Abstract:
Paint spray booth detackification compositions and methods are disclosed. The compositions comprise a hectorite clay, an anti-foaming agent and optionally, an aluminum oxide material and a montmorillonite clay. These compositions are introduced into a paint spray booth water wash system so as to detackify oversprayed paint.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to an improved method and composition for treating paint wastes and paint oversprays encountered in paint spray booths or any areas where these wastes and oversprays exist. 
     BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
     Spray painting of automobile bodies, truck engines, appliances, and other industrial goods is customarily carried out in enclosed areas called paint spray booths (PSB). These booths act both to contain any fumes or oversprayed paint and to reduce the chances of dust contamination. These booths vary in size, but are somewhat basic in their design and operation. A typical booth would thus consist of a work area, back section with mist eliminators, and a sump. 
     The units to be painted generally pass through the work area while an airflow makes the oversprayed paint contact either the sump water or the spray from the water curtain. The air is scrubbed with recirculated water at the water curtain, passes through the mist eliminators, and is removed by an exhaust fan. 
     Because roughly one-half of all paint sprayed does not reach its intended article, a significant concentration of paint builds in the system and agglomeration can occur. The resultant mass is a sticky, tacky material which can plug the mist eliminators, shower heads, and even recirculating pumps. When this happens, scrubbing efficiency decreases leading to potentially hazardous conditions of unchecked paint emissions being discharged into the atmosphere. Such conditions may also present severe safety hazards to paint spray booth operators. 
     This process involves other problems. These tacky organic deposits are subject to bacterial growth and fungii proliferation which conditions generate corrosion and odor problems. In addition, the paint solids which are recirculated can form suspensions in the water. They remain tacky and can create expensive separation and disposal problems. 
     These problems show, therefore, the desirability to treat PSB water systems so as to reduce or prevent as much as possible, the agglomeration and deposition of oversprayed paint on critical PSB operation parts; to render the resultant sludge non-tacky and easily removable; and to provide a water quality such that it can be recycled for use in the system. 
     PRIOR ART 
     Many compositions and methods have been tried in an effort to reduce these problems. One of the first of these processes is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,585,407. This disclosure acknowledges the then conventional practice of allowing the overspray to come in contact with water treated with caustic to a pH above 8. The paint eventually settles by gravity to the bottom of the sump where it is removed by shovelling the sticky residue from the sump. This method eventually was considered unacceptable and as a result, more sophisticated chemical treatments have been developed to separate the paint from the water and turn it into a non-tacky, or detackified, solid which does not cause the aforementioned problems. 
     The prior art is replete with such chemical treatment approaches. For instance, the use of a combination of esters of aliphati dibasic acids and bentonite clay is suggested in U.S. Pat. No. 2,362,964 (Affeck). Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 3,515,575 (Arnold et al) discloses the use of talc, chalk, starch, bentonite, clay, colloidal silica, calcium silicate, magnesium silicate, aluminum silicate, antifoams in general, and polycationic or polyanionic polymers to perform the detackification function. 
     Other prior art patents disclosing the use of bentonite clays in this environment include U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,220,456 (Block); 2,267,426 (Saunders et al); 4,185,970 (Dean); 4,125,476 (Dean); and 4,380,495 (Maher). 
     Despite the advantages of the above-noted prior art approaches, the present inventors faced the problem of developing a versatile detackification product and method capable of performing the intended detackification function for a wide degree of paint products including water based paints, oil based paints, lacquers, enamels and the newer high solids paints. 
     In addition to finding a versatile detackifier composition and method, the inventors attempted to develop a detackifier that remained suspended in the wash water over a relatively long time period, in contrast to certain of the prior art montmorillonite and bentonite clay detackifiers which quickly separated from the wash water and hence could no longer fulfill the desirable detackifier function. 
     Of even further importance is the need for a detackification composition and method capable of performing adequately with the difficult to &#34;kill&#34; epoxy, amino resin, vinyl resin based paints, alkyd resin, urethane and acrylic paints. 
     These and other problems have been substantially minimized by the compositions and methods herein disclosed and claimed. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     In accordance with the invention, it has been discovered that hectorite clay effectively detackifies water-based paints, oil-based paints, lacquers and enamels. 
     Paint is a broad-based term used to describe the coating applied to a given object. Paints are normally composed of a film former (the resin which forms the coating), a solvent or carrier (water or oil); pigments (for color), and additives such as biocides, drying agents, viscosity modifiers, etc. In general, the solvent is used to classify the paint type: either water base or oil base. Technically, if the paint forms its coating by evaporation of the solvent without chemical reaction, it is a lacquer. If the coating is formed via cross-linking, it is an enamel. 
     The term &#34;clay&#34; is unusual in that it has decidedly different meanings to technologists in different fields. One standard definition for the term is that of a &#34;naturally occurring sediment (including that obtained by alteration in situ by supergene and hydrothermal processes) or sedimentary rock composed of one or more minerals and accessory compounds, the whole usually being rich in hydrated silicates of aluminum, iron or magnesium, hydrated alumina, or iron oxide, predominating in particles of colloidal or near-colloidal size, and commonly developing plasticity when sufficiently pulverized and wetted.&#34; Kirk-Othmer, Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology, Volume 5, page 544, (2nd edition) John Wiley and Sons, Inc., New York, N.Y. 1964. 
     The &#34;montmorillonite&#34; clays refer generically to crystalline clays having three layers. These clays are composed of units having two layers of silica tetrahedrons and one centrally disposed dioctahedral or trioctahedral layer. Such montmorillonite clays may be classified as either having an expanding lattice structure or a nonexpanding lattice. The Encyclopedia of Chemistry, (third edition), Van Nostrand Reinhold Co., New York, 1973. 
     The term &#34;montmorillonite&#34; has also been used to specify a species member of the &#34;montmorillonite&#34; genus; i.e., an aluminous member of the group accorded the empirical formula ##STR1## 
     Both bentonite and hectorite are members of the expanding lattice montmorillonite subgenus. One difference between the two is that in hectorite, the aluminum present in the bentonite lattice is almost completely substituted by magnesium atoms. Another difference is that lithium and fluorine are absent from the bentonite lattice and present in the hectorite lattice. Bentonite may be characterized as a sodium aluminum silicate, with hectorite being a sodium magnesium-fluoro-litho silicate. 
     Hectorite has been given the empirical formula [Mg 2 .67 Li 0 .33 (Na 0 .33)]Si 4  O 10  (OH, F) 2 . 
     One hectorite, which may be used in accordance with the invention is Capricorn H, Capricorn Chemicals. It has been reported to have the following analysis: 
     
