THERMOPLASTIC COATING COMPOSITIONS AND PROCESS USING SAME FOR THE PREPARATION OF DECORATIVE COATINGS

This invention provides for a coating composition comprising: (A) at least one polymeric material selected from (i) at least one homopolymer of ethylene having a melt index of at least about 220 grams per ten minutes as determined by ASTM D1238, condition 190/2.16, (ii) at least one copolymer of ethylene and a second ethylenically unsaturated monomer having a melt index of at least about 20 grams per ten minutes as determined by ASTM D1238, condition 190/2.16, or (iii) a mixture of (i) and (ii); and (B) at least one thermoplastic polymeric material different than (A) having a melting point in the range of about 80 DEG C. to about 130 DEG C. and being miscible with (A). The invention further provides for a process for applying the foregoing coating composition to a substrate such as glass, ceramic, metal, fiberboard, textile or plastic substrate (e.g., glass jars or bottles) preferably using hot melt screen printing; the process employs a low-temperature cure that requires only a relatively brief cure time (e g., less than about one second). The coating composition can be reheated to obtain higher gloss and/or enhance the adhesion of the coating to the substrate.