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 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of making the aqueous dispersion comprises combining the composition with an acid. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the epoxy material is derived from Bisphenol A and epichlorohydrin. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the epoxy material is dissolved or dispersed in the reactive diluent. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the epoxy-amine material has residual epoxy functionality. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising the step of:
 reacting the epoxy-amine material having residual epoxy functionality with an active hydrogen compound or precursor.   
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the step of reacting is carried out before the step of making the aqueous dispersion. 
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the step of reacting is carried out after the step of making the aqueous dispersion. 
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the step of reacting is carried out after the step of polymerizing the reactive diluent. 
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the coating composition further comprises a crosslinker. 
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the aqueous dispersion further comprises a surfactant. 
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the composition is combined with a surfactant before combining the composition with the acid. 
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the acid is an aqueous acid. 
   
   
       14 . 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.   
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the aqueous liquid further comprises a surfactant. 
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the reactive diluent comprises a multifunctional material. 
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of:
 adding an additional reactive diluent before the polymerizing step.   
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the reactive diluent is polymerized by free radical polymerization. 
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the coating composition further comprises a solvent. 
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the coating composition is selected from the group consisting of 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. 
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the coating composition is substantially free of solvent. 
   
   
       22 . 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. 
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the coating composition has a volatile organic compound content, excluding acid, of at most 0.2 kilograms per liter of solids. 
   
   
       24 . A coating composition prepared according to the method of  claim 1 . 
   
   
       25 . 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.   
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the coating composition further comprises a crosslinker. 
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 25 , further comprising the step of heating the coated article to provide a crosslinked coating. 
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the step of applying comprises applying the coating composition by an electro coat process. 
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the at least one methacrylate compound comprises butyl methacrylate. 
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 29  wherein the reactive diluent further comprises at least one vinyl compound. 
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 30  wherein the at least one vinyl compound comprises styrene. 
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 31  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. 
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 32  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. 
   
   
       34 . 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 to provide a composition comprising an advanced molecular weight epoxy-amine material and the reactive diluent, with the proviso that the reactive diluent does not comprise an acrylate compound;   making an aqueous dispersion of the composition; and   polymerizing the reactive diluent to provide a stain blocker coating composition for wood.   
   
   
       35 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the epoxy-amine material has residual epoxy functionality. 
   
   
       36 . The method of  claim 35 , further comprising the step of:
 reacting the epoxy-amine material having residual epoxy functionality with an active hydrogen compound or precursor.   
   
   
       37 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the step of reacting is carried out before the step of making the aqueous dispersion. 
   
   
       38 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the step of reacting is carried out after the step of making the aqueous dispersion. 
   
   
       39 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the step of reacting is carried out after the step of polymerizing the reactive diluent. 
   
   
       40 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the coating composition further comprises a crosslinker. 
   
   
       41 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the aqueous dispersion further comprises a surfactant. 
   
   
       42 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the coating composition is substantially free of solvent. 
   
   
       43 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the coating composition has a volatile organic compound content of at most 0.2 kilograms per liter of solids. 
   
   
       44 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the coating composition has a volatile organic compound content, excluding acid, of at most 0.2 kilograms per liter of solids. 
   
   
       45 . A coating composition prepared according to the method of  claim 34 . 
   
   
       46 . A method of coating an article comprising the steps of:
 applying a coating composition prepared according to the method of  claim 34  to wood; and   hardening the coating composition to provide coated wood.   
   
   
       47 . The method of  claim 46 , wherein the coating composition further comprises a crosslinker. 
   
   
       48 . The method of  claim 46 , further comprising the step of heating the coated wood to provide a crosslinked coating. 
   
   
       49 . The method of  claim 34  wherein the reactive diluent comprises at least one vinyl compound. 
   
   
       50 . The method of  claim 49  wherein the at least one vinyl compound comprises styrene.