Use of wax mixtures for coatings

Abstract

The invention provides for the use of mixtures of waxes which comprise

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to the use of metallocene waxes, their oxidates and blends thereof with further waxes, and also the corresponding micronisates, for coating materials.

[0002] In the preparation of coating materials, waxes are generally added in a concentration of 0.01-10%. The waxes in question are PE waxes, PTFE waxes, PP waxes, amide waxes, FT paraffins, montan waxes, natural waxes, macrocrystalline and microcrystalline paraffins, polyethylene copolymers, sorbitan esters and metallocene waxes, and also blends thereof, as disclosed in EP-A-0 890 619. The blends may be present in different combinations, both as powder mixtures and as melt mixtures.

[0003] These waxes are added in the form of flakes, granules, powders, dispersions, emulsions or micronisates, the preferred use form being regardable as a finely micronized powder with particle sizes up to 4 μm in DV50 value. (DV50 value: 50% of the wax particles are smaller than or equal to 4 μm). These waxes are used in order to achieve the following effects in the coating materials:

[0004] better scratch resistance

[0005] better abrasion resistance

[0006] better dispersing of pigments

[0007] better pigment stability

[0008] improvement in sedimentation tendency

[0009] improvement in redispersion of pigments

[0010] active orienting substance for effect pigments

[0011] effective flatting

[0012] satisfactory feel

[0013] improvement in lubricity

[0014] improvement in metal marking

[0015] achieving effective incorporation of effect pigments

[0016] influencing of rheological properties

[0017] better blocking resistance

[0018] better sandability

[0019] degassing additive in powder coatings

[0020] additive for increasing throughput in powder coatings.

[0021] These wax additives can be used in all coating systems (e.g., low solids, medium solids, high solids, solvent-based coating materials, aqueous or water-dilutable coating materials, powder coating materials, physically drying coating systems, chemically curing coating materials, and radiation-curing coating materials, such as UV coating materials, for example).

[0022] Since pure polyethylene waxes and metallocene waxes cannot be used in all coating systems, especially not in aqueous systems, use is also made of wax oxidates.

[0023] Since the individual types of wax display different effects in the coating materials, it is preferred to use wax mixtures of PE waxes, PTFE waxes, PP waxes, amide waxes, FT paraffins, montan waxes, natural waxes, macrocrystalline and microcrystalline paraffins, polyethylene copolymers, sorbitan esters and metallocene waxes in order to combine the abovementioned effects with one another and to obtain corresponding improvements in coating materials.

[0024] It was an object of the invention to find wax mixtures, for use in coating materials, which exhibit a particularly large number of the effects set out above. Surprisingly, the mixtures with metallocene waxes showed the most marked improvements. With these mixtures, a particular improvement is obtained in the grindability for the production of wax micronisates; in other words, the yields are increased.

[0025] A further advantage of using waxes produced by the metallocene process is their ready grindability, for which reason fewer auxiliaries are consumed in this case than in the case of wax mixtures comprising waxes produced, for example, with the Ziegler-Natta process.

[0026] The invention provides for the use of mixtures of waxes which comprise

[0027] a) a homopolymer or copolymer of C2-C18 α-olefins, prepared by means of metallocene catalysis, and also degradation waxes produced from relatively high-chain-length polyolefins produced by means of metallocene catalysis, and, as auxiliaries, one or more other waxes selected from the group consisting of

[0028] b) PE waxes,

[0029] c) PTFE waxes,

[0030] d) PP waxes,

[0031] e) amide waxes,

[0032] f) FT paraffins,

[0033] g) montan waxes,

[0034] h) natural waxes,

[0035] i) macrocrystalline and microcrystalline paraffins,

[0036] j) polar polyolefin waxes, or

[0037] k) sorbitan esters,

[0038] l) polyamides,

[0039] m) polyolefins,

[0040] n) PTFE,

[0041] o) wetting agents,

[0042] p) silicates

[0043] for improving the properties of coating materials.

[0044] The invention further provides coating materials comprising the wax mixtures described.

[0045] The homopolymer or copolymer of C2-C18 α-olefins prepared by means of metallocene catalysis (a) preferably have the following properties:

	Dropping point (Dp):	80-165°	C.
	Acid number (AN):	0-50	mg KOH/g
	Density:	0.87-1.03	g/cm3
	Melt viscosity at 170° C.:	10-100 000	mPas.

