Both the emulsion polymer and paint industry guard their industrial secrets. Polymer manufacturers will state the type of polymer and surfactant or colloid, but will not divulge quantities of either monomer ratios or surfactant concentrations. They will say whether surfactants are anionic or nonionic, but will not divulge the chemical nature of individual surfactants used, nor of grades or colloids. Polymer and pigment suppliers will provide recipes showing how their products may be used in paints and these recipes do work. Paint and coating manufacturers have their own secret additives and their concentrations which they feel will give better performance than the general recommendations of their suppliers. In the following examples the recipes are taken from suppliers’ literature, and are selected to illustrate general points of formulation rather than to provide instant formulations.
The popularity of using acrylic resins in water based coatings is derived from a number of important attributes, some of which are;
• good water resistance
• low dirt pick-up
• flexibility
• non-yellowing
• good alkali resistance
• cost competitiveness against alternative resin systems.
With increasing environmental and legislative pressures on the use of VOC’s, acrylic dispersions are continuing to gain prominence in a number of important market sectors, namely;
• masonry paints
• wood paints
• plastic coatings
• metal coatings
• sealants and caulks
graphic arts
• floor polishes
• concrete modifiers
• adhesives