Consumer demands and environmental regulations are currently driving volatile organic content (VOC) levels in architectural paints as low as possible. Properties such as hardness, block, and tack resistance which are associated with higher VOC paints are difficult to achieve with low VOC paints. This is more challenging in low pigment volume concentration (PVC) formulations, i.e. glossy deep tone paints, where the binder has been the main driver for film hardness development due to the absence of substantial amounts of inorganic extenders. Typical approaches to formulate lower VOC paints involve lower glass transition temperature (T<sub>g</sub>) binders or alternatively higher T<sub>g</sub> binders which are softened with a non-volatile coalescent. However, both approaches result in soft and tacky paint films. To overcome these challenges, post film formation crosslinking chemistries and latex particle morphology were investigated to drive hardness development along with low coalescent demand for film formation. Design of experiments was conducted to establish structure-property relationships between binder compositions and formulation variables. Predictive models from the experimental designs were used to optimize binder compositions. Optimized binders showed a significant improvement in hardness profile and maintained the balance of properties in low PVC formulations.

Driving performance in low VOC binder rich paints

253rd National Meeting (2017)

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