Aqueous Coating Compositions Exhibiting Increased Open Time With Reduced Levels Of Volatile Organic Compounds

1 . An aqueous coating composition comprising:

A. at least one film-forming organic polymer;

B. a plasticizer/coalescent for said polymer that includes

i) at least one diester of the formula PhC(O)(OR 1 )qO(O)CPh;

ii) from 6 to 99 weight percent, based on the total weight of said plasticizer/coalescent, of at least one monoester having a formula PhC(O)(OR 2 ) r OH, wherein R 1 and R 2 are individually at least one member selected from the group consisting of alkylene radicals containing 2 or 3 carbon atoms, Ph is phenyl or alkylphenyl, and q and r are individually integers from 1 to 6, inclusive;

iii) from 0 to 10 weight percent, based on the total weight of said plasticizer/coalescent, of benzoic acid or a corresponding alkylbenzoic acid;

C. at least one water-miscible volatile organic compound (VOC) selected from the group consisting of dihydric alcohols, glycols, oligomeric glycols, esters of said alcohols and glycols, and ethers, wherein the composition has less than about 250 grams per liter of VOC; and

D. water;

wherein the concentration of said plasticizer/coalescent is sufficient to reduce the concentration of VOCs that would otherwise be required to achieve a given level of open time in the absence of said plasticizer/coalescent, and wherein plasticizer/coalescent is effective for improving properties of films formed from said compositions

2 . The composition of claim 1 wherein films formed from said composition have improved properties selected from the group consisting of increased open time, resistance to scrubbing, resistance to solvents and salt fog, wet-ability, wet-edge, leveling, gloss development, adhesion, tool-ability, and resistance to gelling of said composition during freeze-thaw cycles as compared to films formed from compositions where VOCs have not been replaced with the plasticizer/coalescent.

3 . The composition of claim 1 wherein said plasticizer/coalescent is from 1 to 200 percent of the total weight of said film-forming organic polymer

4 . The composition of claim 1 wherein said film-forming organic polymer is at least one member selected from the group consisting of homopolymers and copolymers of acrylic and methacrylic acids and esters thereof, copolymers of acrylic and methacrylic acids and esters thereof with styrene, vinyl monomers, and ethylene; vinyl acetate-ethylene copolymers, polyvinyl alcohol, polyurethanes, epoxide polymers, epoxy-modified acrylic polymers, and mixtures thereof.

5 . The composition of claim 4 wherein the film-forming organic polymer is selected from the group consisting of acrylic, vinyl/acrylic copolymers, styrenated acrylic and vinyl acetate/ethylene copolymers.

6 . The composition of claim 1 wherein R 1 and R 2 are individually at least one of ethylene and isopropylene and said alkylphenyl is tolyl.

7 . The composition of claim 1 wherein the monoester is from 6 to 30 weight percent of said plasticizer/coalescent.

8 . The composition of claim 1 wherein said composition is a coating, a paint, an ink, an overprint varnish, a film, an adhesive, a caulk or a sealant.

9 . A method for preparing a low VOC aqueous polymer composition, said method comprising blending

at least one film-forming organic polymer;

a plasticizer/coalescent for said polymer that includes

i) at least one diester of the formula PhC(O)(OR 1 )qO(O)CPh;

ii) from 6 to 99 weight percent, based on the total weight of said plasticizer/coalescent, of at least one monoester having a formula PhC(O)(OR 2 ) r OH, wherein R 1 and R 2 are individually at least one member selected from the group consisting of alkylene radicals containing 2 or 3 carbon atoms, Ph is phenyl or alkylphenyl, and q and r are individually integers from 1 to 6, inclusive;

iii) from 0 to 10 weight percent, based on the total weight of said plasticizer/coalescent, of benzoic acid or a corresponding alkylbenzoic acid;

at least one water-miscible volatile organic compound (V.O.C.) selected from the group consisting of dihydric alcohols, glycols, oligomeric glycols, esters of said alcohols and glycols, and ethers, wherein the composition has less than about 250 grams per liter of VOC; and

water;

wherein the concentration of said plasticizer/coalescent is sufficient to reduce the concentration of VOCs that would otherwise be required to achieve a given level of open time in the absence of said plasticizer/coalescent, and wherein plasticizer/coalescent is effective for improving properties of films formed from said compositions

10 . The method of claim 9 wherein films formed from said composition have improved properties selected from the group consisting of increased open time, resistance to scrubbing, resistance to solvents and salt fog, wet-ability, wet-edge, leveling, gloss development, adhesion, tool-ability, and resistance to gelling of said composition during freeze-thaw cycles as compared to films formed from compositions where VOCs have not been replaced with the plasticizer/coalescent.

