权利要求:
Claims1- A liquid hard coating composition comprising the following ingredients:(i) The product of hydrolysis of an epoxyalkoxysilane of formula (I): S1XY3, wherein the X group represents a monovalent organic group linked to the silicon atom through a carbon atom and contain ing at least one epoxy function and the Y groups are identical or different and represent alkoxy groups linked to the silicon atom in formula (I), preferably wherein the Y groups in formula (I) are methoxy or ethoxy groups or any mixture thereof and wherein the X group is of formula (II):or of formula (III):more preferably wherein the epoxyalkoxysilane of formula (I) is g-glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane (glymo);(ii) Cationic particles with an average diameter comprised between 5 nm and 100 nm, wherein a sol of said cationic particles dispersed in water is stable at acidic pH and wherein said cationic particles comprise silica, preferably said cationic particles are cationic alumina-coated silica particles;(iii) An inorganic non-hydrogen Lewis acid, preferably the inorganic non-hydrogen Lewis acid is an inorganic salt of a multivalent metal ion, more preferably wherein said multivalent metal ion is alumi- num(III);(iv) A surfactant such that a water solution of 15wt% of said surfactant relative to the total weight of said water solution exhibits a static surface tension below 25mN/m at a temperature of 20°C, prefera bly said surfactant is a block or graft copolymer of dimethylsiloxane and alkylene oxide;(v) Less than 0.5wt% relative to the total weight of the composition of a water miscible organic sol vent less volatile than water;Wherein, the composition comprises no organic solvents other than said water miscible organic solvent less volatile than water and other than organic solvents that are a product of the hydrolysis of the epoxy alkoxysilane.2- The composition according to claim 1, wherein the transmittance in the ultraviolet A region, corre sponding to wavelengths between 315 nm and 380 nm, of a 1 cm thick sample of a dispersion of the cati onic particles in water, wherein the weight of the particles represents 2% of the total weight of said dis persion, is below 40%.3- The composition according to claim 2 further comprising between 0.02wt% and lwt% of a UV absorb ing material, relative to the total weight of the composition; preferably the UV absorbing material com-prises inorganic nanoparticles, more preferably said inorganic nanoparticles are chosen from nanoparti cles of titanium oxide, nanoparticles of zinc oxide, nanoparticles of cerium oxide and mixtures thereof.4- The composition according to any of the preceding claims, comprising between 0.01wt% and 0.5wt% relative to the total weight of the composition of the water miscible organic solvent less volatile than wa ter; preferably wherein the water miscible solvent less volatile than water is a propylene glycol ether is of formula (IV):WhereinR is a methyl, an ethyl, a propyl or a butyl group and a is 2 or 3.5- The composition according to any of the preceding claims, wherein: the sum Ws = {Eeq+ weight of the cationic particles + weight of the inorganic non-hydrogen Lewis acid} is comprised between 10% and 60% of the total weight of the composition, wherein Eeqis the weight of the amount of epoxyalkoxysilane of formula (I) needed to obtain the amount of product of hydrolysis of the epoxyalkoxysilane of formula (I) present in the composition minus the weight of the Y groups in said amount of epoxyalkoxysilane; preferably whereinEeqis comprised between 45% and 65% of Ws, the weight of the cationic particles is comprised between 30% and 50% of Ws and the weight of the inorganic non-hydrogen Lewis acid is comprised between 0.1% and 2% of Ws; more preferably whereinWs is comprised between 20% and 35% of the total weight of the composition,Eeqis comprised between 52% and 62% of Ws, the weight of the cationic particles is comprised between 37% and 47% of Ws and the weight of the inorganic non-hydrogen Lewis acid is comprised between 0.2% and 1.5% ofWs.6- The composition according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the pH of the final composition at 25°C is comprised between 2 and 6; preferably between 3 and 5.7- A method for the preparation of a liquid hard coating composition comprising the following steps:(i) In a separate container, the mixing of a water solution of an inorganic Bronsted acid with a pKa in water at 25°C inferior to 3 with an epoxyalkoxysilane of formula (I): S1XY3, wherein the X group represents a monovalent organic groups linked to the silicon atom through a carbon atomand containing at least one epoxy function and the Y groups are identical or different and repre sent alkoxy groups linked to the silicon atom