Dried out G-10

[Amaranth]

Is the use of the term "oxidation" a misnomer when you're talking about car paint? I would think that the whitening on a paint job is more due to UV radiation rather than reaction with oxygen.

 

[knarfeng]

Is the use of the term "oxidation" a misnomer when you're talking about car paint? I would think that the whitening on a paint job is more due to UV radiation rather than reaction with oxygen.

It depends.

You are correct. Much damage described as "oxidation" of car paint is actually UV damage. The misnomer comes from the early car paint systems. They actually did oxidize. The new ones fail mostly through UV damage. The chemistry and failure cause changed, but the average guy never twigged.

Epoxies are particularly vulnerable to UV damage. Epoxy paint is never recommended for exterior exposures.