Alkylaryl hydrophobically modified cellulose ethers

Abstract

Cellulose ethers are disclosed which have sufficient nonionic substitution to render them water soluble and which are further modified with a C10 to C24 long chain alkylaryl group in an amount between 0.2% by weight and the amount which makes them less than 1% by weight soluble in water. Hydroxyethylcellulose is a preferred water soluble cellulose ether for modification according to the invention. These products exhibit substantially improved viscosifying effects compared to their unmodified cellulose ether counterparts, and provide good leveling and sag resistance in latex paints. Preferred alkylaryl groups are nonylphenyl, dodecylphenyl, and dinonylphenyl. Included are cellulose ethers with spacer groups of various lengths between the alkylaryl group and the connecting group to the cellulose molecule.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An arylalkyl hydrophobically modified hydroxyethylcellulose useful as an associative thickener in an aqueous protective coating, characterized in that the arylalkyl hydrophobically modified hydroxyethylcellulose provides a leveling value of at least 7 and a sag value of at least 12 and a Stormer Viscosity of at least 85 KU. 
     
     
       2. The arylalkyl hydrophobically modified hydroxyethylcellulose of claim 1 wherein the arylalkyl group is one of the group of nonylphenyl, dodecylphenyl, dinonylphenyl and poly(ethyleneoxy)nonylphenyl. 
     
     
       3. The arylalkyl hydrophobically modified hydroxyethylcellulose of claim 2 having a molecular weight of 20,000 to 400,000. 
     
     
       4. The arylalkyl hydrophobically modified hydroxyethylcellulose of claim 3 having a hydroxyethyl Molar Substitution (M.S.) of 3.0 to 4.5. 
     
     
       5. The arylalkyl hydrophobically modified hydroxyethylcellulose of claim 3 where the arylalkyl substitution ranges from 0.4 to 1.5 weight percent. .Iadd. 
     
     
       6.  The arylalkyl hydrophobically modified hydroxyethylcellulose of claim 1, wherein the hydroxyethylcellulose is ethyl group modified. .Iaddend. .Iadd.7. An arylalkyl hydrophobically modified cellulose ether useful as an associative thickener in an aqueous protective coating, characterized in that the arylalkyl hydrophobically modified cellulose either provides, in an all acrylic semi-gloss latex paint formulation, a leveling value of at least 7, a sag value of at least 12, and a Stormer Viscosity of at least 85 KU. .Iaddend. .Iadd.8. The arylalkyl hydrophobically modified cellulose ether of claim 7, wherein the cellulose ether comprises a water soluble hydroxyalkyl cellulose. .Iaddend. .Iadd.9. The arylalkyl hydrophobically modified cellulose ether of claim 8, wherein the water soluble hydroxyalkyl cellulose comprises a member selected from the group consisting of hydroxyethylcellulose and hydroxypropylcellulose. .Iaddend. .Iadd.10. The arylalkyl hydrophobically modified cellulose ether of claim 9, wherein the water soluble hydroxyalkyl cellulose is hydroxyethylcellulose. .Iaddend. .Iadd.11. The arylalkyl hydrophobically modified cellulose ether of claim 10, wherein the hydroxyethylcellulose is ethyl group modified. .Iaddend. .Iadd.12. The arylalkyl hydrophobically modified cellulose ether of claim 7, wherein the cellulose ether comprises methylcellulose. .Iaddend. .Iadd.13. The arylalkyl hydrophobically modified cellulose ether of claim 7, wherein the arylalkyl comprises about 10 to 24 carbon atoms. .Iaddend. .Iadd.14. The arylalkyl hydrophobically modified cellulose ether of claim 13, wherein the arylalkyl comprises a member selected from the group consisting of nonylphenyl, dodecylphenyl, and dinonylphenyl. .Iaddend. .Iadd.15. The arylalkyl hydrophobically modified cellulose ether of claim 7, wherein the amount of arylalkyl hydrophobe is between about 0.2 weight percent, and the amount which renders the cellulose ether less than 1 percent by weight soluble in water. .Iaddend. .Iadd.16. The arylalkyl hydrophobically modified cellulose ether of claim 15, wherein the amount of arylalkyl hydrophobe is 
     