[0046] Suitable polyolefin waxes include homopolymers of ethylene or propylene or copolymers of ethylene or propylene with one another or with one or more 1-olefins. 1-Olefins used include linear or branched olefins having 4-18 carbon atoms, preferably 4-6 carbon atoms. These olefins may have an aromatic substitution which is in conjugation with the olefinic double bond. Examples of such compounds are 1-butene, 1-hexene, 1-octene or 1-octadecene, and also styrene. Preference is given to copolymers of ethylene with propene or 1-butene. Ethylene copolymers of this kind have ethylene contents of 70-99.9% by weight, preferably 80-99% by weight.

[0047] Especially suitable polyolefin waxes are those having a dropping point of between 90 and 160° C., preferably between 100 and 155° C., a melt viscosity at 140° C. of between 10 and 10 000 mPas, preferably between 50 and 5 000 mPas, and a density at 20° C. of between 0.89 and 0.96 g/cm3, preferably between 0.91 and 0.94 g/cm3.

[0048] Also suitable are metallocene waxes modified by oxidation, such as may be obtained, for example, by treating the wax melt with air in accordance with EP-A-0 896 591. The disclosure content of this document in respect of the oxidative treatment of wax melts is hereby incorporated into the present specification by reference.

[0049] Metallocene catalysts for preparing the polyolefin waxes are chiral or nonchiral transition metal compounds of the formula M1Lx. The transition metal compound M1Lx contains at least one central metal atom M1 to which at least one π ligand, e.g., a cyclopentadienyl ligand, is attached. Furthermore, substituents, such as halogen, alkyl, alkoxy or aryl groups, for example, may be attached to the central metal atom M1. M1 is preferably an element from main group III, IV, V or VI of the periodic table of the elements, such as Ti, Zr or Hf. Cyclopentadienyl ligand comprehends unsubstituted cyclopentadienyl radicals and substituted cyclopentadienyl radicals such as methylcyclopentadienyl, indenyl, 2-methylindenyl, 2-methyl-4-phenylindenyl, tetrahydroindenyl or octahydrofluorenyl radicals. The π ligands may be bridged or non-bridged, with both single and multiple bridges—including bridges via ring systems—being possible. The metallocene designation also embraces compounds having more than one metallocene fragment, known as polynuclear metallocenes. These may have arbitrary substitution patterns and bridging variants. The individual metallocene fragments of such polynuclear metallocenes may be both identical to one another and different from one another. Examples of such polynuclear metallocenes are described, for example, in EP-A-0 632 063. Examples of general structural formulae of metallocenes and also of their activation with a cocatalyst are given, inter alia, in EP-A-0 571 882. The disclosure contents of these subjects in the two documents is hereby incorporated by reference.

[0050] Additive b) comprises, in preferred embodiments, polyethylene homopolymer and copolymer waxes which have not been prepared by means of metallocene catalysis and which have a number-average molecular weight of from 700 to 10 000 g/mol with a dropping point of between 80 and 140° C.

[0051] Additive c) comprises in preferred embodiments polytetrafluoroethylene having a molecular weight of between 30 000 and 2 000 000 g/mol, in particular between 100 000 and 1 000 000 g/mol.

[0052] Additive d) comprises, in preferred embodiments, polypropylene homopolymer and copolymer waxes which have not been prepared by means of metallocene catalysis and which have a number-average molecular weight of from 700 to 10 000 g/mol with a dropping point of between 80 and 160° C.

[0053] Additive e) comprises, in preferred embodiments, amide waxes preparable by reacting ammonia or ethylenediamine with saturated and/or unsaturated fatty acids. The fatty acids comprise, for example, stearic acid, tallow fatty acid, palmitic acid or erucic acid.

[0054] Additive f) comprises, in preferred embodiments, FT paraffins having a number-average molecular weight of from 400 to 800 g/mol with a dropping point from 80 to 125° C.

[0055] Additive g) preferably comprises montan waxes, including acid waxes and ester waxes having a carboxylic acid carbon chain length of from C22 to C36.