         ______________________________________Capricorn HHECTORITE______________________________________Shape:        ElongateParticle Size:         0.8 × 0.89 × 0.0010(dispersed)   micronsType:         TrioctahedralColor:        White to Light PinkComposition:Clay           50.0%Water         6.1Quartz        1.0Cristobalite  --Calcite       30.0Dolomite      12.9Feldspar      --Gypsum        --Illite        --         100.0%Oxide Analyses:SiO.sub.2      55.86%Al.sub.2 O.sub.3          0.13Fe.sub.2 O.sub.3          0.03FeO           --MnO           NoneMgO           25.03CaO           TrK.sub.2 O      0.10Na.sub.2 O     2.68Li.sub.2 O     1.05TiO.sub.2     NoneCO.sub.2      --F              5.96H.sub.2 O-     9.90H.sub.2 O+     2.24          102.98%______________________________________ 
    
     In contrast, Wyoming bentonite has been reported to have the following analysis: 
     
         ______________________________________WYOMING BENTONITE______________________________________Shape:     EquidimensionalParticle Size:      0.8 × 0.8 × 0.0010 microns(dispersed)Type:      DioctahedralColor:     Gray to BrownComposition:      Clay                77.4%      Water              7.9      Quartz             5.0      Cristobalite       0.7      Calcite            --      Dolomite           --      Feldsper           6.0      Gyspsum            1.0      Illite             2.0                         100.0%Oxide Analysis:      SiO.sub.2           55.44%      Al.sub.2 O.sub.3   20.14      Fe.sub.2 O.sub.3    3.67      FeO                 0.30      MnO                --      MgO                 2.49      CaO                 0.50      K.sub.2 O           0.60      Na.sub.2 O          2.75      Li.sub.2 O         --      TiO.sub.2           0.10      CO.sub.2           --      F                  --      H.sub.2 O          14.70                          100.69%______________________________________ 
    
