Paint emulsion

Emulsion paints are based on aqueous synthetic resin dispersions, which afford a lacquer-like paint film. The resin dispersions which are commonly used by the paint industry contain water as the carrier phase. A large number of such dispersions are available, based on different resins such as poly(vinyl acetate), which may be employed as a copolymer with vinyl chloride, maleic dibutyl ester, ethylene, acrylic acid esters, polyacrylic resin, and copolymers of the latter with various monomers, as well as styrene-butadiene or poly(vinyl propionate). These disper- 

Depending on the area of application, pigments in such paints must satisfy a number of additional specifications. Exterior house paints, for instance, should not only exhibit excellent weatherfastness but also tolerate lime and concrete (Sec. 1.6.2.2). 

Apart from pigment preparations which have been developed specifically for aqueous emulsion paints, there are also products known as multipurpose tinting pastes that show outstanding fastness. They have the advantage of being useful not only in emulsion paints but also in solvent containing architectural paints. 

Multipurpose tinting pastes usually contain pigment and hydrophilic solvents, sometimes some amount of water, and suitable wetting agents, which define the equilibrium between hydrophilic and lipophilic character. Conditions to be met in each case depend on the type of paste and on the method by which it is produced and also on the intended use of the coating or paint. 

Owing to the growing number of different plastics on the market organic pigments have to meet increasingly high requirements. Just two of these, heat resistance and dispersibility, will be considered here. 

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These pigments are sensitive to heat and bleed ia most paint solvents. They are, however, resistant to acids and bases. Their tinctorial strength is considerably greater than that of inorganic yellows but they are weaker than the diaryUde yellows. They are used extensively ia emulsion paints, paper coating compositions, inks (qv), and, depending on particle size, can ia some cases be used outdoors because of excellent lightfastness ia full shades. 

Due to the excellent pigmentary properties, quinacridones are used in many industries but particularly in automotive finishes, emulsion paints, plastics, and fibers. 

P-Ghloroalkoxy Titanates. The reaction of TiCl with epoxides, such as ethylene or propylene oxide (qv), gives P-chloroalkyl titanates (8,9). One example is Ti(OCH2CH2Cl)4 [19600-95-5]. The P-chloroalkoxy titanates can be used to biad refractory powders and ia admixture with diethanolamine to impart thixotropy to emulsion paints (10). 

Alkanolamine Chelates. Alkanolamine chelates, which are prepared by reaction of tetraalkyl titanates with one or more alkanolamines, are used primarily in cross-linking water-soluble polymers (qv) (see Alkanolamines) (104). The products are used in thixotropic paint emulsion paints, in hydrauhc fracturing and drilling of oil and gas wells, and in many other fields. The stmcture of... 

Thixotropic Paints. Water-based latex emulsion paints may be made thixotropic or nondrip by the addition of alkanolamine-based titanium... 

Polyglycol Dow Chemical Co. poly(propylene oxide) used in latex and emulsion paints... 

Ralulac Raschig AG emulsion paints, leather and textile industries... 

The first five of these techniques involve deformation and this has to be followed by some setting operation which stabilises the new shape. In the case of polymer melt deformation this can be affected by cooling of thermoplastics and cross-linking of thermosetting plastics and similtir comments can apply to deformation in the rubbery state. Solution-cast film and fibre requires solvent evaporation (with also perhaps some chemical coagulation process). Latex suspensions can simply be dried as with emulsion paints or subjected to some... 

In suspension processes the fate of the continuous liquid phase and the associated control of the stabilisation and destabilisation of the system are the most important considerations. Many polymers occur in latex form, i.e. as polymer particles of diameter of the order of 1 p.m suspended in a liquid, usually aqueous, medium. Such latices are widely used to produce latex foams, elastic thread, dipped latex rubber goods, emulsion paints and paper additives. In the manufacture and use of such products it is important that premature destabilisation of the latex does not occur but that such destabilisation occurs in a controlled and appropriate manner at the relevant stage in processing. Such control of stability is based on the general precepts of colloid science. As with products from solvent processes diffusion distances for the liquid phase must be kept short furthermore, care has to be taken that the drying rates are not such that a skin of very low permeability is formed whilst there remains undesirable liquid in the mass of the polymer. For most applications it is desirable that destabilisation leads to a coherent film (or spongy mass in the case of foams) of polymers. To achieve this the of the latex compound should not be above ambient temperature so that at such temperatures intermolecular diffusion of the polymer molecules can occur. 

Because of its high cold flow, poly(vinyl acetate) is of little value in the form of mouldings and extrusions. However, because of its good adhesion to a number of substrates, and to some extent because of its cold flow, a large quantity is produced for use in emulsion paints, adhesives and various textile finishing operations. A minor proportion of the material is also converted into poly(vinyl alcohol) and the poly(vinyl acetal)s which, are of some interest to the plastics industry. 

Poly(vinyl acetate) is too soft and shows excessive cold flow for use in moulded plastics. This is no doubt associated with the fact that the glass transition temperature of 28°C is little above the usual ambient temperatures and in fact in many places at various times the glass temperature may be the lower. It has a density of 1.19 g/cm and a refractive index of 1.47. Commercial polymers are atactic and, since they do not crystallise, transparent (if free from emulsifier). They are successfully used in emulsion paints, as adhesives for textiles, paper and wood, as a sizing material and as a permanent starch . A number of grades are supplied by manufacturers which differ in molecular weight and in the nature of comonomers (e.g. vinyl maleate) which are commonly used (see Section 14.4.4)... 

