I. Basic Properties of Oxidized Polyethylene Wax

Oxidized polyethylene wax is a chemical substance obtained through oxidation treatment of polyethylene wax. While retaining some of the original properties of polyethylene wax, it also acquires new characteristics due to the oxidation reaction, endowing it with unique application value in road marking paints.

In terms of appearance, oxidized polyethylene wax is usually white or light yellow powder, granules, or flakes (as shown in Figure 1). This appearance characteristic allows it to be well dispersed when mixed with other components of road marking paints, without significantly affecting the overall color of the paint due to excessive color difference.

In terms of chemical structure, the molecular chain of oxidized polyethylene wax contains a certain amount of polar groups such as hydroxyl and carboxyl groups. The presence of these polar groups enables it to have good compatibility with polar components such as resins in road marking paints, which is an important basis for its role in road marking paints.

Its melting point is generally between 80 – 120°C. This melting point range allows it to melt at a certain temperature and fully mix with other components during the production process of road marking paints, and also to quickly cool and solidify after the paint is applied, ensuring the early strength of the paint.

In addition, oxidized polyethylene wax has a relatively low viscosity, which can reduce the viscosity of the coating system, improving the fluidity and workability of the paint. At the same time, it also has a certain degree of hardness, wear resistance, and chemical stability, which can provide good protective performance for road marking paints.

II. Specific Applications in Road Marking Paints

(I) Enhancing the Wear Resistance of the Paint

Road marking paints are exposed to the outdoor environment for a long time and are subject to vehicle rolling, pedestrian trampling, and natural environmental erosion. Therefore, wear resistance is one of its important performance indicators. Oxidized polyethylene wax, with its own hardness and lubricity, can form a tough protective film on the surface of the paint.

When vehicle tires or other objects come into contact with the surface of the road marking paint, this protective film can reduce the friction coefficient and the degree of wear. Relevant experimental data show that the wear resistance of road marking paints with an appropriate amount of oxidized polyethylene wax can be improved by 20% – 30% compared with those without, greatly extending the service life of the road markings. The difference can be clearly seen from the wear comparison experiment in Figure 2. The surface of the paint without oxidized polyethylene wax has significantly deeper and denser wear marks, while the wear condition of the paint surface with the addition is significantly improved.

(II) Improving the Anti-adhesion Property of the Paint

After road marking paints are applied, they need a period of time to fully dry and cure. Before being completely dry, if affected by external factors, such as tire adhesion after vehicle rolling and contact with other objects, coating adhesion is prone to occur, affecting the appearance and performance of the road markings.

Oxidized polyethylene wax can form a smooth film on the surface of the paint, reducing the adhesion of the coating surface, thereby effectively improving the anti-adhesion property of the paint. Even when the paint is not completely dry, it can reduce the occurrence of adhesion, ensuring the integrity of the road markings. Figure 3 shows the results of a simulated anti-adhesion experiment. The paint without oxidized polyethylene wax shows obvious adhesion after simulated external contact, while the paint with the addition remains relatively independent with slight adhesion.

(III) Enhancing the Scratch Resistance of the Paint

In daily traffic, road markings are inevitably scratched by sharp objects such as stones and metal fragments. The addition of oxidized polyethylene wax can increase the surface hardness of road marking paints. When sharp objects scratch the surface of the paint, it can resist the scratching force and reduce the generation of scratches.

This not only maintains the clear appearance of the road markings but also prevents the coating from falling off due to rainwater penetration at the scratch, further ensuring the service life of the road markings. In Figure 4, when sharp objects are used to scratch the two groups of paints in the experiment, the surface of the paint without oxidized polyethylene wax has many and deep scratches, while the surface of the paint with the addition has significantly fewer and shallower scratches.

(IV) Optimizing the Fluidity and Workability of the Paint

During the construction of road marking paints, good fluidity is required to be evenly applied on the road surface to form a flat and smooth coating. Oxidized polyethylene wax has a low viscosity. Adding it to road marking paints can reduce the viscosity of the coating system and improve the fluidity of the paint.

This makes the paint easier to spread during construction, able to adapt to different construction environments and methods, and improves construction efficiency and quality. At the same time, good fluidity also helps to reduce the generation of bubbles during the curing process of the paint, ensuring the compactness of the coating. Figure 5 shows that under the same construction conditions, the surface flatness of the paint without oxidized polyethylene wax is poor after application, with obvious accumulation and uneven areas, while the paint with the addition can be evenly applied with a smoother surface.

III. Precautions During Use

(I) Control of Addition Amount

The addition amount of oxidized polyethylene wax in road marking paints is not as much as possible. It needs to be reasonably controlled according to the specific formula and performance requirements of the paint. If the addition amount is too small, the expected modification effect may not be achieved; if the addition amount is too large, it may affect other properties of the paint, such as flexibility and adhesion.

Generally speaking, the appropriate addition amount is between 1% – 5% of the total amount of the paint, and the specific addition amount needs to be determined through experiments.

(II) Ensuring Dispersion

To enable oxidized polyethylene wax to fully play its role, it is necessary to ensure that it is evenly dispersed in the road marking paint. During the production process, methods such as high-speed stirring and grinding can be used to disperse oxidized polyethylene wax into the coating system.

If the dispersion is uneven, it may lead to excessive or insufficient local performance of the paint, affecting the overall use effect. At the same time, uneven dispersion may also cause defects such as particles and spots on the coating surface, affecting the appearance quality of the road markings.

(III) Compatibility Verification with Other Components

Although oxidized polyethylene wax has good compatibility with most components in road marking paints, when using a new paint formula or replacing raw materials, it is still necessary to verify its compatibility with other components.

Small sample experiments can be conducted to observe whether there are abnormal changes in the appearance and performance of the paint, such as delamination, precipitation, and sudden viscosity changes. Large-scale production and application can only be carried out when the compatibility is confirmed to be good.

IV. Application Effect Diagram

The following is a comparison diagram of the application effects of oxidized polyethylene wax in road marking paints:

Performance Indicators	Road Marking Paint Without Oxidized Polyethylene Wax	Road Marking Paint With Oxidized Polyethylene Wax
Wear Resistance (Wear Amount)	Larger	Smaller
Anti-adhesion Property	Poor, prone to adhesion	Good, not easy to adhere
Scratch Resistance	Poor, prone to scratches	Good, fewer scratches
Coating Surface Flatness	Average	Higher

(Note: The above diagram data is from laboratory simulation tests, and actual applications may vary due to specific conditions.)

In conclusion, oxidized polyethylene wax has important application value in road marking paints, which can significantly improve the wear resistance, anti-adhesion property, scratch resistance of the paint, and optimize its workability. During use, as long as attention is paid to controlling the addition amount, ensuring dispersion, and verifying compatibility, it can give full play to its role and provide strong support for improving the quality and service life of road marking paints.