     Other commercially available hectorite clays which may be used in accordance with the invention include &#34;Hectorite Clay&#34; a natural hectorite available from NL Industries; &#34;Macoloid&#34;, a purified hectorite available from NL Industries and &#34;Bentone EW&#34;, a beneficiated hectorite available from NL Industries. 
     By &#34;natural&#34; hectorite, we mean hectorite as it is mined. Typically such &#34;natural&#34; hectorite may comprise from around 40-60% hectorite and 40-60% other minerals. 
     Use of the phase purified hectorite in the disclosure and claims signifies a hectorite which, via processing, has had all or most of the non-clay components removed. This includes those hectorites which have been subjected to a drying step. 
     The phrase beneficiated hectorite is used herein to define hectorites that have been treated with or chemically reacted with organic or other chemical treatments. 
     Of course, those skilled in the art may be capable of developing a purely synthetic hectorite. Such synthetic hectorites also fall within the ambit of the invention. 
     We have surprisingly found that use of the hectorite clays results in effective paint detackification of many different paint types. Surprisingly, such hectorite clay detackifier products work much better than the prior art montmorillonites and bentonites. Although we do not intend to be bound by any particular theory of operation, it is postulated that the enhanced detackification efficacy is caused by the remarkable expansion capacity exhibited by hectorites. 
     Moreover, hectorite is more versatile than the other clays mentioned above in that it performs its detackification function with respect to a wide variety of paint types, and is especially effective in detackifying epoxy, polyurethane and vinyl resin paints which are difficult to detackify. 
     In combination with the hectorite clay, it is preferred to use an antifoaming agent such as a polyoxylkylene glycol or a silicone material so as to minimize foaming problems that may occur. In order to provide an effective yet inexpensive treatment, montmorilonite clays may be combined with the more expensive hectorite clay. Other materials such as alumina may also be added. 
     Compositions in accordance with the invention may comprise: (the percentages adding up to 100%) 
     10-100 weight % hectorite clay 
     01-60 weight % montmorillonite clay (when present) 
     01-25 weight % alumina (when present) 
     01-5 weight % antifoam (when present) 
     At present, the composition preferred for use comprises: 
     68.2 weight % hectorite clay: (200 mesh): particle size--75 microns. 
     19.5 weight % montmorillonite clay 
     9.8 weight % aluminum oxide (325 mesh) 
     2.5 weight % antifoam 
     Prior to use, the composition is first preferably slurried with water and then either shot or continuously fed to the spray system in an amount of about 0.5-50% by weight dry composition based on the weight of the oversprayed paint. The composition may also be added to the desired paint spray booth system in its dry powder form. Most preferably, the composition is added to the system at a rate of from about 1-15% by weight dry composition to weight oversprayed paint. 
     We have found that optimal results are attained when the dry composition is subjected to high-shear agitation upon mixing with water. If such high-shear agitation is not available, it is recommended that the composition be allowed to stand for about 24 hours after being mixed with water. Also, it is beneficial if the water in the wash system is maintained at or near a neutral pH (i.e., ≈6-8). 
     The following examples amply demonstrate that the compositions of the present invention may be successfully utilized in processes of the type which are directed toward the inhibition of pollution and/or contamination in paint spray booth systems. In these types of water wash systems, the water is used to wash air in the booth and to remove oversprayed paints, enamels or lacquers. Solids may be removed by conventional techniques via filters, etc. The water is normally recirculated so that it may once again perform its intended washing function. Upon treatment with the detackification compositions of the invention, the tackiness of the paints, enamels and lacquers is reduced and therefore, to the extent that these paints, enamels and lacquers are not separated from the liquid phase, they exhibit less tendency to adhere to the integral parts of the pumps, mist eliminators or sump sidewalls of the spray booths. Further, the agglomeration function of the detackification compositions facilitates removal of these waste paint solids from the water so that relatively clean water can be recirculated in the system. Another important function of the treatment of the present invention is to reduce the volume of the resultant sludge. 
     The detackification compositions (based upon the weight of oversprayed paint) can be admitted in the paint spray booth system at varied locations including; the sump, upstream from pumps, or at any advantageous position along the circulating water system. 
     The invention will now be further described with reference to a number of specific examples which are to be regarded solely as illustrative and not as restricting the scope of the invention. 
    
