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Published on: May 11, 2017
Surface modification for aluminium pigment inhibition
Philip Karlsson1, Anders E C Palmqvist, Krister Holmberg
1Chalmers University of Technology, Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Applied Surface Chemistry, SE-412 96 Göteborg, Sweden.
Advances in Colloid and Interface Science
|January 24, 2007
Summary
Surface treatments for aluminium pigments enable their use in waterborne coatings by preventing water reactivity. Both organic and inorganic methods, like silica coating, offer effective, eco-friendly alternatives to traditional solvent-borne paints.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Surface Chemistry
- Coatings Technology
Background:
- Aluminium pigments provide metallic luster in coatings but react with water, limiting use in traditional solvent-borne systems.
- Environmental and health concerns drive the shift towards waterborne coatings, necessitating new solutions for aluminium pigment stability.
- Surface modification (inhibition) is crucial to protect aluminium pigments from water in waterborne formulations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review surface treatment methods for aluminium pigments used in waterborne coatings.
- To explore organic and inorganic inhibition strategies for enhancing pigment stability in aqueous media.
- To highlight advancements in silica coating technology as a heavy metal-free alternative.
Main Methods:
- Review of literature on organic inhibiting agents (phenols, aromatic acids, surfactants, polyelectrolytes) and their interaction with aluminium surfaces.
- Discussion of inorganic methods, focusing on silica coating using precursors like tetraethoxysilane.
- Examination of encapsulation techniques, including in situ polymerization and surfactant-mediated processes.
Main Results:
- Organic inhibitors function by interacting with the aluminium surface, with chelating agents offering strong binding.
- Silica-coated aluminium pigments demonstrate performance comparable to chromate-inhibited pigments.
- Advanced methods like surfactant-assisted polymerization and silica coating provide effective water resistance.
Conclusions:
- Surface treatments are essential for the successful application of aluminium pigments in waterborne coatings.
- Silica coating offers a promising, heavy metal-free alternative to traditional inhibition methods.
- The principles of surface modification for pigments share similarities with corrosion inhibition of bulk aluminium.
