Correlating the surfactant-rich interparticle volume to the water absorption and rheological behaviour in a model waterborne coating

Waterborne coatings present a viable alternative to traditional solventborne coatings by reducing the emissions of harmful volatile organic compounds (VOCs). However, their development is currently hindered by the complex heterogeneous structures formed during film formation. This research focuses on understanding impact of the coating’s structure on the water transport. Previous ISIS experiments revealed that absorbed water creates a complex structure in the material characterized by two primary length scales. We relate the first characteristic dimension to surfactant clumps located at the interstitial voids between the particles, while the second is associated to water channels located at the interparticle interphase. In this proposal, we aim to validate and refine our model by systematically modifying the properties of the interparticle interphase through the addition of cosolvents and altering the size of voids available to the surfactant by varying the particle size.