Emulsification and Stabilization of Epoxy Oligomer Emulsions with Surfactants and Solid Microparticles

Using methods of electrical conductivity, photosedimentometry, viscometry, and optical microscopy, the regions of relative stability of highly concentrated oil-in-water emulsions of an epoxy oligomer were determined. These emulsions were prepared with nonionic surfactants as emulsifiers and high-molecular-weight compounds or solid microparticles (synthetic latexes and mineral powders) as stabilizers. The introduction of stabilizers significantly affected the size and mass distributions of dispersed-phase droplets, depending on the chemical nature, size, and concentration of the solid microparticles. This led to a marked improvement in the aggregative and sedimentation stability of the emulsions and enhanced their film-forming ability. The films and coatings obtained by curing these emulsions were comparable in physicochemical and operational properties to those produced from epoxy resin solutions in organic solvents.