Valspar patents low VOC coatings

U.S. 8,110,624 B2

The Valspar Corporation has obtained a patent for a low-VOC paint comprised of a latex polymer comprised of a surfactant and polymer particles comprised of a homopolymer or copolymer including at least one of an acrylate or a methacrylate; a pigment; and a coalescent; wherein at least 1% by weight, based on polymer solids, of the paint is comprised of a coalescent having the formula:

R1—(C(O)—X—O)n—R2 wherein R1 is an aliphatic hydrocarbyl moiety and is comprised of 3 to 24 carbon atoms, X is a divalent organic group comprising oxygen atoms and 2 to 8 carbon atoms, n is 1, and R2 is an organic group comprised of 3 to 24 carbon atoms and one carbonyl group; with the proviso that the coalescent does not include any aliphatic unsaturated carbon-carbon bonds; and wherein the coalescent has a volatile organic content of less than approximately 15% weight is nonreactive in the paint, and is dispersible in the paint to form a uniform mixture.