Surfactant

1. A method of forming an aqueous alkyd resin emulsion, comprising:

i) combining the alkyd resin and a mixture of alkyd resin emulsifying compounds represented by formula (I):

R 1 .[(AO) n .R 2 ] m   (I)

 wherein:

R 1 independently represents the residue of, or derived from, a sugar having a linear C 4 to C 7 chain and at least m active hydrogen atoms in hydroxyl groups;

AO independently represents an alkylene oxide residue;

each n is independently from 5 to 50;

m is from 3 to 6;

total n is from 30 to 300; and

R 2 independently represents a hydrogen atom, or an acyl group —(CO)R 3 ;

R 3 independently represents a C 15 to C 19 hydrocarbyl group;

 wherein:

a) on average each compound comprises from 2 to 6 acyl groups; and

b) on average at least 1.2 of the R 2 groups per compound comprises a C 15 to C 19 hydrocarbyl group comprising at least two ethylenic double bonds;

ii) including water to form a water-in-oil (resin) emulsion.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises subsequently adding water to the water-in-oil (resin) emulsion at least until the emulsion inverts to form an oil(resin)-in-water emulsion.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the method further comprises adding further water to adjust the disperse phase content of the emulsion to that desired.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein R 2 represents an acyl group.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein on average each compound comprises from 4 to 6 acyl groups.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein on average each compound comprises from 3 to 4 acyl groups.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the C 15 to C 19 hydrocarbyl group comprising at least two ethylenic double bonds is derived from linoleic acid.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the ethylenic double bonds is reactive during curing of an alkyd resin film formed from the formed emulsion.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the average number of double bonds present in the C 15 to C 19 hydrocarbyl group comprising at least two double bonds is in the range from 2.0 to 2.4.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the ratio of R 2 groups comprising C 15 to C 19 hydrocarbyl groups comprising at least two ethylenic double bonds to C 15 to C 19 hydrocarbyl groups not comprising at least two ethylenic double bonds is on average in the range from 0.7:1 to 6:1.

11. An aqueous emulsion or dispersion, comprising: i) polymeric particles comprising an alkyd resin; and ii) a mixture of alkyd resin emulsifying compounds represented by formula (I):

R 1 .[(AO) n .R 2 ] m   (I)

wherein:

R 1 independently represents the residue of, or derived from, a sugar having a linear C 4 to C 7 chain and at least m active hydrogen atoms in hydroxyl groups;

AO independently represents an alkylene oxide residue; each n is independently from 5 to 50; m is from 3 to 6; total n is from 30 to 300; and R 2 independently represents a hydrogen atom, or an acyl group —(CO)R 3 ; R 3 independently represents a C 15 to C 19 hydrocarbyl group; wherein a) on average each compound comprises from 2 to 6 acyl groups; and b) on average at least 1.2 of the R 2 groups per compound comprises a C 15 to C 19 hydrocarbyl group comprising at least two ethylenic double bonds.

12. The aqueous emulsion or dispersion of claim 11 , wherein the aqueous emulsion or dispersion further comprises an anionic surfactant comprising an alkyl ether carboxylate, an alkyl aryl sulphonate, a phosphate ester, an alkyl ether sulfate, or a mixture of at least two such anionic surfactants.

13. An alkyd resin film, comprising the aqueous emulsion or dispersion of claim 11 .

14. The alkyd resin film of claim 13 , wherein at least one of the ethylenic double bonds is reactive during curing of the alkyd resin film.

15. A mixture of alkyd resin emulsifying compounds represented by formula (I):

R 1 .[(AO) n .R 2 ] m   (I)

wherein:

R 1 independently represents the residue of, or derived from, a sugar having a linear C 4 to C 7 chain and at least m active hydrogen atoms in hydroxyl groups;

AO independently represents an alkylene oxide residue;

each n is independently from 5 to 50;

m is from 3 to 6;

total n is from 30 to 300; and

R 2 independently represents a hydrogen atom, or an acyl group —(CO)R 3 ;

R 3 independently represents a C 15 to C 19 hydrocarbyl group;

wherein:

a) on average each compound comprises from 2 to 6 acyl groups; and

b) on average at least 1.2 of the R 2 groups per compound comprises a C 15 to C 19 hydrocarbyl group comprising at least two ethylenic double bonds; and

c) at least one of the ethylenic double bonds is reactive during curing of an alkyd resin.

16. The mixture of compounds of claim 15 , wherein R 1 independently represents the residue of sorbitol.

17. The mixture of compounds of claim 15 , wherein on average each compound comprises from 3 to 4 acyl groups.

18. The mixture of compounds of claim 15 , wherein the C 15 to C 19 hydrocarbyl group comprising at least two ethylenic double bonds is derived from linoleic acid.

19. The mixture of compounds of claim 15 , wherein the at least two ethylenic double bonds are conjugated.

20. The mixture of compounds of claim 15 , wherein the average number of double bonds present in the C 15 to C 19 hydrocarbyl group comprising at least two double bonds is in the range from 2.0 to 2.4.

21. The mixture of compounds of claim 15 , wherein the mixture of alkyd resin emulsifying compounds are formed by reacting a fatty acid or derivative thereof having an iodine value in the range from 100 to 250 g/100 g with an alkoxylated R 1 group.

22. The mixture of compounds of claim 15 , wherein the mixture of alkyd resin emulsifying compounds has an iodine value in the range from 45 to 75 g/100 g.

23. A paint, comprising:

i) an aqueous or mixed aqueous organic continuous phase;

ii) an alkyd resin emulsion discontinuous phase;

iii) the mixture of alkyd resin emulsifying compounds of claim 15 ; and

iv) at least one pigment.