[0056] The ester waxes preferably comprise reaction products of the montanic acids with monohydric or polyhydric alcohols having 2 to 6 carbon atoms, such as ethanediol, butane-1,3-diol or propane-1,2,3-triol, for example.

[0057] Additive h) in one preferred embodiment comprises carnauba wax or candelilla wax.

[0058] Additive i) comprises paraffins and microcrystalline waxes which are obtained in the course of petroleum refining. The dropping points of such paraffins are preferably between 45 and 65° C., those of microcrystalline waxes of this kind preferably between 73 and 100° C.

[0059] Additive j) comprises, in preferred embodiments, polar polyolefin waxes preparable by oxidizing ethylene or propylene homopolymer and copolymer waxes or grafting them with maleic anhydride. Particularly preferred starting material for this purpose comprises polyolefin waxes having a dropping point of between 90 and 165° C., in particular between 100 and 160° C., a melt viscosity at 140° C. (polyethylene waxes) or at 170° C. (polypropylene waxes) of between 10 and 10000 mPas, in particular between 50 and 5000 mPas, and a density at 20° C. of between 0.85 and 0.96 g/cm3.

[0060] Additive k) comprises, in preferred embodiments, reaction products of sorbitol with saturated and/or unsaturated fatty acids and/or montanic acids. The fatty acids comprise, for example, stearic acid, tallow fatty acid, palmitic acid or erucic acid.

[0061] Additive l) preferably comprises ground polyamides, examples being polyamide-6, polyamide-6,6 or polyamide-12. The particle size of the polyamides is preferably in a range of 5-200 μm, in particular 10-100 μm.

[0062] Additive m) comprises polyolefins, i.e., for example, polypropylene, polyethylene or copolymers of propylene and ethylene of high or low density with molar weights of preferably from 10 000 to 1 000 000 D, in particular from 15 000 to 500 000 D, as numerical averages of the molecular weight, whose particle size as a result of grinding is in the range of preferably 5-200 μm, in particular 10-100 μm.

[0063] Additive n) comprises thermoplastic PTFE having a molar weight of preferably 500 000-10 000 000 D, in particular 500 000-2 000 000 D, as numerical average, whose particle size as a result of grinding is in the range of preferably 5-200 μm, in particular 10-100 μm.

[0064] Additive o) comprises amphiphilic compounds which generally lower the surface tension of liquids. The wetting agents comprise, for example, alkyl ethoxylates, fatty alcohol ethoxylates, alkylbenzenesulfonates or betaines.

[0065] Additive p) comprises silicates which are not used as filler or pigment in the formulas. It is preferred to use silicas or talc.

[0066] The proportion of ingredient a) to ingredients b) to p) may be varied in the range from 1 to 99% by weight a) to 1 to 99% by weight b) to p). Where a mixture of two or more of ingredients b) to p) is used, the indicated amount applies to the sum of the amounts of these ingredients.

[0067] In one preferred embodiment, the waxes are used in micronized form for the purpose according to the invention. Particular preference is given to the use of polyolefin wax and optionally admixed auxiliaries and additives as an ultrafine powder with a particle size distribution d90<40 μm.

[0068] Parameters improved include the flatting of the coating materials, the dispersibility and stability (sedimentation tendency or bodying tendency) in coating materials and dispersions, an improvement in the slip, hardness and abrasion resistance, an increase in the throughput and improvement in pigment dispersion in powder coating materials, and better antiblocking and handling sensation (soft feel). The wax mixtures generally comprise powder mixtures and/or melt mixtures.

EXAMPLES

[0069]

TABLE 1
Characterization of the ingredients of the wax mixtures used
		Dropping
Wax type	Acid number	point	Viscosity
Metallocene PE	0	mg KOH/g	124° C.	250	mPas (140° C.)
wax
Metallocene PP	0	mg KOH/g	135° C.	40	mPas (170° C.)
wax
Oxidized	20	mg KOH/g	114° C.	200	mPas (120° C.)
metallocene
PE wax
PE wax	0	mg KOH/g	125° C.	300	mPas (140° C.)
PP wax	0	mg KOH/g	160° C.*	1500	mPas (170° C.)
Oxidized PE wax	20	mg KOH/g	114° C.	200	mPas (120° C.)
Amide wax	6	mg KOH/g	140° C.	10	mPas (150° C.)
Montan wax 1	17	mg KOH/g	82° C.	30	mPas (100° C.)
Montan wax 2	14	mg KOH/g	100° C.	300	mPas (120° C.)
Carnauba wax	9	mg KOH/g	82° C.	30	mPas (90° C.)
FT paraffin	0	mg KOH/g	110° C.	20	mPas (120° C.)
*Softening point

