Polyether-based thickeners with additives for increased efficiency in aqueous systems

A polyether-based thickener for an aqueous system comprising in admixture:

• A. a polyether having a molecular weight of about 1000 to about 25,000 which is selected from the group consisting of
• (1) polyethers prepared by reacting a mixture of ethylene oxide and at least one lower alkylene oxide having 3 to 4 carbon atoms with at least one active hydrogen-containing aliphatic or alkyl aromatic compound containing no more than one active hydrogen and about 12 to about 18 aliphatic carbon atoms and at least one glycidyl ether having a carbon chain length of about 12 to about 18 aliphatic carbon atoms and wherein said glycidyl ether is present in the amount of about 1 to about 20 percent by weight based upon the total weight of said polyether, and
• (2) polyethers prepared by reacting ethylene oxide and at least one lower alkylene oxide having 3 to 4 carbon atoms with at least one active hydrogen compound containing no more than one active hydrogen and about 12 to about 18 aliphatic carbon atoms to prepare a heteric or block copolymer and further reacting said copolymer with at least one glycidyl ether having a carbon chain length of about 12 to about 18 aliphatic carbon atoms and wherein said glycidyl ether is present in the amount of about 1 to about 20 percent by weight based on the total weight of said thickener, and
• (3) polyethers prepared by reacting (a) ethylene oxide and at least one glycidyl ether with at least one active hydrogen compound containing no more than one active hydrogen to prepare a heteric copolymer or (b) ethylene oxide with at least one active hydrogen compound containing at no more than one active hydrogen to prepare a homopolymer and further reacting said homopolymer with at least one glycidyl ether, said glycidyl ether having a carbon chain length of about 12 to about 18 aliphatic carbon atoms and wherein said active hydrogen compound is an aliphatic or alkylaromatic compound containing about 12 to about 18 aliphatic carbon atoms and said glycidyl ether is present in the amount of about 1 to about 20 percent by weight based on the total weight of said thickener,
• and about 10 to about 35 percent by weight based upon the total weight of said polyether polyol-based thickener of:
• B. a mixture of a water-soluble amine and an ethoxylated phosphate ester, or an ethoxylated phosphate ester,
• wherein said phosphate ester is selected from the group consisting of ##STR2## and mixtures thereof, wherein EO is ethylene oxide;
• R is selected from the group consisting of linear or branched chain alkyl groups having about 6 to about 30 carbon atoms, and aryl or alkylaryl groups wherein said arylalkyl groups have about 6 to about 30 carbon atoms;
• X is selected from the group consisting of the residue of hydrogen, ammonia, an amine, an alkali or alkaline earth metal and mixtures thereof;
• and n is a number from 1 to 50.