Use of rhamnolipids and/or sophorolipids for increasing coverage and/or for maintaining application properties in the course of storage of coating compositions

1. A method of increasing coverage of a coating composition, the method comprising:

mixing at least one rhamnolipid (RL) into a coating composition,

wherein the at least one rhamnolipid (RL) comprises a mixed composition of di-rhamnolipids (diRL) and mono-rhamnolipids (monoRL),

wherein the at least one rhamnolipid is a mixed composition with >90% diRL, and

wherein the coverage is increased compared to a coating composition without the at least one rhamnolipid (RL).

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the coating composition is a paint or coating material selected from the group consisting of an interior wall paint, an exterior paint, an architectural paint, a floor coating, a wood paint, an industrial paint, an automotive OEM or refinishing paint, a primer, a primer-surfacer, a basecoat, and a topcoat.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the coating composition includes at least one solid selected from the group consisting of a filler, a pigment, a dye, an optical brightener, a ceramic material, and a magnetic material.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the coating composition comprises at least one further additive.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one rhamnolipid comprises a compound of the formula (I) or a salt thereof:

wherein

m=2, 1, or 0,

n=1 or 0, and

R 6 and R 7 =independently an identical or different organic radical having 2 to 24 carbon atoms.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one rhamnolipid is a mixed composition comprising rhamnolipids, wherein the mixed composition contains:

51% by weight to 95% by weight of diRL-C10C10, and

0.5% by weight to 9% by weight of monoRL-C10C10, wherein percentages by weight are based on a sum total of all rhamnolipids present, and with the proviso that a weight ratio of di-rhamnolipids to mono-rhamnolipids is greater than 91:9.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one rhamnolipid is a mixed composition comprising rhamnolipids, wherein the mixed composition contains 0.5% by weight to 15% by weight of diRL-C10C12:1, wherein percentages by weight are based on a sum total of all rhamnolipids present.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one rhamnolipid is present within a range from 0.01% by weight to 10.0% by weight, based on the coating composition.

9. The method according to claim 4 , wherein the at least one further additive is selected from the group consisting of a wetting agent, a dispersing additive, a rheology additive, a levelling aid, and a defoamer.

10. The method according to claim 5 , wherein in the Formula (I), R 6 and R 7 are independently an optionally branched, optionally substituted, optionally unsaturated alkyl radical having 2 to 24 carbon atoms.

11. The method according to claim 5 , wherein in the Formula (I), R 6 and R 7 are independently selected from the group consisting of pentenyl, heptenyl, nonenyl, undecenyl, tridecenyl, and (CH 2 ) x —CH 3 with x=1 to 23.

12. The method according to claim 6 , wherein the weight ratio of di-rhamnolipids to mono-rhamnolipids is greater than 98:2.

13. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the at least one rhamnolipid is present within a range from 0.1% by weight to 5.0% by weight, based on the coating composition.

14. A method of increasing coverage of a coating composition, the method comprising mixing at least one rhamnolipid (RL) into a coating composition, wherein the at least one rhamnolipid is a mixed composition with >90% di-rhamnolipids (diRL), wherein the coverage is increased and, optionally, application properties are maintained, compared to a coating composition without the at least one rhamnolipid (RL), and wherein the at least one rhamnolipid is present within a range from 0.1% by weight to 5.0% by weight, based on the coating composition.

15. A coating composition formed by the method according to claim 1 .

16. A coating composition formed by the method according to claim 14 .

17. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the application properties are maintained compared to a coating composition without the at least one rhamnolipid (RL).

18. The method according to claim 1 , wherein at least one sophorolipid is additionally mixed into the coating composition.