In this project, dendritic polymer technology and novel polymerization technology will be adapted to the paint market. The main outcome will be new, environmentally friendly water borne paints, which will be tested in full or pilot scale application. The objective is to increase performance and lifetime of the coatings and to give excellent protection to the substrate.
The project will introduce novel ways of rheology control in water borne paints by:
(1) Introducing sites at the surface of the latex particles for tailor-made interactions with the associative thickeners. The new types of latexes will be produced by novel synthesis of surfactants and amphiphilic polymers, using novel techniques such as controlled radical polymerization in emulsion polymerization.
(2) Introducing hydrophibically end-capped dentritic polymers as cross-linkers.