[0070]

TABLE 2
Wax mixtures (all mixtures micronized to DV50 = 8 μm)
Code	Ingredient 1	Ingredient 2	Ingredient 3	Proportion
M1	Oxidized	Carnauba wax	—	1:1
	metallocene PE wax
M2	Metallocene PE wax	Oxidized	—	7:3
		metallocene PE
		wax
M3	Metallocene PE wax	Amide wax	—	1:1
M4	Metallocene PE wax	PTFE wax	—	9:1
M5	Metallocene PE wax	Oxidized	PTFE wax	12:7:1
		metallocene PE
		wax
M6	Metallocene PP wax	Amide wax	—	1:1
M7	Metallocene PP wax	Amide wax	—	5:1
M8	Metallocene PP wax	Metallocene PE	—	1:1
		wax
M9	Metallocene PP wax	Oxidized	—	1:1
		metallocene PE
		wax
M10	Oxidized	Montan wax	Montan wax	2:1:1
	metallocene PE wax	1	2
M11	Metallocene PE wax	Oxidized	Sorbitan	1:1:1
		metallocene PE	tristearate
		wax
M12	Metallocene PE wax	FT paraffin	—	5:1
V1	Oxidized PE wax	Carnauba wax	—	1:1
V2	PE wax	Oxidized PE wax	—	7:3
V3	PE wax	Amide wax	—	1:1
V4	PE wax	PTFE wax	—	9:1
V5	PE wax	Oxidized PE wax	PTFE wax	12:7:1
V6	PP wax	Amide wax	—	1:1
V7	PP wax	Amide wax	—	5:1
V8	PP wax	PE wax	—	1:1
V9	PP wax	Oxidized PE wax	—	1:1
V10	Oxidized PE wax	Montan wax	Montan wax	2:1:1
		1	2
V11	PE wax	Oxidized PE wax	Sorbitan	1:1:1
			tristearate
V12	PE wax	FT paraffin	—	5:1

[0071] Preparation of an Aqueous Wax Dispersion from a Micropowder:

[0072] 1% by weight of Tylose® is stirred into 60% by weight of water and allowed to swell briefly, after which 39% by weight of micronized oxidized wax is incorporated into the Tylose solution by dispersion.

TABLE 3
Dispersing/stability of wax mixtures
	Wax	Dispersing/stability
	Example 1	M1	good/very good
	Example 2	M2	good/very good
	Example 3	M9	good/very good
	Example 4	M10	very good/very good
	Example 5	V1	good/very good
	Example 6	V2	good/very good
	Example 7	V9	moderate/moderate
	Example 8	V10	good/very good

[0073] Incorporation of an Aqueous Wax Dispersion into an Aqueous Acrylic Varnish:

[0074] 4% by weight of the wax dispersion specified in example 2 is stirred into 96% by weight of aqueous acrylic varnish (based on Mowilith® LDM 7460) and then drawn down onto a glass plate using a frame coater (60 μm wet film thickness). After drying, the gloss is measured.

TABLE 4
Gloss of the wax mixtures
	Dispersion from	Base wax	Gloss (60° angle)
Acrylic varnish	no wax	—	120
Example 9	Example 1	M1	22
Example 10	Example 2	M2	25
Example 11	Example 3	M9	25
Example 12	Example 4	M10	20
Example 13	Example 5	V1	30
Example 14	Example 6	V2	30
Example 15	Example 7	V9	28
Example 16	Example 8	V10	25

[0075] Incorporation of Micronized Waxes into a Nitrocellulose Standard Varnish for Purposes of Matting and Slip:

[0076] 2% by weight of micronized wax are incorporated by dispersion into 98% by weight of NC varnish by means of a dissolver and then drawn down onto a glass plate using a frame coater (60 μm wet film thickness). After drying, the gloss is measured.

