Fly Ash Latex Viscosity Stabilization via Borate Compounds
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Solution Overview
Problem
The use of fly ash as a filler in aqueous polymer latices leads to significant increases in viscosity, making it difficult to store and process the latex formulations, as they become too thick to be pumped or transported effectively, which is undesirable for maintaining product quality and application uniformity.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a viscosity stabilizing composition comprising borate compounds and surfactants, such as alkylphenol polyethoxylates and boric acid, into the aqueous polymer dispersion to control the viscosity increase, allowing the latex to be stored and processed for several days without significant thickening, ensuring it can be easily transported and applied.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If fly ash is added as a filler to aqueous polymer latex, then the formulation incorporates a recycled material with useful mechanical properties, but the viscosity increases significantly to 50,000 cP or more over time
Solution Approach 1:
A viscosity stabilizing composition comprising borate compounds (such as boric acid or borax) and surfactants is introduced as an intermediary substance to mediate between the fly ash filler and the aqueous polymer latex. This stabilizing composition prevents direct adverse interactions that cause viscosity increase, allowing the fly ash to maintain its beneficial properties as a recycled filler while keeping the formulation processable.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the chemical parameters of the latex formulation by introducing borate compounds and surfactants that modify the interfacial properties and particle interactions. These parameter changes stabilize the dispersion of fly ash particles, preventing aggregation and the associated viscosity increase over time, while maintaining the recycled material benefit.
2Ease of manufacture
If fly ash is used as a filler in aqueous polymer latex, then the formulation gains mechanical properties and cost reduction, but the latex becomes difficult to pump or transport when viscosity exceeds 30,000-40,000 cP
Solution Approach 1:
The viscosity stabilizing composition acts as an intermediary that enables the fly ash filler to provide cost reduction benefits while preventing the formulation from becoming unprocessable. The borate compounds and surfactants in the stabilizing composition maintain fluidity, allowing the economical fly ash-filled latex to remain pumpable and transportable.
Solution Approach 2:
The viscosity stabilizing composition is added preliminarily to counteract the anticipated harmful effect of viscosity increase before it occurs. By introducing the borate compounds and surfactants at the formulation stage, the invention prevents the latex from reaching the problematic viscosity threshold that would make pumping and transport difficult.
3Reliability
If fly ash is added to aqueous latex, then the formulation incorporates a recycled material, but manual removal by shoveling is required instead of mechanical pumping
Solution Approach 1:
The viscosity stabilizing composition comprising borate compounds and surfactants serves as an intermediary that maintains the formulation in a pumpable state, preserving mechanical processing efficiency. This allows the recycled material benefit to be realized without reverting to manual shoveling operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The stabilizing composition is added in advance to prevent viscosity increase that would necessitate manual removal. By maintaining viscosity below the 30,000-40,000 cP threshold through the borate compounds and surfactants, the invention ensures continuous mechanical pumping and processing efficiency throughout storage and application.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The stabilizing composition effectively limits the viscosity rise to less than 30% over 7 days, enabling normal processing and application of the latex, maintaining the desired consistency and quality of the polymer dispersion.
Implementation Method 1
Incorporating a viscosity stabilizing composition comprising borate compounds and surfactants, such as alkylphenol polyethoxylates and boric acid
Implementation Method 2
aqueous polymer dispersion to control the viscosity increase, allowing the latex to be stored and processed
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention is a method and composition for controlling the viscosity of latex compositions that include fly ash. The composition is an aqueous dispersion comprising water, at least one polymer latex, from about 50 to about 600 parts by weight fly ash per 100 parts by weight dry polymer, and a viscosity stabilizing composition that preferably comprises at least one borate compound. The method includes adding a viscosity stabilizing composition to an aqueous polymer latex composition that includes fly ash. The viscosity stabilizing composition can be used to produce a stirred viscosity of the aqueous dispersion 7 days after mixing that is less than 30% greater than the viscosity of the aqueous composition immediately after mixing.