Polymer Composition Low Temperature Film Formation Hardness
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing polymer compositions for coatings struggle to achieve a balance between low temperature film formation and hardness, often requiring volatile coalescents that contribute to atmospheric pollution, and lack effective alternatives with reduced or no VOCs.
Innovation Solution
A polymer composition comprising polymer particles dispersed in an aqueous medium, with a first polymer having a glass transition temperature between -30°C to 100°C and a second polymer with crosslinking groups, allowing for hard film formation at low temperatures with minimal or no volatile coalescents.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If volatile coalescents are used to enable hard polymers to flow and form a film at ambient temperature, then film formation is achieved, but atmospheric pollution increases due to VOC emissions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the volatile coalescent component from the coating formulation. By using hard polymers with Tg significantly above ambient temperature combined with reactive diluents that do not evaporate, the invention removes the source of VOC emissions while maintaining film formation capability through alternative mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the fundamental parameter of coalescent volatility from volatile to non-volatile. By substituting traditional volatile coalescents with reactive diluents having high boiling points and crosslinking functionality, the system achieves film formation without the harmful evaporative phase that causes pollution.
2Strength
If hard polymers with high glass transition temperatures are used to achieve coating hardness, then hardness is improved, but film formation at ambient temperature becomes difficult without volatile coalescents
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by incorporating reactive diluents into the polymer matrix before film formation occurs. These diluents are positioned within the coating formulation to provide initial flow and film-forming capability, which then undergo crosslinking reactions to lock in the hard polymer structure and achieve both ease of application and final hardness.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention creates a composite material system combining hard polymers (for hardness) with reactive diluents (for film formation). This composite approach allows the non-volatile diluent to facilitate initial coating application and film formation, while the hard polymer provides the final protective hardness properties, and crosslinking binds them together.
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 composition achieves improved low temperature film formation and enhanced hardness, as measured by dirt pick-up resistance, while reducing the need for volatile organic compounds.
Implementation Method 1
aqueous polymer compositions are needed that provide a hard coating and may be formulated either with reduced levels of or no volatile coalescents
Implementation Method 2
The second polymer contains select crosslinking groups and has a glass transition temperature in the range of -10°C to less than 18°C
Data Source
AI summary
A polymer composition including polymer particles comprising a first polymer and a second polymer is disclosed. The first polymer optionally has a crosslinked core and has a glass transition temperature in the range of-30°C to 100°C. The second polymer comprising select crosslinking groups has a glass transition temperature in the range of -10°C to less than 18°C. A coating composition comprising the polymer composition is provided. The polymer composition has good low temperature film formation and provides a film with an acceptable level of hardness.