    
     SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS 
     Example 1 
     In order to access the effectiveness of hectorite clays in detackifying paints, each of the clays listed below was prepared as a 5% weight solution in water. Then, 2 cc of each 5% clay solution were mixed with 98 cc water and 1 cc of the test paint in a jar. After this addition, the resulting mixture was agitated and then allowed to settle. The overall resulting water clarity was judged subjectively, and observations were made as to whether the paint coated the glass jar, the characteristics of the floc formed, and the approximate ratio of sunk to floating paint. Results are recorded in Tables IA and IB hereinbelow. 
     
                       TABLE IA______________________________________High Solids White Paint - styrene/melamine/acrylate binder, ketone/alcohol/acetate solvent  Jar Test ResultsClay             Coated  % Sink/Additive Floc    Glass   Float  Comments                                   Rating______________________________________montmoril-    oily    yes     10/90  globby  fairlonite   N-C                    beadsmontmoril-    oily    yes     70/30  globby  poorlonite/  contcalciumcarbonatesodium mont-    oily    yes     65/35  small globs                                   poormorillonite    N-Csodium mont-    small,  Yes     60/40  small floc                                   fairmorillonite    oilysodium mont-    med,    Yes     50/50  medium  fairmorillonite    oily                   flocsodium mont-    NC      yes     50/50  globby  poormorillonitepurified fluffy  no      20/80  excellent                                   excellenthectorite                       killmodified sticky  yes     --     globby, badorgano clay                     unkilledmodified sticky  yes     60/40  unkilled                                   poororgano claykaolin   oily,   yes            non-tacky                                   fair    N-Chectorite    fluffy  no      20/80  excellent                                   excellent                           killwestern  small   yes     20/80  small paint                                   goodbentonite    beads                  beads                           in flocswestern  small   yes     40/60  small paint                                   goodbentonite    beads                  beads                           in flocswestern  small   yes     40/60  small beads                                   goodbentonite    beads                  in floccrude kaolin    globby  yes     --     unkilled                                   poorkaolin,  globby  yes     30/70  unkilled                                   poorceramic,gradecontrol  globby  yes     --     unkilled                                   poor______________________________________ N-C means a noncontinuous layer of paint Cont. means a continuous layer of paint % sink/float relates to the floc layer 
    
     
                       TABLE IB______________________________________Blue Lacquer Paint - methacrylate binder,ester/mixed aromatic solvent -    Jar Test ResultsClay             Coated  Sink/Additive Floc    Glass   Float  Comments                                   Rating______________________________________montmoril-    small   no      0/100  fluffy, goodlonite                          small flocsmontmoril-    beady,  yes     5/95   globby, poorlonite/  cont                   oilycalciumcarbonatesodium mont-    fluffy  no      0/100  small,  goodmorillonite                     fluffy flocsodium mont-    fluffy  no      0/100  small,  v. goodmorillonite                     fluffy flocsodium mont-    small   no      0/100  moderate                                   goodmorillonite                     foamsodium mont-    fluffy  yes     0/100  moderate                                   goodmorillonite                     foampurified fluffy  no      0/100  small,  excellenthectorite                       fluffy flocmodified globby  yes     --     all paint                                   v. badorgano-clay                     stuck to                           glassmodified beady   no      0/100  continuous                                   fairorgano-clay                     layerKaolinite    beady-  no      10/90  non-    good    N-C                    continuous                           layerhectorite    fluffy  no      0/100  wide floc                                   excellent                           layerwestern          no      2/98   clay/paint                                   goodbentonite                       separationwestern  small   no      0/100  fluffy, goodbentonite        no      20/80  small clay/                                   good                           paint                           separationwestern  globby, no      5/95   small globs                                   fairbentonite    contcrude kaolin    beady   yes            unkilled,                                   poor                           cont.kaolin   beads   yes     0/100  oily,   poorceramic                         continuousgradecontrol  globby  yes     0/100  oily,   poor                           continuous______________________________________ 
    
