The present work focuses on the evaluation of a newly developed bio-based, zero-VOC coalescent for improving latex film formation and paint performance. The performance of the developed coalescent was evaluated in terms of film formation quality, and impact on final paint properties compared to a commercially available petrochemical coalescent. Results demonstrated that it is possible to achieve better properties in terms of paint film quality with an optimized environmental profile using the developed bio-based coalescent.
The use of coalescents on latex paints is fundamental for ensuring the film formation during the drying process, and generating a paint film with good quality in terms of protection and aesthetic parameters. The coalescent will act during stage II of coalescence, reducing the minimum film formation temperature (MFFT) of the system, and during stage III, when the interdiffusion of polymeric chains and entanglement of neighboring particles occurs, resulting in the formation of a continuous and homogeneous film.1