Inverse gas chromatography, surface properties, and interactions among components of paint formulations

Abstract

Inverse gas chromatography (IGC) was applied to the surface characterization of polymers and pigments used in the formulation of protective coatings. IGC measurements over a significant temperature range provided surface energy and acid-base interaction parameters for these materials. Two sets of IGC data were obtained: (1) the quantity of vapor used to probe solid surfaces was extremely small, with results describing the properties of the most energetic surface sites; and (2) finite concentrations of vapor probes were used, with results describing the average properties of surface sites. A comparison of the two sets gave information on the heterogeneity of sites on the polymer and pigment surfaces. Heterogeneity parameters were defined for sites interacting through dispersion forces as well as for those able to interact as acids and bases. The present work reinforces the usefulness of surface characterizations by IGC by showing that the stability of pigments dispersed in the polymer vehicles was a function of the acid-base interaction between polymer-pigment pairs.