Influence of Functional Monomers on Latexes and Coatings
The formulation of wood coatings based on totally VOC-free materials is difficult. When looking for high blocking resistance, we expect a hard binder. Classical binders have a high lowest film-forming temperature (MFFT), and formulations of these binders need plasticizers or solvents (VOCs) for performance at room temperature. With the so-called core/shell-polymerization, which leads to polymer particles with hard and soft domains, it is possible to produce binders with a high blocking resistance and a low MFFT1. In most cases there are acrylic, styrene and, recently, vinylesters of versatic acid2 that can be used as monomers for such dispersions. Copolymerization of hard and soft monomers enables the combination of flexibility and hardness.
The difficulty during development is not generally getting an appropriate formulation - the big problem is the optimization of the final formula to obtain high film property requirements. This report shows that the copolymerization of small quantities of functional monomers in a normal core/shell formulation can improve certain properties of binders and coatings.