A curable film-forming composition is provided comprising (i) 10 to 90
percent by weight based on the total weight of resin solids in the
film-forming composition of a crosslinking agent; (ii) 10 to 90 percent
by weight of a polymer containing a plurality of functional groups
reactive with the crosslinking agent; and (iii) 5 to 85 percent by volume
of particles having a mean particle size less than 100 nm. The particles
comprise 1 to 99 percent by weight of at least one metal oxide wherein
the metal is selected from zinc, titanium, cerium, manganese, bismuth,
copper, zirconium and iron.A multi-component composite coating
composition is also provided, comprising a pigmented basecoat and a clear
coat. The basecoat and/or clearcoat may be derived from the curable
film-forming composition described above.Also provided are coated
substrates in which the curable coating compositions or the
multi-component composite coating compositions described above are
applied to a substrate and cured to form a cured coating.Further provided
is a pigment comprising particles having a mean particle size less than
100 nm and comprising 1 to 99 percent by weight metal oxide wherein the
metal is selected from zinc, titanium, cerium, manganese, bismuth,
copper, zirconium and iron and 1 to 99 percent by weight silica. These
particles may be used in the curable film-forming compositions described
above.