TABLE 5
Gloss and slip of the wax mixtures
	Wax	Gloss (60° angle)	Slip
	Nitrocellulose varnish	No wax	138	0.42
	Example 17	M3	—	0.17
	Example 18	M4	45	0.12
	Example 19	M5	—	0.09
	Example 20	M6	25	0.10
	Example 21	M7	25	—
	Example 22	M8	30	0.25
	Example 23	M9	41	0.25
	Example 24	M10	30	0.15
	Example 25	V3	27	0.22
	Example 26	V4	50	0.15
	Example 27	V5	45	0.15
	Example 28	V6	30	0.17
	Example 29	V7	30	0.30
	Example 30	V8	40	0.30
	Example 31	V9	50	0.28
	Example 32	V10	35	0.22

[0077] Incorporation into a White Hybrid Powder Coating Material for the Purpose of Improving the Pencil Hardness and Abrasion Resistance:

[0078] The waxes are mixed with the individual raw materials in a high-speed mixer, and then the raw materials are extruded at 110° C. in a twin-screw laboratory extruder (PC19-25 from APV), ground to <125 μm and applied to aluminum or steel sheet. After baking (at 180° C. for 15 minutes) the coated sheets are stored in a controlled-climate chamber for 24 hours, after which the pencil hardness (according to Wolff-Wilborn) is measured and the Taber Abraser abrasion test carried out.

TABLE 6
Pencil hardness and abrasion test
	Wax, in each case	Pencil hardness
	1% based on total	according to	Abrasion test
	formula	Wolff-Wilborn	after 250 turns
Hybrid powder	No wax	2B	52 mg
coating material
Example 33	M2	HB	48 mg
Example 34	M3	F	35 mg
Example 35	M4	F	25 mg
Example 36	M6	F	20 mg
Example 37	M7	H	15 mg
Example 38	M10	HB	25 mg
Example 39	V2	B	50 mg
Example 40	V3	HB	41 mg
Example 41	V4	HB	42 mg
Example 42	V6	B	46 mg
Example 43	V7	B	38 mg
Example 44	V10	HB	40 mg

[0079] Incorporation into a Blue Hybrid Powder Coating Material for the Purpose of Improving the Dispersion and Throughput:

[0080] The waxes are mixed with one another with the individual raw materials in a high-speed mixer, and then the raw materials are extruded at 110° C. in a twin-screw laboratory extruder (PC19-25 from APV), for which it is necessary to set the metering level to a power consumption of 70% on the extruder; during this procedure, the throughput is detected; the extrudate is then ground to <125 μm and applied to aluminum or steel sheet. After baking (at 180° C. for 15 minutes) the coated sheets are stored in a controlled-climate chamber for 24 hours, after which the depth of color is measured.

TABLE 7
Depth of color
	Wax, in each case
	1% based on total	% improvement
	formula	in throughput	Depth of color
Hybrid powder	No wax	—	100%
coating material
Example 45	M1	18%	110%
Example 46	M2	20%	105%
Example 47	M3	15%	107%
Example 48	M6	30%	105%
Example 49	M8	25%	107%
Example 50	M10	50%	120%
Example 51	V1	13%	107%
Example 52	V2	15%	100%
Example 53	V3	10%	102%
Example 54	V6	10%	100%
Example 55	V8	15%	105%
Example 56	V10	45%	112%

[0081] Incorporation into an Alkyd Resin Varnish for the Purpose of Assessing the Blocking Properties and the Feel:

[0082] 2% by weight of micronized wax are incorporated into the alkyd resin varnish with the aid of a dissolver, after which the varnish is applied to glass (at least 2 plates in each case) with the aid of a frame coater (60 μm wet film thickness). After storage in a controlled-climate chamber for 24 hours, the feel is assessed (subjectively), after which the plates are stored in an oven at 50° C. for 24 hours. In this case the plates are placed with the coating on top of one another and are loaded with a 500 g weight. Thereafter, the blocking behavior is assessed.

TABLE 8
Assessment of the blocking behavior
Assessment scheme Blocking resistance
None              No blocking
Trace             Very slight blocking evident
Little            When the upper board is raised, the underneath
                  board comes with it but parts by itself after a few
                  seconds
Some              When the upper board is raised, the underneath
                  board comes with it, but has to be separated by hand
                  without perceptible application of force
Marked            When the upper board is raised, the underneath
                  board comes with it but has to be separated with
                  some application of force.
Substantial       The plates have to be separated with considerable
                  application of force.

