Environmentally Friendly Colorant Compositions and Latex Paints/Coatings

Abstract

The invention relates to colorant compositions, and aqueous latex paints or other water-borne coatings made from them, which have a mitigated environmental impact. Levels of solvents, additives and impurities comprising volatile non-aqueous constituents, alkylphenol ethoxylates (and derivatives thereof), crystalline silica, and/or formaldehyde are decreased relative to those typical of preceding generations of colorants and tinted aqueous latex paints and other water-borne coatings. On the other hand, paint-performance as indicated by any of Stormer viscosity stabilization, rheological profile flow/leveling and sag resistance, water sensitivity and color transfer resistance is comparable to a paint in which the aforementioned solvents, additives and impurities are still present.

1 - 45 . (canceled) 
     
     
         46 . A colorant composition suitable as a precursor to an aqueous latex paint or other water-borne coating, which colorant composition comprises at least one color pigment, water, and a copolymer surfactant, which colorant composition is not itself an aqueous latex paint or other water-borne coating, wherein the copolymer surfactant comprises moieties corresponding to the following monomers:
 (a) from about 10% to about 80% by weight of at least one C 3 -C 12  □□□□-ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid or anhydride,   (b) from about 10% to about 80% by weight of at least one C 2 -C 12  □□□□-ethylenically unsaturated vinyl monomer, and   (c) from about 0.01% to about 20% by weight of at least one surfactant monomer,   wherein said surfactant monomer is either an acrylic or methacrylic ester moiety joined with a hydrophobic moiety by a bridging group comprising a poly(ethyleneoxy) moiety, and wherein the copolymer surfactant is attached to the at least one color pigment to form a plurality of color pigment composite particles.   
     
     
         47 . The colorant composition of  claim 46 , wherein the hydrophobic moiety comprises a styrylphenyl moiety, an alkyl moiety or an alkylphenyl moiety. 
     
     
         48 . The colorant composition of  claim 46 , wherein any volatile non-aqueous constituents are present in an amount no greater than 1000 ppm by weight, any alkylphenol ethoxylates and derivatives thereof are present in an amount no greater than 1000 ppm by weight, any crystalline silica is present in an amount no greater than 100 ppm by weight, and any formaldehyde is present in an amount no greater than 10 ppm by weight. 
     
     
         49 . The colorant composition of  claim 48 , wherein any volatile non-aqueous constitutients are present in an amount no greater than 500 ppm by weight, any alkylphenol ethoxylates and derivatives thereof are present in an amount greater than 100 ppm by weight, any crystalline silica is present in an amount no greater than 100 ppm by weight, and any formaldehyde is present in an amount no greater than 5 ppm by weight, 
     
     
         50 . The colorant composition of  claim 49 , wherein any volatile non-aqueous constituents are present in an amount no greater than 300 ppm by weight, any alkylphenol ethoxylates and derivatives thereof are present in an amount no greater than 300 ppm by weight, any crystalline silica is present in an amount no greater than 5 ppm by weight, and any formaldehyde is present in an amount no greater than 5 ppm by weight. 
     
     
         51 . The colorant composition of  claim 46 , wherein said colorant composition is substantially entirely free of any volatile non-aqueous constituents, of any alkylphenol ethoxylates and derivatives thereof, of any crystalline silica and of any formaldehyde. 
     
     
         52 . The colorant composition of  claim 46 , which comprises at least one organic pigment, at least one inorganic pigment, or at least one organic pigment and at least one inorganic pigment. 
     
     
         53 . The colorant composition of  claim 46 , further comprising at least one additional surfactant which is different from said copolymer surfactant. 
     
     
         54 . The colorant composition of  claim 46 , further comprising a water-soluble polymer selected from the group consisting of polycarboxylic acids, copolymers comprising a monomer containing a carboxylic acid, alkali soluble emulsion polymers, cellulose derivatives, salts of a polyacrylic acid, salts of a copolymer comprising a monomer containing an acrylic acid, polyvinylpyrrolidone, copolymers comprising vinylpyrrolidone monomer, and two or more thereof. 
     
     
         55 . The colorant composition of claim  1 , wherein the copolymer surfactant comprises moieties corresponding to the following monomers
 (a) from about 10% to about 80% by weight of methacrylic or acrylic acid,   (b) from about 10% to about 80% by weight of a first vinyl ester which is alkyl methacrylate, the alkyl of which is of from 2 to 12 carbon atoms, and a second vinyl ester selected from the group consisting of vinyl acetate, vinyl propionate, vinyl butyrate, vinyl isobutyrate, vinyl benzoate, vinyl m-chlorobenzoate, vinyl p-methoxybenzoate, and vinyl alpha-chloroacetate, and   (c) from about 0.01% to about 20% by weight of at least one surfactant monomer, wherein said surfactant monomer is either an acrylic or methacrylic ester moiety joined with a hydrophobic moiety which is a styrylphenyl moiety by a bridging group consisting essentially of a poly(ethyleneoxy)moiety.   
     
     
         56 . The colorant composition of  claim 46 , wherein each said surfactant monomer is either an acrylic or methacrylic ester moiety joined with a hydrophobic moiety selected from the group consisting of monostyrylphenyl, distyrylphenyl, tristyrylphenyl or a mixture thereof by a bridging group comprising a poly(ethyleneoxy) moiety. 
     
     
         57 . The colorant composition of  claim 46 , wherein the poly(ethyleneoxy) moiety comprises from about 10 to about 40 ethyleneoxy units. 
     
     
         58 . The colorant composition of  claim 46 , wherein either the hydrophobic moiety or the hydrophilic moiety provides the attachment to the at least one color pigment.