Low-voc aqueous coating compositions with excellent freeze-thaw stability

A latex paint composition, comprising:

• (a) at least one latex polymer derived from at least one monomer and at least one polymerizable alkoxylated surfactant having the structure:
• R1—R2
• wherein R1 is an allyl group selected from the group consisting of CH3—CH═CH— and CH2═CH—CH2—;
• R2 is —C6H3(R3)—(O—CH2—CH2)n—R4, —O—CH2—CH(CH2—O—C6H4—R3)—(O—CH2—CH2)n—R4, —(O—CH2—CH2)n—R4, —(O—CH2—CH(CH3))n—R4, —(O—CH2—CH2)m—(O—CH2—CH(CH3))n—R4 or —(O—CH2—CH(CH3))m—(O—CH2—CH2)n—R4;
• R3 is an alkyl group;
• R4 is hydroxy or a polar group such as sulfonate (—SO3M), sulfate (—SO4M), phosphonate (—PO3M) or phosphate (—PO4M);
• M is H+, Na+, NH4+, K+ or Li+ with the provision that R4 cannot be (—SO4M) or (—PO4M) if R2 is (O—CH2—CH(CH3))n—R4 or —(O—CH2—CH(CH3))m-13 (O—CH2—CH2)n—R4;
• preferably R4 is hydroxy or (—PO4M), n is from about 5 to about 100;
• and m is from 0 to about 100.
• (b) at least one latex polymer derived from at least one acrylic monomer selected from the group consisting of acrylic acid, acrylic acid esters, methacrylic acid, and methacrylic acid esters;
• (c) at least one pigment;
• (d) water;
• and
• (e) less than 3.0% by weight based on the total weight of the aqueous coating composition of anti-freeze agents.

A method of preparing a aqueous coating composition, comprising the step of:

• mixing (1) at least one latex polymer derived from at least one monomer and at least one polymerizable alkoxylated surfactant having the structure:
• R1—R2
• wherein R1 is an allyl group selected from the group consisting of CH3—CH═CH— and CH2═CH—CH2—, and R2 is a radical comprising at least two carbon atoms and at least one oxyethylene or oxypropylene unit;
• and (2) at least one pigment;
• wherein the aqueous coating composition includes less than 3.0% by weight based on the total weight of the aqueous coating composition of anti-freeze agents.