11 . The method of claim 9 wherein said plasticizer/coalescent is from 1 to 200 percent of the total weight of said film-forming organic polymer

12 . The method of claim 9 wherein said film-forming organic polymer is at least one member selected from the group consisting of homopolymers and copolymers of acrylic and methacrylic acids and esters thereof, copolymers of acrylic and methacrylic acids and esters thereof with styrene, vinyl monomers, and ethylene; vinyl acetate-ethylene copolymers, polyvinyl alcohol, polyurethanes, epoxide polymers, epoxy-modified acrylic polymers, and mixtures thereof.

13 . The method of claim 12 wherein the film-forming organic polymer is selected from the group consisting of acrylic, vinyl/acrylic copolymers, styrenated acrylic and vinyl acetate/ethylene copolymers.

14 . The method of claim 9 wherein R 1 and R 2 are individually at least one of ethylene and isopropylene and said alkylphenyl is tolyl.

15 . The method claim 9 wherein the monoester is from 6 to 30 weight percent of said plasticizer/coalescent.

16 . A coating binder formed from an aqueous coating composition, the aqueous coating composition comprising:

A. at least one film-forming organic polymer;

B. a plasticizer/coalescent for said polymer that includes

1) at least one diester of the formula PhC(O)(OR 1 )qO(O)CPh;

2) from 6 to 99 weight percent, based on the total weight of said plasticizer/coalescent, of at least one monoester having a formula PhC(O)(OR 2 ) r OH, wherein R 1 and R 2 are individually at least one member selected from the group consisting of alkylene radicals containing 2 or 3 carbon atoms, Ph is phenyl or alkylphenyl, and q and r are individually integers from 1 to 6, inclusive;

3) from 0 to 10 weight percent, based on the total weight of said plasticizer/coalescent, of benzoic acid or a corresponding alkylbenzoic acid;

C. at least one water-miscible volatile organic compound (V.O.C.) selected from the group consisting of dihydric alcohols, glycols, oligomeric glycols, esters of said alcohols and glycols, and ethers, wherein the composition has less than about 250 grams per liter of VOC; and

D. water;

wherein the concentration of said plasticizer/coalescent is sufficient to reduce the concentration of VOCs that would otherwise be required to achieve a given level of open time in the absence of said plasticizer/coalescent, and wherein plasticizer/coalescent is effective for improving properties of films formed from said compositions

wherein the aqueous coating composition is effective for providing a coating binder having improved properties selected from the group consisting of resistance to scrubbing, resistance to solvents and salt fog, wet-ability, gloss development, adhesion, and tool-ability, as compared to coating binders formed from aqueous coating compositions where VOCs have not been replaced with the plasticizer/coalescent.

17 . The coating binder of claim 16 wherein said plasticizer/coalescent is from 1 to 200 percent of the total weight of said film-forming organic polymer

18 . The coating binder of claim 16 wherein said film-forming organic polymer is at least one member selected from the group consisting of homopolymers and copolymers of acrylic and methacrylic acids and esters thereof, copolymers of acrylic and methacrylic acids and esters thereof with styrene, vinyl monomers, and ethylene; vinyl acetate-ethylene copolymers, polyvinyl alcohol, polyurethanes, epoxide polymers, epoxy-modified acrylic polymers, and mixtures thereof.

19 . The coating binder of claim 16 wherein R 1 and R 2 are individually at least one of ethylene and isopropylene and said alkylphenyl is tolyl.

20 . The coating binder of claim 16 wherein the monoester is from 6 to 30 weight percent of said plasticizer/coalescent.