Method of preparation of a water based epoxy curing agent

1. A method of preparation of a water based epoxy resin curing agent in dispersion form which water based curing agent is formed by combining an active amine-hydrogen containing amine-functional dispersion (A) with an active amine-hydrogen containing amine-functional water based curing agent (B) in solution or emulsion form, wherein said active amine-hydrogen containing amine-functional dispersion (A) comprises a reaction product of

a) a polyamine compound having at least three active amine-hydrogen, and

b) an aqueous epoxy resin dispersion having an epoxy solids equivalent weight of equal to or greater than 150 g/eq,

and wherein said active amine-hydrogen containing amine-functional water based curing agent (B) has an amphiphilic structure and a solids hydrogen equivalent weight of 50-500 g/eq; is capable of emulsifying a liquid epoxy resin to produce a stable emulsion; and is capable of yielding coating preparations of high gloss.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the polyamine compound (a) is selected from the group consisting of (i) aliphatic, (ii) cycloaliphatic, (iii) araliphatic, and (iv) aromatic polyamines, and mixtures thereof.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the aliphatic polyamines (i) is selected from the group consisting of linear or branched hydrocarbon polyamines and polyether containing polyamines.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the linear or branched hydrocarbon polyamines contain at least 3 active amine-hydrogens, at least 2 amino groups, and from 2 to 30 carbon atoms, which carbon atoms may be present in one single straight or branched hydrocarbon chain or may be present in the form of several straight or branched hydrocarbon chains bridged by one or more amino groups.

5. The method of claim 3 , wherein the polyether containing polyamines are selected from polyether containing polyamines having number average molecular weight of 150 to 2000, that contain at least 3 active amine-hydrogens, at least 2 amino groups, and from 6 to 150 carbon atoms, and comprise 2 to 6 carbon atoms between the ether groups.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the polyether containing polyamine is selected from the group consisting of poly(oxypropylene) diamines, poly(oxypropylene) triamines and mixtures thereof, which diamines and triamines have number average molecular weight of 150 to 500.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the epoxy resin dispersion (b) is a bisphenol based epoxy resin dispersion, the epoxy resin having an average epoxy functionality of up to 2 and an epoxy solids equivalent weight in the range of 400 g/eq to 2000 g/eq.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the epoxy resin dispersion (b) epoxy resin is selected from the group consisting of bisphenol A glycidyl ethers, bisphenol F glycidyl ethers, modified bisphenol A glycidyl ethers, modified bisphenol F glycidyl ethers and mixtures thereof.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the epoxy resin dispersion (b) has an average epoxy functionality of up to 2 and an epoxy solids equivalent weight in the range of 400 g/eq to 700 g/eq.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the epoxy resin dispersion (b) is a novolac epoxy resin dispersion, the novolac epoxy resin having an average epoxy functionality of greater than 2.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the active amine-hydrogen containing amine-functional water based curing agent (B)

produces an emulsion with a liquid epoxy resin which emulsion is stable in that it shows no phase separation for at least 30 min. to the naked eye; and

provides a gloss of at least 70 at an angle of 20° as measured in accordance with ISO 2813-1978,

when tested by forming an emulsion by hand mixing of a liquid bisphenol-A epoxy resin with an equivalent weight of 185 to 195 g with a stoichiometric equivalent of a 40 wt.-% aqueous solution or dispersion of (B), percentage being based on total weight of the solution or dispersion of (B), optionally diluting the resulting mixture with water to obtain a viscosity of 200 to 600 mPa·s, drawing a 150 μm wet film on a S-36 steel panel or equivalent and curing at 20 to 25° C. and 50 to 70° C. relative humidity.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the active amine-hydrogen containing amine-functional water based curing agent (B) is selected from the group consisting of

the optionally modified reaction product of a polyamine and a fatty acid, which reaction product has terminal amino groups,

the optionally modified reaction product of a polyamine and an epoxy compound, said adduct having terminal amino groups,

and mixtures thereof.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the equivalent ratio of polyamine (a) to epoxy resin dispersion (b) used in forming the active amine-hydrogen containing amine-functional dispersion (A) varies from 2:1 to 20:1.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the solids weight ratio of (A):(B) is from 99:1 to 50:50.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the solids weight ratio of (A):(B) is from 95:5 to 80:20.