Polyvinyl acetate (PVA), acrylic and other polymer dispersions have been widely used as anti-dust treatments for concrete floors for many years. In general, the polymer dispersions have been similar to those used in the manufacture of emulsion paints, and until recently have tended to be based on dispersions of relatively large polymer particles (particle size 0.15-0.25 x 10 m). Dispersions are now becoming available which offer superior performance as floor sealers. The chemical and water resistance of the various polymer dispersions which have been used in the past vary considerably from the PVA types, which are rapidly softened and eventually washed out by water, to acrylic and SBR types which exhibit excellent resistance to a wide range of chemicals. Water-based sealers are gaining wider acceptance because of... 

Emulsion paints These materials are water based and cure by coalescence as the water evaporates. Films formed... 

Severe attack frequently occurs at a water-line, which in practice can range from structural steel partly immersed in a natural water to a lacquered tin can used for containing emulsion paint. This can be illustrated by adding increeising amounts of sodium carbonate to a sodium chloride solution in which a steel plate is partly immersed (Fig. 1.48c, d and e). With increase in concentration of the inhibitor, attack decreases and becomes confined to the water-line. The attack at the water-line is intense and is characterised by a triangular pasty mass of corrosion products bounded on the upper surface by a dark-brown membrane that follows the contour of the water-line. The mechanism of water-line attack is not clear, but it is likely that the membrane of corrosion products results in the formation of an occluded cell, in which the anolyte and catholyte are prevented from mixing. These occluded cells are discussed in more detail subsequently. 

Emulsion polymerisation is used in the commercial production of synthetic diene elastomers and also to produce commercial latexes of the type used in paints these paints are known incorrectly as emulsion paints and... 

This is a modification of emulsion polymerisation which has recently been developed for the manufacture of commercially important latexes for emulsion paints. In this process instead of producing the polymer in batches in a tank polymer is produced continuously in a reactor that consists of a continuous tube coiled to a convenient shape. 

The fact that very low concentrations of polymer give highly viscous solutions is exploited commercially in a number of applications. The thickening action of polymers is often necessary for water-based substances, such as foods, toothpastes, or emulsion paints, but examples also occur of the use of polymers to thicken solvent-based products, such as paint stripper. 

There are numerous applications where the development of high viscosity is necessary in a finished product. For example, thickeners, mainly based on poly(acrylic acid), are used to give body to so-called emulsion paints. Emulsion paints are not formulated from true emulsions (Le. stable dispersions of organic liquids in water), but are prepared from latexes, that is, dispersions of polymer in water. Since latexes do not contain soluble polymers, they have a viscosity almost the same as pure water. As such, they would not sustain a pigment dispersion, but would allow it to settle they would also fail to flow out adequately when painted on to a surface. Inclusion of a thickener in the formulation gives a paint in which the pigment does not settle out and which can readily be applied by brush to a surface. 

Preservatives are widely employed in cosmetic preservation for lotions, creams and shampoos. Preservation is also an important aspect of formulation in emulsion paints and cutting fluids, i.e. fluids used to cool and lubricate lathe and drilling tools. 

Some bacteria can give products a rancid smell others can impart the "sweet" odour of dirty drains by the production of certain pyrazine derivatives. Other bacteria, known as sulphate reducers, for example Desulphovibrio desulphuricans, are able, under anaerobic conditions, to utilise oxygen from sulphates leading ultimately to the formation of hydrogen sulphide. Opperman and Goll (1984) in their study of contaminated emulsion paints concluded that more than a quarter were infected with these and other anaerobic organisms. 

Such growth of sulphate reducing bacteria is responsible for the most commonly noticed malodour associated with emulsion paint spoilage. Hydrogen sulphide levels in paint have never been shown to have reached toxic concentrations, but even very small... 

An integrated approach to protection of emulsion paints must be taken if microbiological problems are to he avoided. 

Biocides must have a number of essential properties if they are to be successfully used in emulsion paint manufacture (Table 7). 

Table 7 Essential Properties of Emulsion Paint Biocides...

The wide range of micro-organisms found in emulsion paints dictates the use of broad spectrum products. However, many biocides are less active against fungi than bacteria (or vice versa) and it is therefore important to ensure that biocide manufacturers claims are backed up by results of realistic in-use tests. 

Most emulsion paints are alkaline in nature, although few will exceed pH 9.5 and some may be slightly acidic. Thus stability over the range pH 5 to 9.5 is a necessary property. 

Briggs, M. A., Emulsion Paint Preservation - Factory Practice and Hygiene, Paint Research Association Technical Report TR18178, May 1980. Paint Research Association, Teddington. U.K. 

Huddart, G., In-Can Preservatives for Emulsion Paints, Unpublished, February 1983. 

Miller, W. G., Incidence of Microbial Contamination of Emulsion Paints During the Manufacturing Process, JOCCA, 1973, 56 (7) 307. 

Figure 10 Effect of carrier after 24 hours aqueous leaching on emulsion paint containing 1200 ppm OIT without carrier, with zeolite and with silica (left to right).

J.J. Boon, and T. Learner, Analytical Mass Spectrometry of Artists Acrylic Emulsion Paints by Direct Temperature Resolved Mass Spectrometry and Laser Desorption Ionisation Mass Spectrometry, J. Anal. Appl. Pyrol., 64, 327 344 (2002). 

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