Patent ID: 7482040

Claim:
A process comprising: applying a mixture comprising a resin and inorganic particles to a metallic substrate and drying to form a polymeric, corrosion-resistant, electrically conductive and electrically weldable dried coating; wherein said inorganic particles comprise electrically conductive particles; wherein the mixture comprises at least 10 wt. % of the electrically conductive particles having an electrical conductivity better than that of particles of pure zinc and having a Mohs hardness of greater than 4, based on a total solids contents of the mixture; and wherein the electrically conductive particles have a particle size distribution; wherein the transfer value d 99 relative to the transfer value d 10 in a volume plot has a factor of at most 10; wherein 3 to 22 vol. % of the electrically conductive particles, in a measured volume plot are larger than the average layer thickness of the dried coating, determined on scanning electron microscopy photograph; wherein the coating has a thickness of less than 10 μm; wherein at least a portion of the electrically conductive particles project out of the polymeric coating; and wherein at least a portion of the electrically conductive particles have a Mobs hardness of at least 5.5.