     Example 2 
     Another series of jar tests was performed with the clays, talcs, zeolites and silicates listed below being used as detackifying agents. The procedure used in Example 1 was repeated. This time, however, foaming propensity was measured on a subjective 1 to 5 scale with #1 signifying worse than control, #2 signifying control, and #5 indicating a lack of foam formation. Floc depth was measured (in milliliters) as opposed to the subjective sink/float ratio used in Example I. In addition to the other subjective characteristics measured in conjunction with Example 1, a &#34;finger test&#34; was performed in which the tester&#39;s finger was placed in the formed floc and then visual and tactile observations recorded. All results appear in Tables IIA-C. As used herein, Composition &#34;A&#34; refers to a composition consisting of 68.2 weight % hectorite, 19.5 weight % montmorillonite, 9.8 weight % aluminum oxide, and 2.5% polyoxylalkylene glycol antifoam. 
     
                       TABLE IIA______________________________________BROWN PAINT - melamine modified alkyd binder,ethylene glycol monoethylether acetate solvent                      Float        CoatingDetackifying    Floc              Sink  Finger onAgent    Description              Foam    (MM)  Test   Jar______________________________________Composition    Fluffy,   1        5/11 oily,  None&#34;A&#34;      small beads             smears                            non-                            tackynatural  Fluffy,   1       12/18 oily,  Nonehectorite    small beads             smears                            non-                            tackypurified Fluffy,   1       11/34 Oily,  Nonehectorite    small beads             smears                            non-                            tackymodified Oily, con-              5       2/0   Greasy Noneorgano-clay    tinuous                 non-                            tackybeneficiated    Fluffy,   1       18/25 Slightly                                   Nonehectorite    small beads             rollablemodified Globby,   5       --/-- Not    Yesorgano-clay    non-                    killed    continuousmodified Globby,   5       --/-- Not    Yesorgano-clay    non-                    killed    continuousmodified Globby,   5       --/-- Not    Yesorgano-clay    non-                    killed    continuoussodium   Oily, con-              5       2/0   Smears Yessilicon  tinuousaluminatehydrated Oily, con-              5       2/1   Smears Yessilicon  tinuousdioxideattapulgite    Fine,     5       Beady Unkilled                                   Minimalclay     beady,            layer/3    continuousattapulgite    Oily,     5       --/thin                            Unkilled                                   Con-clay     globby,           layer        tinuous    non-    continuoustalc     Small     4       2/1   Oily   Yes    beady &amp;    flakytalc     Medium    4       2/1   Oily   Yes    beady floctalc     Beady     5       2/1   Oily   No                            layer on                            bottomtalc     Beady     5       2/1   Oily   No                            layer on                            bottomzeolite sieve    Oily, non-              5       1/1   Dis-   Yes    continuous              persionzeolite sieve    Oily, non-              5       1/1   Dis-   Yes    continuous              persionzeolite  Oily, non-              5       0/2   Dis-   Yes    continuous              persedzeolite  Oily, non-              5       0/2   Dis-   Yes    continuous              persedhollow,  Continuous,              5       2/0   Heavy  Yesinorganic    globby                  coatingmicrospherehollow,  Continuous,              5       2/0   Heavy  Yesinorganic    globby                  coatingmicrospherehollow,  Continuous,              5       3/0   Heavy  Yesinorganic    globby                  coatingmicrosphereactivated    Medium    5       0/2   Dis-   Yesbauxite  beady floc              persion______________________________________ 
    