     
        between 0.25 and 2.4 weight percent. .Iaddend. .Iadd.17.  The arylalkyl hydrophobically modified cellulose ether of claim 7, comprising a spacer group between the arylalkyl and the cellulose ether. .Iaddend. .Iadd.18. The arylalkyl hydrophobically modified cellulose ether of claim 17, wherein the spacer group comprises 1 to 100 ethyleneoxy units. .Iaddend. .Iadd.19. The arylalkyl hydrophobically modified cellulose ether of claim 7, comprising an ether linkage connecting the arylalkyl hydrophobe and the cellulose ether. .Iaddend. .Iadd.20. The arylalkyl hydrophobically modified cellulose ether of claim 19, wherein the arylalkyl hydrophobe comprises a hydroxyalkyl radical. .Iaddend. .Iadd.21. The arylalkyl hydrophobically modified cellulose ether of claim 20, wherein the hydroxyalkyl radical comprises a hydroxypropyl radical. .Iaddend. .Iadd.22. The arylalkyl hydrophobically modified cellulose ether of claim 21, wherein the arylakyl hydrophobe comprises a glycidyl ether, reacted with the cellulose ether. .Iaddend. .Iadd.23. The arylalkyl hydrophobically modified cellulose ether of claim 22, comprising a spacer group between the arylalkyl and the ether linkage. .Iaddend. .Iadd.24. The arylalkyl hydrophobically modified cellulose ether of claim 23, wherein the spacer group comprises 1 to 100 ethyleneoxy units. .Iaddend. .Iadd.25. The arylalkyl hydrophobically modified cellulose ether of claim 24, wherein the cellulose ether comprises hydroxyethylcellulose. .Iaddend. .Iadd.26. The arylalkyl hydrophobically modified cellulose ether of claim 25, wherein the hydroxyethylcellulose is ethyl group modified. .Iaddend. .Iadd.27. The arylalkyl hydrophobically modified cellulose ether of claim 26, wherein the arylalkyl comprises nonylphenyl. .Iaddend. .Iadd.28. The arylalkyl hydrophobically modified cellulose ether of claim 27, wherein the amount of arylalkyl hydrophobe is between about 0.2 weight percent, and the amount which renders the cellulose ether less than 1 percent by weight solution in water. .Iaddend. .Iadd.29. The arylalkyl hydrophobically modified cellulose ether of claim 28, wherein the amount of arylalkyl hydrophobe is between 0.25 and 2.4 weight percent. .Iaddend. .Iadd.30. An all acrylic semi-gloss latex paint formulation, comprising the arylalkyl hydrophobically modified hydroxyethylcellulose of claim 1. .Iaddend. .Iadd.31. An all acrylic semi-gloss latex paint formulation, comprising the arylalkyl hydrophobically modified hydroxyethylcellulose of claim 6. .Iaddend. .Iadd.32. An all acrylic semi-gloss latex paint formulation, comprising the arylalkyl hydrophobically modified cellulose ether of claim 7. .Iaddend. .Iadd.33. An all acrylic semi-gloss latex paint formulation, comprising the arylalkyl hydrophobically modified cellulose ether of claim 11. .Iaddend. .Iadd.34. An all acrylic semi-gloss latex paint formulation, comprising the arylalkyl hydrophobically modified cellulose ether of claim 19. .Iaddend. .Iadd.35. An all acrylic semi-gloss latex paint formulation, comprising the arylalkyl hydrophobically modified cellulose ether of claim 26. .Iaddend. .Iadd.36. A vinyl acrylic latex paint formulation, comprising the arylalkyl hydrophobically modified hydroxyethylcellulose ether of claim 1. .Iaddend. .Iadd.37. A vinyl acrylic latex paint formulation, comprising the arylalkyl hydrophobically modified hydroxyethylcellulose of claim 6. .Iaddend. .Iadd.38. A vinyl acrylic latex paint formulation, comprising the arylalkyl hydrophobically modified cellulose ether of claim 7. .Iaddend. .Iadd.39. A vinyl acrylic latex paint formulation, comprising the arylalkyl hydrophobically modified cellulose ether of claim 11. .Iaddend. .Iadd.40. A vinyl acrylic latex paint formulation, comprising the arylalkyl hydrophobically modified cellulose ether of claim 19. .Iaddend. .Iadd.41. A vinyl acrylic latex paint formulation, comprising the arylalkyl hydrophobically modified 
     
     
        cellulose ether of claim 26. .Iaddend. .Iadd.42.  A latex paint formulation, comprising the arylalkyl hydrophobically modified hydroxyethylcellulose of claim 1. .Iaddend. .Iadd.43. A latex paint formulation, comprising the arylalkyl hydrophobically modified hydroxyethylcellulose of claim 6. .Iaddend. .Iadd.44. A latex paint formulation, comprising the arylalkyl hydrophobically modified cellulose ether of claim 7. .Iaddend. .Iadd.45. A latex paint formulation, comprising the arylalkyl hydrophobically modified cellulose ether of claim 11. .Iaddend. .Iadd.46. A latex paint formulation, comprising the arylalkyl hydrophobically modified cellulose ether of claim 19. .Iaddend. .Iadd.47. A latex paint formulation, comprising the arylalkyl hydrophobically modified cellulose ether of claim 26. .Iaddend.