of a Group IV-B element, and optionally a polyvinyl alcohol, stabilizing agents, wetting agents, thickeners, and biocides, and have an alkaline pH>7. A process for treating a metal surface includes contacting the surface with such an aqueous composition. The compositions and processes were found to have further benefits in comparison to the zinc phosphate metal pretreatment thought to be the standard in the industry. Preferably, the pH of the compositions is alkaline, which has been found to improve the efficacy of a silane as a surface treatment to improve uniformity of paint adhesion. By operating in the alkaline pH range, it was found that flash rusting and/or blush rust were significantly reduced. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An aqueous pretreatment composition for treating a metal surface, said composition comprising water, an organo-functional silane, a compound of a Group IV-B element, a polyvinyl alcohol in a concentration ranging from 1.0×10−4 to 1.0×10−3 wt. %, and optionally stabilizing agents, wetting agents, thickeners, and biocides, wherein the composition has an alkaline pH>7. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The aqueous pretreatment composition of claim 1, wherein the compound of a group IV-B element is an acid selected from the group consisting of fluorozirconic acid, fluorotitanic acid, and fluorohafnic acid. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The aqueous pretreatment composition of claim 2, wherein the acid is fluorozirconic acid. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The aqueous pretreatment composition of claim 1, wherein the organo-functional silane is selected from the group consisting of an aminopropyltriethoxy silane, a mercapto silane, and an epoxy silane. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The aqueous pretreatment composition of claim 4, wherein the organo-functional silane is an aminopropyltriethoxy silane. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The aqueous pretreatment composition of claim 1, wherein the organo-functional silane is an aminopropyltriethoxy silane and the compound of a group IV-B element is fluorozirconic acid. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The aqueous pretreatment composition of claim 1, wherein the composition has a pH of from >7 to about 11. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The aqueous pretreatment composition of claim 1, wherein the composition has a pH of from >7 to about 8.5. ### Claim 9 A process for treating a metal surface, said process comprising the step of: contacting the metal surface with an aqueous pretreatment composition comprising water, an organo-functional silane, a compound of a Group IV-B element, and a polyvinyl alcohol in a concentration ranging from 1.0×10−4 to 1.0×10−3 wt. %, and optionally stabilizing agents, wetting agents, thickeners, and biocides, wherein the composition has an alkaline pH>7. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The process of claim 9 further comprising, before the contacting step: contacting the metal surface with an aqueous composition comprising fluorozirconic acid and colloidal silica, followed by a water rinse. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The process of claim 10 further comprising, after contacting the rinsed metal surface with the aqueous pretreatment composition: applying a coating of paint to the metal surface. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The process of claim 10 further comprising, after contacting the rinsed metal surface with the aqueous pretreatment composition: rinsing the metal surface with water; and then applying a coating of paint to the metal surface. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The process of claim 12, wherein the applying step comprises applying a coating of paint to the metal surface by electrocoating. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The process of claim 9 further comprising, before the contacting step: cleaning the metal surface with an aqueous silicated cleaner and rinsing; then contacting the rinsed metal surface with an aqueous composition comprising fluorozirconic acid and colloidal silica, followed by a water rinse. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The process of claim 14 further comprising, after contacting the rinsed metal surface with the aqueous pretreatment composition: applying a coating of paint to the metal surface. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The process of claim 14 further comprising, after contacting the rinsed metal surface with an aqueous pretreatment composition: rinsing the metal surface with water; and then applying a coating of paint to the metal surface. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The process of claim 16, wherein the applying step comprises applying a coating of paint to the metal surface by electrocoating. ### Claim 18 (depends on 9) The process of claim 9, wherein the compound of a group IV-B element is an acid selected from the group consisting of fluorozirconic acid, fluorotitanic acid, and fluorohafnic acid. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The process of claim 18, wherein the acid is fluorozirconic acid. ### Claim 20 (depends on 10) The process of claim 10, wherein the organo-functional silane is selected from the group consisting of an aminopropyltriethoxy silane, a mercapto silane, and an epoxy silane. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The process of claim 20, wherein the organo-functional silane is the aminopropyltriethoxy silane. ### Claim 22 (depends on 9) The process of claim 9, wherein the organo-functional silane is an aminopropyltriethoxy silane and the compound of a group IV-B element is fluorozirconic acid. ### Claim 23 (depends on 9) The process of claim 9, wherein the composition has a pH of from >7 to about 11. ### Claim 24 (depends on 9) The process of claim 9, wherein the composition has a pH of from >7 to about 8.5.