New alkyl phenol-free surfactants

Ana Maria Fernandez and Loubna Jebbanema introduced a new generation of alkyl phenol-free nonionic surfactants for architectural coatings in the latest PCI, Volume 25, October 2009. The paper was also presented at the Waterborne Symposioum in Los Angeles. These surfactants can be used in a variety of applications, either to effectively improve adsorption at diverse surfaces and interfaces or to efficiantly stabilise emulsion polymers. This new product generation is AP-free, biodegradable, clear and easy to handle at low temperatures. The new emulsifiers with low viscosity at high solid content have been shown to be effecitve during polymerisation and as post-polymerisation stabilisers replacing high EO-bearing APEs and synthetic sec-alcohol ethoxylates. More details about chemical and physical properties as well as on their performance in model acrylic formulations for architectural coatings can be found on the pages 40-42.