All-weather HEURs: New rheology modifiers for consistent application properties under varying coating application temperatures

 
New Hydrophobically modified Ethylene oxide Urethane (HEUR) rheology modifier technology for architectural coatings that enables consistent application properties across a broad temperature range will be discussed. These nonionic associative thickeners incorporate oligomeric hydrophobic segments that impart a novel rheological response as temperature changes. Paints thickened with standard HEURs that comprise alkyl carbon chain, or aromatic, hydrophobic groups will decrease in viscosity as temperature of application use increases. This will often lead to inferior application properties, such as poor sag resistance and flow/leveling, when applying paints at higher temperatures. The oligomeric hydrophobic segments on the new HEURs are constructed to change hydrophobicity as temperature increases, thus maintaining their associating character and thickening power. The new HEURs can be designed to vary their rheology response as desired for particular applications, or they can be used a co-thickeners with standard HEURs to achieve consistent rheology response and consistent application properties as temperatures vary.