     
                       TABLE IIB______________________________________RED/BROWN PRIMER - melamine modified epoxy binder,alcohol/acetate/mixed aromatics solvent                      Float        CoatingDetackifying    Floc              Sink  Finger onAgent    Description              Foam    (MM)  Test   Jar______________________________________Composition    Fluffy, tiny              1       9/2   Smears,                                   No&#34;A&#34;      beads in                non-    floc                    tackyhectorite    Fluffy, tiny              1       10/2  Smears, No    beads in                non-    floc                    tackypurified Fluffy, tiny              1       20/3  Rollable                                   Nohectorite    beads in    flocmodified Beady,    5       4/1   Greasy,                                   Yesorgano-clay    flaky flocs             non-                            tackybeneficiated    Fluffy, tiny              1       22/2  Rollable,                                   Nohectorite    beads in                non-    floc                    tackymodified Globby,   5       --/-- Tacky  Yesorgano-clay    non-    continuousmodified Globby,   5       --/-- Tacky  Yesorgano-clay    non-    continuousmodified Small     5       --/-- Tacky  Yesorgano-clay    globs,    non-    continuoussodium   Beady, con-              5       2/1   Oily   Yessilicon  tinuousaluminatehydrated Beady     4       3/1   Oily   Yessilicondioxidetalc     Fluffy floc              4       3/2   Oily   Slighttalc     Fluffy floc              4       3/1   Oily   Non-con-                                   tinuoustalc     Globby    5       3/1   Oily   Yes    continuoustalc     Globby    5       3/1   Oily   Yes    continuouszeolite sieve    Beady &amp;   5       1/1   --     Yes    globbyzeolite sieve    Tiny beads              5       1/1   --     Yes    &amp; globbyzeolite  Beady, con-              5       2/0   Globby,                                   Yes    tinuous                 smearszeolite  Beady, con-              5       2/0          Yes    tinuoushollow,  Beady,    5       2/0   Greasy Yesinorganic    globbymicrospherehollow,  Beady,    5       2/1   Greasyinorganic    globbymicrospherehollow,  Beady,    5       2/1   Greasyinorganic    globbymicrosphereactivated    Beady,    5       1/1   Oily   Yesbauxite  globby                  layer on                            bottom______________________________________ 
    
     
                       TABLE IIC______________________________________CAMEL TAN - melamine modified alkyd/styrene binder,ethylene glycol monethyl ether acetate/mixed aromatics solvent                                    Coat-                      Float         ing    Floc      Foam    Sink          onAdsorbant    Description              (1-5)   (MM)  Class II                                    Jar______________________________________Composition    Fluffy with              1        3/38 Oily, coats                                    No&#34;A&#34;      tiny beads              finger, non-                            tackyhectorite    Fluffy with              1        3/20 Oily, coats                                    No    tiny beads              finger, non-                            tackypurified Fluffy with              1        7/55 Non-tacky,                                    Nohectorite    tiny beads              light                            coatingmodified Continuous              5       --/-- Coats   Yesorgano-clay    with some               finger,    beads                   non-tackybeneficiated    Fluffy with              1       22/32 Non-tacky,                                    Nohectorite    tiny beads              light                            coatingmodified Oily,     5       1/0   Oily, non-                                    Yesorgano-clay    globby,                 tacky    non-    continuousmodified Oily,     5       1/0   Oily, non-                                    Yesorgano-clay    globby,                 tacky    non-    continuousmodified Beady,    5       2/0   Oily, non-                                    Yesorgano-clay    flaking                 tackyattapulgite    Oily, non-              5       --/-- Oily, non-                                    Yesclay     continuous              tackyattapulgite    Oily, non-              5       --/-- Oily, non-                                    Yesclay     continuous              tacky______________________________________ 
    
     Discussion Tables I and II 
     The hectorite clays are clearly the best paint detackifiers/dispersants of the materials evaluated. The montmorillonite clays were somewhat efffective, but not nearly as effective as the hectorite clays. All of the other tested products were ineffective. 
     Quite surprisingly, the hectorite products appeared to work well on all of the paint samples tested. It is noted that all of the tested hectorite samples exhibited a tendency to foam. Hence, Composition &#34;A&#34; was developed so as to formulate a hectorite based detackifier with an antifoam component. 
     Example 3 
     In order to ascertain the detackification efficacy of the antiforam containing hectorite product, another series of jar tests, as per Examples 1 and 2, was undertaken. This time, the hectorite product was compared to other commercially available, well-known detackifier products. Results are shown in Tables IIIA-C. 
     