[0083]

TABLE 9
Feel characteristics of the wax mixtures
			Blocking
	Wax	Feel (subjective)	characteristics
Alkyl resin varnish	No wax	Plasticky, slightly tacky	Substantial
Example 57	M3	Good feel, no sticking	Trace
Example 58	M4	Good feel, very smooth	None
Example 59	M6	Good feel, smooth	Trace
Example 60	M10	Soft, pleasant, somewhat	Little
		smooth
Example 61	V3	Good feel, very slight	Little
		sticking
Example 62	V4	Good feel, smooth	Little
Example 63	V6	Slightly tacky	Some
Example 64	V10	Pleasant	Little

[0084] Incorporation into a 2K PU Varnish, Applied to Wooden Boards, and Assessment of sandability:

[0085] 2 or 4% by weight of micronized wax are incorporated by dispersion into one component of a 2K polyurethane varnish system, after which the 2nd component is added and the composition is applied by brush to a wooden board in a cross pass. The board is then left to dry in a controlled-climate chamber for 24 hours. The sanding test is then carried out, in which a sheet of abrasive paper (240 grit) is stretched over a wooden block, passed over the wooden board 20× without pressure, and then the abrasion is assessed. The lower the level of coating on the abrasive paper, the better the sandability.

TABLE 10
Sandability of additived varnish
	Wax	Sandability
2K PU varnish	No wax	Very poor, abrasive paper clogged after just 10
		strokes
Example 65	M1	Moderate, abrasive paper almost clogged
Example 66	M3	Very good, no clogging observable after 20
		strokes
Example 67	M6	Very good, no clogging observable after 20
		strokes
Example 68	M7	Good, slight clogging of the abrasive paper
Example 69	M10	Good, slight clogging of the abrasive paper
Example 70	V1	Poor, abrasive paper clogged after 20 strokes
Example 71	V3	Good, slight clogging of the abrasive paper
Example 72	V6	Good, slight clogging of the abrasive paper
Example 73	V7	Poor, abrasive paper clogged after 20 strokes
Example 74	V10	Poor, abrasive paper clogged after 20 strokes

Claims

1. The use of mixtures of waxes which comprise a) a homopolymer or copolymer of C2-C18 α-olefins, prepared by means of metallocene catalysis, and also degradation waxes produced from relatively high-chain-length polyolefins produced by means of metallocene catalysis, and, as auxiliaries, one or more other waxes selected from the group consisting of b) PE waxes, c) PTFE waxes, d) PP waxes, e) amide waxes, f) FT paraffins, g) montan waxes, h) natural waxes, i) macrocrystalline and microcrystalline paraffins, j) polar polyolefin waxes, or k) sorbitan esters, l) polyamides, m) polyolefins, n) PTFE, o) wetting agents, p) silicates for improving the properties of coating materials.

2. The use as claimed in claim 1, wherein ingredient a) is an oxidate of a metallocene wax.

3. The use as claimed in claim 1 and/or 2, wherein ingredient a) comprises a homopolymer or copolymer of ethylene or of propylene.

4. The use as claimed in one or more of claims 1 to 3, wherein the wax specified as ingredient a) has a melt viscosity at 140° C. of from 10 to 10 000 mPas.

5. The use as claimed in one or more of claims 1 to 4, wherein the wax specified as ingredient a) has a density of from 0.87 to 1.03 g/cm3.

6. The use as claimed in one or more of claims 1 to 5, wherein the wax specified as ingredient b) is a polyethylene wax not prepared by means of metallocene catalysis, having a number-average molecular weight of from 700 to 10 000 g/mol.

7. The use as claimed in one or more of claims 1 to 6, wherein the wax specified as ingredient d) is a polypropylene wax not prepared by means of metallocene catalysis, having a number-average molecular weight of from 700 to 10 000 g/mol.

8. The use as claimed in one or more of claims 1 to 7, wherein the wax specified as ingredient j) is a polyethylene or polypropylene wax modified by oxidation or grafting with maleic anhydride.

9. The use of micronized waxes as defined in one or more of claims 1 to 8.

10. Coating materials comprising wax mixtures as claimed in one or more of claims 1 to 9.