Novel polyurethane polyols for waterborne and high solids coatings

Abstract

Recently developed oligomeric β-hydroxyalkyl urethane polyols are finding application as modifiers and crosslinkers for waterborne and high solids coatings. In waterborne coatings, urethane polyols can be used as modifiers for acrylic, polyester or alkyd melamine resin crosslinked coatings to replace the cosolvent. In high solids coatings, polyurethane polyols are being employed to raise the application solids, increase film hardness and water resistance, and exterior durability. There are also applications for polyurethane diols as resin intermediates and in the preparation of blocked isocyanate crosslinkers. β-Hydroxyalkyl urethane diol or polyols can be prepared by an isocyanate reaction with a diol, such as 1,2-propylene glycol, but also by non-isocyanate processes. The non-isocyanate routes to urethanes can utilize carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, urea or organic carbonates as a carbonyl source for the carbamic acid ester. It is possible to split these urethanes to the isocyanate, but interest has concentrated on using the urethane intermediates directly in coating applications without going through the isocyanate. The structures reported are bis-hydroxyalkyl urethane intermediates and derivatives of these compounds.