Silylated Polyether Surfactants for Waterborne Coatings
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional waterborne coatings and inks suffer from poor wetting and leveling properties due to high surface energy, leading to non-uniformity and environmental concerns associated with the use of fluorinated surfactants, which are toxic and persist in the environment.
Innovation Solution
The development of coating and printing ink compositions containing silylated polyether compounds with a bis-silyl hydrocarbylene group, which provide enhanced wetting, leveling, and flow without generating undesirable silicone materials, offering improved appearance and shelf-stability across a wide pH range.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If fluorinated surfactants are used to improve wetting and leveling properties, then surface energy is reduced and coating uniformity is improved, but environmental persistence and toxicity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces persistent fluorinated surfactants with biodegradable hydrocarbon-based surfactants that break down into harmless substances (carbon dioxide, water, and mineral salts) through microbial degradation, eliminating environmental persistence while maintaining wetting and leveling functionality
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameters from fluorinated compounds to hydrocarbon-based compounds with specific structures (containing hydrophobic groups and hydrophilic groups), achieving similar surface energy reduction effects without the environmental toxicity associated with fluorinated surfactants
2Object-affected harmful factors
If conventional waterborne coatings are used, then environmental friendliness is improved compared to solvent-borne coatings, but wetting and leveling properties deteriorate due to high surface energy
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces hydrocarbon-based surfactants as intermediary substances that mediate between the high surface energy of waterborne coatings and the substrate surface, enabling effective wetting and leveling while maintaining the environmentally friendly waterborne formulation
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite surfactant systems combining hydrophobic groups (such as alkyl chains) and hydrophilic groups (such as ethoxylated groups) to create materials that effectively reduce surface energy and improve wetting properties while maintaining environmental compatibility
3Ease of operation
If trisiloxane-containing polyether compounds are used to improve wetting, then surface energy is reduced, but organosilicone materials are released causing fish-eyes and non-uniformity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the problematic trisiloxane component from the surfactant structure, using instead hydrocarbon-based surfactants that do not contain silicon, thereby eliminating the source of organosilicone release that causes fish-eyes and coating non-uniformity while retaining wetting functionality
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the potential harm of silicone release into a benefit by designing surfactants based on hydrocarbon structures that naturally avoid silicone contamination issues, turning a formulation constraint into a quality advantage for coating uniformity
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
These compositions achieve uniform and glossy finishes while avoiding environmental and health hazards associated with fluorinated surfactants, maintaining stability and performance in extreme pH conditions.
Implementation Method 1
These silylated polyether compounds are non-fluorinated surfactants that have hitherto been unknown and that provide improved appearance, flow, leveling and wetting benefits
Implementation Method 2
coating and ink compositions containing silylated polyether compounds comprising a hydrolysis-resistant bis-silyl hydrocarbylene group
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to coating and printing ink compositions containing silylated polyether compounds comprising a hydrolysis-resistant bis-silyl hydrocarbylene group. More particularly, the silylated polyether compound comprising a bis-silyl hydrocarbylene group provides to the coating and ink compositions formulation flexibility over the entire pH range, leveling-and-flow and surface wetting, and are non-reactive with the other components of the coating and ink compositions, thereby providing long-term shelf-stability of formulated coatings and inks. These coating and ink compositions containing silylated polyether compounds do not release silicone materials and thereby provide articles treated with these coatings and ink compositions with uniform appearance and gloss.