Polysaccharide Plasticizer Additive for Low Surface Energy Adhesion

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Solution Overview

Problem

Polysaccharides, commonly used in building material compositions, fail to provide effective adhesion to difficult-to-adhere substrates with low surface energy, necessitating additional components like synthetic latex to enhance adhesion, which can lead to inefficiencies in composition formulation and increased costs.

Innovation Solution

A process to create a powdery additive comprising a solid polysaccharide and a plasticizer, where the plasticizer is liquid at 50°C or lower and has a boiling point of 100°C or higher, is used to improve adhesion to substrates with surface energies of 50 mJ/m² or lower, by admixing the plasticizer with the polysaccharide in an aqueous medium or by adsorbing/emulsifying it onto a carrier, and then mixing with the polysaccharide particles to form a stable additive.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Stability of the object's composition

If polysaccharides are used in building material compositions, then water retention and rheological properties are improved, but adhesion to difficult-to-adhere substrates is insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewater retentionVSAvoidadhesion to substrate
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The invention combines polysaccharides with a specific plasticizer to create a composite additive. The plasticizer has a boiling point of at least 100°C and is liquid at 50°C or lower, creating a synergistic effect where the polysaccharide provides water retention and rheological properties while the plasticizer enables adhesion to difficult-to-adhere substrates with surface energy of 50 mJ/m² or lower.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The invention changes the physical and chemical parameters of the additive system by introducing a plasticizer with specific properties (boiling point ≥100°C, liquid at 50°C). This parameter change allows the polysaccharide-based additive to achieve adhesion capabilities it would otherwise lack, while maintaining its water retention and rheological modification functions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If synthetic latex is added to improve adhesion to difficult-to-adhere substrates, then adhesion is enhanced, but the amount of latex required increases beyond what is needed for cohesion and flexibility

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveadhesion to substrateVSAvoidamount of latex
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The invention replaces expensive synthetic latex with a more economical plasticizer that achieves the same adhesion function. The plasticizer, being liquid at 50°C or lower with a boiling point of at least 100°C, provides adhesion to difficult-to-adhere substrates without requiring the large quantities of latex that would otherwise be needed for cohesion and flexibility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Solution Approach 2:

By changing from a polymer-based adhesion system (latex) to a plasticizer-based system with specific thermal properties (boiling point ≥100°C, liquid at 50°C), the invention achieves adhesion with significantly reduced material quantity while maintaining or improving other composition properties.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Stability of the object's composition

If polysaccharides are used as the primary additive, then water retention and rheological properties are maintained, but adhesion to substrates with surface energy of 50 mJ/m² or lower is insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:
Improverheological propertiesVSAvoidadhesion to low surface energy substrates
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The invention creates a composite additive system combining polysaccharides with a plasticizer that has a boiling point of at least 100°C and is liquid at 50°C or lower. This composite structure allows the polysaccharide to maintain water retention and rheological properties while the plasticizer component provides the necessary adhesion to substrates with surface energy of 50 mJ/m² or lower.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

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 additive achieves excellent adhesion to difficult-to-adhere substrates with minimal increase in polysaccharide amount, maintaining water retention and rheological properties, and provides storage stability and ease of handling, allowing for formulations with reduced polymer binders and improved cost-efficiency.

Implementation Method 1

by adsorbing/emulsifying it onto a carrier, and then mixing with the polysaccharide particles to form a stable additive

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAdsorption: Adsorption

Implementation Method 2

by adsorbing/emulsifying it onto a carrier, and then mixing with the polysaccharide particles to form a stable additive

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectEmulsion: Emulsion

Data Source

PatentEP2718244B1Process and additive to improve adhesion of compositions to substrates
Publication Date: 2016.12.14 AKZO NOBEL CHEMICALS INTERNATIONAL BV

AI summary

The present invention provides a process to prepare a powdery additive suitable for improving adhesion of building material compositions to substrates having a surface energy of 50 mJ/m2 or lower, measured according to DIN 5660-2:2011-12, the additive comprising a polysaccharide and a plasticizer, wherein the plasticizer is liquid at 50°C or lower, has a boiling point of 100°C or higher and is selected from a specific group,comprising the steps of a) admixing the plasticizer to an aqueous medium of the polysaccharide followed by the subsequent drying of the admixture, or b) preparing a first particle comprising the plasticizer by (i) adsorbing the plasticizer onto a carrier, or by emulsifying the plasticizer with a synthetic water-soluble polymer in water and subsequently drying the emulsion, and (ii) mixing this first particle with a second particle comprising the polysaccharide wherein the mean particle size of the coarser of the first and second particle is not more than 10 times the mean particle size of the finer particle, or agglomerating the first and second particles into one particle. The invention further provides the additive obtainable by this process, use of the additive and building material compositions containing the additive as well as a process to adhere such compositions to substrates having a surface energy of 50 mJ/m2 or lower.