The application and storage properties of water based coatings depends largely upon the selection of the thickener and rheology modifier package. To do this, a wide variety of thickening and rheology modifiers is used.
It is generally interpreted that thickening agents are used to prevent pigment settling and provide ‘in can’ stability, and rheology modifiers are used to adjust application properties, film build, flow and levelling.
Carboxylated acrylic polymers are well established as emulsion paint thickeners because their unique chemistry can be varied to generate products which can meet most of the performance requirements. There are practical benefits also in terms of
• Handleability — low viscosity
— easy to pump and dose
— can be added directly to formulation, no pregelling
• Very cost effective
• Resistant to bacterial attack
• Contain no solvents.