                                           TABLE IIIA__________________________________________________________________________Red/Brown Primer - melamine modified epoxybinder, alcohol/acetate/mixed aromatics solvent     Coating          Floc              Floc          TreatmentProduct/  on   Depth              Descrip-                     Finger Rating (perPaint Foam*     Jar* (mm)              tion   Test   paint)__________________________________________________________________________Composi- 3   5    4   fluffy floc,                     light coat,                            good, besttion &#34;A&#34;       no beads of              slight tack,                     overall              paint, easily                     not oily,              disperses,                     does not              medium floc                     smearmontmoril- 4   5    2   very fine                     light coat,                            goodlonite             floc, easily                     slight tack,              disperses,                     not oily,              unused clay                     does not              on bottom                     smearmontmoril- 5   3    4   medium floc                     heavy coat,                            poorlonite/            with chunks                     smears oncalcium            of paint                     glasscarbonatediatoma- 5   4    2   medium floc                     medium coat,                            fairceous              with chunks                     oily, tackyearth              of paintControl 5   2    0   chunky, un-                     oily, heavy                            poor              killed coat, un-                     killed__________________________________________________________________________ 
    
     
                                           TABLE IIIB__________________________________________________________________________Silver - acrylic modified polyesterbinder, alcohol/acetate/acetone solvent     Coating          Floc              Floc          TreatmentProduct/  on   Depth              Descrip-                     Finger Rating (perPaint Foam*     Jar* (mm)              tion   Test   paint)__________________________________________________________________________Composi- 4   5    13  fluffy, easi-                     light coat-                            good-tion &#34;A&#34;           ly disperses,                     ing on fin-                            best              fine particle                     ger, no                            overall              size, small                     smear on              beads of                     glass, oily              paint in flocmontmoril- 5   5    3   floc easily                     medium coat                            goodlonite             disperses,                     on finger,              medium size                     oily              flocmontmoril- 5   3    0   terrible,                     unkilled,                            badlonite             chunks of                     oily, tacky              paint on              bottomdiatoma- 5   4    1   medium flocs                     unkilled,                            poorceous              with chunks                     oily, tackyearth              of paintControl 5   1    0   continuous                     unkilled,                            bad              layer__________________________________________________________________________ 
    
     
                                           TABLE IIIC__________________________________________________________________________GREY PRIMER (high solids)     Coating          Floc              Floc          TreatmentProduct/  on   Depth              Descrip-                     Finger Rating (perPaint Foam*     Jar* (mm)              tion   Test   paint)__________________________________________________________________________Composi- 4   5    11  fluffy, easi-                     light coat                            good-tion &#34;A&#34;           ly disperses,                     on finger,                            best              fine particle                     not oily,                            results -    size, small no smear              beads of              paint in flocmontmoril- 4   5    4   medium size                     medium coat,                            goodlonite             floc with                     not oily,              large beads                     smeared on              of paint,                     jar              cloudy H.sub.2 Omontmoril- 5   3    0   chunks of                     greasy,                            poorlonite/            paint float-                     heavy coatcalcium            ingcarbonatediatoma- 5   4    2   beads of                     oily, un-                            fairceous              paint, no                     killed, notearth              real flocs                     tackyControl 5   3    0   continuous                     greasy, not                            poor              glob on                     killed              bottom__________________________________________________________________________ *Rating as follows: 0 = very heavy; 5 = none at all. All numbers in between represent degrees of 0 to 5. 
    
     It is apparent from the examples that the hectorite detackification agents of the invention provide excellent results in conjunction with a variety of differing paint types. 
     In accordance with the patent statutes, the best mode of practicing the invention has been herein set forth. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is to be understood that the scope of the invention is to be limited solely by the scope of the appended claims.