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New Hybrid Rheology Control Agent for WB Coatings

DISPARLON AQH-800
1. Introduction
With an increased use of water-based coatings, a higher level of various coating
properties is required. One of the needed coating properties is the appropriate
rheological behavior. There is a variety of rheology control agents such as cellulose
type, urethane type, acrylic type and bentonite type for the WB coatings. They all
have advantages and disadvantages so we should choose the suitable one for ourpurposes.
DISPARLON AQH-800 is our new Soft Paste Rheology Control Agent.
AQH-800 is a hybrid type of special polyamide compounds. AQH-800 can beincorporated easily and forms a network structure in the coating system. The uniquehybrid network structure of AQH-800 provides many features different from generalrheology modifiers.

2. Features and typical properties of AQH-800
2-1. Typical properties of AQH-800
Table-1
Appearance

Light yellow soft paste

Active component

Modified amine salt of polyamide

Active %10%Volatile

Water, Propylene glycol monomethyl ether

Acid value

7.5

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2/62-2. Features of AQH-800
1) Easy incorporation
AQH-800 can be added directly but using a pre-dispersion of AQH-800 is more
effective in some cases.
2) High shear thinning property
Low viscosity at high shear rates (High thixotropic effect). Excellent anti-settling& anti- sagging properties. Excellent sprayability.
3) Heat resistanceExcellent heat resistance caused by the enhanced network structure throughhybridizing.
4) Solvent independent
Independent from the types and amount of co-solvents. Can be used in a wide
range of the WB coating systems, from Emulsion types to Water-soluble types.

Table-2 Formulation

Figure-1 Rheological behavior

Dosage - Viscosity

ComponentPartsComponent
NeoCryl
XK-1278.21

Parts

AQH-800

NeoCryl
XK-12
BFDG

3.13

78.21

Acrylic

Dipropylene Glycol
MFDGMonobutyl Ether
3.65

3.13

Dipropylene Glycol
Monomethyl 15.01
EtherdH O

3.65

dH2O

15.01

Viscosity (cP)

2100001000

Figure-1 shows the rheological behaviors ofUrethane

100

100.0

different rheology control agents. Generalthickeners increase viscosity very much but
don’t impart high thixotropic effect. Thesethickeners tend to show higher viscosity to0.2

0.4

0.6

Active matter dosage (%)

HigherThixotropic
Effect0.8LowerThickening
EffectDosage - T.I.

6get enough thixotropy. AQH-800 provides
too much thickening.

4T.I.

high thixotropy at a lower dosage without

200.0

0.2

0.4

0.6

Active matter dosage (%)

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0.8

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Table-3 Formulation
Component

Parts

NeoCryl A-639

75.56

dH2O

14.24

Co-solvent

10.20

Figure-2 Solvent independency of AQH-800
Co-solventHLB(Davies)

Ethylene glycol mono-2-Ethyl hexyl (EHG)

5.4

Propylene glycol monobutyl ether (BPG)

6.9

Ethylene glycol monobutyl ether (BCS)

7.3

Diethylene glycol monobutyl ether (BDG)

7.6

Dipropylene glycol monomethyl ether (DPM)

8.1

Propylene glycol monomethyl ether (PM)8.3

Hydrophobic typeMedium typeHydrophilic typeFigure-2 shows theinfluence of various

4.5

co-solvents on AQH-800 and
3.5

AQ-600. AQ-600 is effective

Blank
T.I.

with lower polarity

2.5

AQH-800

co-solvents. The thixotropic
effect of AQH-800 isn't
influenced too much by thepolarity of a co-solvent.

AQ-600

1.5

0.5
EHG

BPGBCSBDG

DPM

PMdH2O

Dosage : 0.4% as active component

3. Mechanism of AQH-800
The strong crystal structure of a hydrophobic amide is applied into hydrophilicpolyamide structure and enhances self-assembly properties of the hydrophilicpolyamide .
With hydrophobic interactions and hydrogen bonds, AQH-800 becomes a fibrous
molecular assembly and then interacts with each other or interacts with someparticles such as resins and pigments. As a result, AQH-800 forms a network
structure, and provides the required rheological behavior to the coatings.

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4. Effects of AQH-800
Table-4 Formulation of Automotive OEM primer-surfacer
PartA

Setaqua 6071 AQ-44

Polyester resin; Nuplex Resins

95.68

W-1

Barium sulfate; Takehara Kagaku Kogyo

29.44

SL-2000

Calcium Carbonate; Takehara Kagaku Kogyo

29.44

JR-600A

Titanium dioxide; TAYCA

58.88

MA-100Carbon Black; Mitsubishi Chem.

0.44

Water

23.84

DMEA

pH control agent(pH 8.0)[Sand-mill grinder 2000rpm x 60min]

0.48
238.20

Paint formulation
Part238.2

A

Setaqua 6071 AQ-44

Polyester resin; Nuplex ResinsDMEA

pH control agent(pH 8.0)

Water

95.68
0.30
31.36

Diethyleneglycol monobutyl ether

Co-solvent

10.08

Setamine MS-152 IB-70

Melamine resin; Nuplex Resins

30.77

Rheology control agent[Dissolver 1800rpm x 15min]

α406.39＋αoDosage: 0.4％(as active component), Viscosity: 26 sec (Ford Cup #4) at 25 C

Figure-3 shows the flow curves of various rheology control agents. AQH-800 brings ahigher thixotropic effect than the Acrylic and Urethane thickeners; gives a lower
viscosity at high shear rate, and higher viscosity at low shear rate compared to theothers. Thus AQH-800 provides excellent anti-settling and anti-sagging properties.

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Figure-3 Flow curve
1000

AQH-800
Acrylic
UrethaneBlankv is c o s ity (P a .s )

100.0

10.00

1.000

0.1000

Low-High
0.01000
1.000E-3

0.1000

1.000
10.00
shear rate (1/s)

100.01000

10000oDosage: 0.4％(as active component), Viscosity: 26 sec (Ford Cup #4) at 25 C

AQH-800 prevented pigment sedimentation for 2 weeks at both room temperatureand 40 degree C (Photo-1). AQH-800 provided the excellent anti-settling effect as
expected from the flow curve and the effect of AQH-800 was stable even at hightemperatures.
Photo-1 Anti-settling test result

After 2weeks at roomtemperature

Blank

AQH-800
AQH-800

Acrylic

UrethaneAcrylic

Urethaneo

After 2weeks at 40 CBlank

AQH-800
AQH-800

oDosage: 0.4％(as active component), Viscosity: 26 sec (Ford Cup #4) at 25 C

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AQH-800 showed also an excellent anti-sagging effect as well as the anti-settlingeffect, compared to Acrylic and Urethane thickeners (Photo-2).

Photo-2 Anti-sagging test result

30μm

40μm

50μm

30μm

40μm

Blank
30μm

50μm

AQH-800
AQH-800

40μm

50μm

30μm

40μm

Acrylic

50μm

UrethaneoDosage: 0.4％(as active component), Viscosity: 26 sec (Ford Cup #4) at 25 Cooo

Setting: 10min at 25 C, Baking: 10min at 80 C → 30min at 145 C.

As shown in this document, AQH-800 provides a high thixotropic effect without
unnecessary viscosity increase. AQH-800 prevents pigment settling and sagging
problems even after storage at high temperature. AQH-800 can be added directly
because of soft paste. AQH-800 is independent from the types and amount of
co-solvents and can be used in a wide range of the WB coating systems.

Copyright 2013. Kusumoto Chemicals, Ltd. All right Reserved.