To examine the action of acid atmospheric precipitation on the light stabilisers in automotive coatings two common clearcoat types (TSA and 2K-PU) blended with commercially available HALS and UVA were subjected to artificial weathering (Acid Dew and Fog test and Acid-free weathering test) and natural weathering outdoors in Jacksonville, FL. Tracing gloss and haze during weathering the test results showed that the influence of acid stress on the long-term performance of the clearcoats depended on the kind of the stabilisation system.
As the results of a 14 weeks outdoor exposure of a series of automotive coatings in South Florida, the panels were found to be overgrown with an almost closed layer of mildew. Pinholes remained as permanent surface damage after removing the mildew mycelium. The extent of the damage differed in dependence of the kind of the coating. By tracing the images and profiles of the coating surfaces systematically over all phases of weathering and the subsequent cleaning procedure, a connection between formation of pinholes and mildew growth could be found. Outdoor weathering tests in other regions of Florida as well as in Europe and Australia showed that pinholes caused by mildew attack could also be found in all other locations, but always to a lower extent than in South Florida. The standardised mildew tests EN ISO 846 and MIL-STD 810F for laboratory exposure failed to reproduce the formation of pinholes.