The Waterborne Symposium 2025

Abstract

Stability under low shear storage and shipment conditions can be critical to the stability of waterborne coatings and dispersions against sedimentation and syneresis. Judicious selection of a fit-for-purpose low shear thickener plays a crucial role in preventing sedimentation, especially in cases where dense pigments are incorporated into waterborne formulations. During the application process, traditional thickeners enhance sag resistance and influence leveling to facilitate robust film build. More importantly for longer-term storage, low shear thickeners can prevent syneresis in colorant-tinted coating systems. This presentation introduces an innovative rheology modifier technology based on a novel zirconium complex that eliminates sedimentation and syneresis under extremely low shear conditions associated with coating storage and transport. This technology offers the user-friendly option of post-addition under moderate mixing conditions, in contrast to other rheology modifiers that require neutralization and high-speed mixing processes. This presentation shows results illustrating the valuable outcomes achievable through the utilization of this unique low shear thickener platform.