Road Marking

One of the most common types of road marking based on its balance between cost and performance longevity, thermoplastic binder systems are generally based on one of three core chemistries: rosin esters or maleic modified rosin esters.

Thermoplastic coatings are generally homogeneous dry mixes of binder resins, plasticizers, glass beads (or other optics), pigments, and fillers.

Their use has increased over paints mainly due to the performance benefits of increased durability, retro-reflectivity, and a lack of VOC solvent.

Road Marking Paints can be solvent based, water based and thermoplastic.

Thermoplastics are applied hot were the binder in the formulation acts as “solvent” while molten and binder when cold. They have two important advantages over its solvent based and water based counterparts: Very fast setting just by cooling and are water/solvent free.

Rosin esters and modified rosin esters are used to formulate thermoplastic paints where they serve the sole or main binder.

Rosins esters have quite an advantage over hydrocarbonics as they are easier to formulate (good pigment and filler wetting) and impart superior mechanical properties to the thermoplastic.