in formula (I), preferably the epoxyalkoxysilane of formula (I) is g-glycidoxypropyltrimethoxy silane;(ii) The mixing of the product of step (i) with a. an acidic sol comprising cationic particles with an average diameter comprised between 5 nm and 100 nm that are dispersed in water, wherein the cationic parti cles comprise of silica, preferably said cationic particles are cationic alumina- coated silica particles, b.an inorganic non-hydrogen Lewis acid, preferably said inorganic non-hydrogen Lewis acid is an inorganic salt of aluminum(III), c. a surfactant such that a water solution of 15wt% of said surfactant relative to the total weight of said water solution exhibits a static surface tension below 25mN/m at a temperature of 20°C, preferably said surfactant is a block or graft copolymer of dimethylsiloxane and alkylene oxide and d.less than 0.5wt% relative to the total weight of the final composition of a water miscible organic solvent less volatile than water, preferably wherein the water miscible solvent less volatile than water is a propylene glycol ether of formula (IV):wherein R is a methyl, an ethyl, a propyl or a butyl group and a is 2 or 3; wherein no organic solvents other than said water miscible organic solvent less volatile than water and other than the organic solvents that may result from the hydrolysis of the epoxyalkoxysilane of formula (I) are introduced; preferably wherein the temperature of the reaction mixture during step (i) is maintained below 40°C, more preferably wherein, the molar amount of water added to the mixture in step (i) is at least equal to the molar amount of groups Y in the epoxyalkoxysilane of formula (I).8- The method according to claim 7, wherein the transmittance in the ultraviolet A region, corresponding to wavelengths between 315 nm and 380 nm, of a 1 cm thick sample of a dispersion of the cationic parti cles in water, wherein the weight of the particles represents 2% of the total weight of said dispersion, is below 40%; more preferably wherein the method further comprises the addition after step (ii), of a UV absorbing material, even more preferably wherein the UV absorbing material comprises inorganic nano particles chosen from nanoparticles of titanium oxide, nanoparticles of zinc oxide, nanoparticles of ceri um oxide and mixtures thereof.9- The method according to claim 7 or 8 wherein:the sum W’ = {E’ + weight of the cationic particles + weight of the inorganic non-hydrogen Lew is acid} is comprised between 20% and 35% of the weight of the final composition, wherein E’ is the weight of the amount of epoxyalkoxysilane of formula (I) introduced in step (i) minus the weight of the Y groups in said amount of epoxyalkoxysilane; preferably whereinE’ is comprised between 45% and 65% of W’, the weight of the cationic particles is comprised between 30% and 50% of W’ and the weight of the inorganic non-hydrogen Lewis acid is comprised between 0.1% and 2% of W’; more preferably whereinE’ is comprised between 52% and 62% of W’, the weight of the cationic particles is comprised between 37% and 47% of W’ and the weight of the inorganic non-hydrogen Lewis acid is comprised between 0.2% and 1.5% ofW’.10- The method according to any one of claims 7 to 9, wherein the amount of inorganic Bronsted acid with a pKa in water at 25°C inferior to 3 to be mixed with the epoxyalkoxysilane of formula (I) in step (i) is such that it introduces between 0.2 mmol and 1 mmol per 100 g of the final composition of protons with a pKa in water at 25°C inferior to 3.11- A liquid hard coating composition able to be obtained by the method according to any one of claims 7 to 10.12- An optical article comprising a substrate bearing a hard coating obtainable by curing the composition according to any one of claims 1 to 6 and claim 11, wherein the substrate comprises an optical plastic, preferably wherein the optical plastic is a diethylene glycol bis(allylcarbonate) polymer, a thermosetting polythiourethane resin having a refractive index of 1.60 or a thermosetting polythiourethane resin having a refractive index of 1.67.13- The optical article according to claim 12, wherein the article comprises a primer coating on which the hard coating is directly deposited, said primer coating comprising polyurethane and an inorganic filler; preferably wherein said inorganic filler comprises silica nanoparticles.14- The optical article according to claim 12 or 13, wherein the article further comprises at least one anti- reflective coating on the surface of the hard coating, preferably wherein the article further comprises at least one anti -fouling coating on the surface of said anti-reflective coating.15- The optical article according to any of claims 12 to 14, wherein the optical article is an ophthalmic lens.