Polymerization of a reactive diluent in the presence of an epoxy-amine material, and coating compositions prepared thereby

Abstract

A process including the polymerization of a reactive diluent, which is present in an aqueous dispersion that further includes an epoxy-amine material, is disclosed. The resulting composition is useful as a coating composition.

1 . A method of preparing a coating composition, comprising the steps of: 
 combining an amine and an epoxy material in the presence of a reactive diluent comprising at least one methacrylate compound to provide a composition comprising an advanced molecular weight epoxy-amine material and a reactive diluent;    making an aqueous dispersion of the composition; and    polymerizing the reactive diluent to provide the coating composition.    
     
     
         2 . (canceled)  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of making the aqueous dispersion comprises combining the composition with an acid.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the epoxy material is derived from Bisphenol A and epichlorohydrin.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the epoxy material is dissolved or dispersed in the reactive diluent.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the epoxy-amine material has residual epoxy functionality.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising the step of: 
 reacting the epoxy-amine material having residual epoxy functionality with an active hydrogen compound or precursor.    
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the step of reacting is carried out before the step of making the aqueous dispersion.  
     
     
         9 . A method of preparing a coating composition, comprising the steps of: 
 making an aqueous dispersion of a composition comprising an advanced molecular weight epoxy-amine material having residual epoxy functionality and a reactive diluent;    polymerizing the reactive diluent to provide the coating composition; and    reacting the epoxy-amine material having residual epoxy functionality with an active hydrogen compound or precursor;    wherein the step of reacting is carried out after the step of making the aqueous dispersion.    
     
     
         10 . A method of preparing a coating composition, comprising the steps of: 
 making an aqueous dispersion of a composition comprising an advanced molecular weight epoxy-amine material having residual epoxy functionality and a reactive diluent;    polymerizing the reactive diluent to provide the coating composition; and    reacting the epoxy-amine material having residual epoxy functionality with an active hydrogen compound or precursor;    wherein the step of reacting is carried out after the step of polymerizing the reactive diluent.    
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the coating composition further comprises a crosslinker.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the aqueous dispersion further comprises a surfactant.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the composition is combined with a surfactant before combining the composition with the acid.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the acid is an aqueous acid.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of making the aqueous dispersion comprises: 
 combining the composition with an acid to provide an acidified composition; and    combining the acidified composition with an aqueous liquid.    
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the aqueous liquid further comprises a surfactant.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the reactive diluent comprises a multifunctional material.  
     
     
         18 . A method of preparing a coating composition, comprising the steps of: 
 making an aqueous dispersion of a composition comprising an advanced molecular weight epoxy-amine material and a reactive diluent;    adding an additional reactive diluent before polymerizing; and    polymerizing the reactive diluent to provide the coating composition.    
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the reactive diluent is polymerized by free radical polymerization.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the coating composition further comprises a solvent.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the coating composition is a packaging coating composition, an anticorrosive coating composition, a stain blocker coating composition, a paper coating composition, a cement board coating composition, a fiberboard coating composition, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the coating composition is substantially free of solvent.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the coating composition has a volatile organic compound content of at most 0.2 kilograms per liter of solids.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the coating composition has a volatile organic compound content, excluding acid, of at most 0.2 kilograms per liter of solids.  
     
     
         25 . A coating composition prepared according to the method of  claim 1 .  
     
     
         26 . A method of coating an article comprising the steps of: 
 applying a coating composition prepared according to the method of  claim 1  to an article; and    hardening the coating composition to provide a coated article.    
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the coating composition further comprises a crosslinker.  
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 26 , further comprising the step of heating the coated article to provide a crosslinked coating.  
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the step of applying comprises applying the coating composition by an electro coat process.  
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the at least one methacrylate compound comprises butyl methacrylate.  
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30  wherein the reactive diluent further comprises at least one vinyl compound.  
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31  wherein the at least one vinyl compound comprises styrene.  
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32  wherein at least 7.5% by weight and at most 80% by weight reactive diluent is used, based on the total combined weight of epoxy material, amine, and reactive diluent.  
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33  wherein at least 15% by weight and at most 50% by weight reactive diluent is used, based on the total combined weight of epoxy material, amine, and reactive diluent.