NOVEL COATING ADDITIVES BASED ON GEMINI SURFACTANT TECHNOLOGY

摘要

Gemini surfactants are an emerging surfactant technology that offers solutions to a number of challenges that occur when compliant waterborne coatings are being formulated. Unlike conventional surfactants, which have a single, hydrophobic group (or tail) that is connected to a hydrophilic head, Gemini surfactants have two hydrophilic heads that are connected to two or more hydrophobic tails. The two hydrophilic heads are coupled by means of a relatively short “spacer” segment on the molecule. This paper describes the fundamental characteristics and performance of nonionic Gemini surfactant technology and introduces a new range of these materials as environmentally friendly, multifunctional additives. Specifically, this paper discusses the efficacy of these novel materials in waterborne systems as: low-foam surfactants to reduce surface tension to provide better substrate wetting and to improve coating aesthetics; molecular defoamers; and even as coalescing aids to reduce MFFTs for emulsion polymers.