GB1603142A

GB1603142A - Anti-flooding agent

Info

Publication number: GB1603142A
Application number: GB19259/78A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Hoechst AG
Current assignee: Hoechst AG
Priority date: 1977-05-13
Filing date: 1978-05-12
Publication date: 1981-11-18
Also published as: CA1129142A; ATA343578A; NZ187241A; AT371831B; CH639994A5; AU519069B2; AU3607078A; SE7805430L; BE866971A; DE2721688B1; JPS53140331A; FR2390483B1; NL7805120A; FR2390483A1; BR7803020A; ZA782738B; DE2721688C2; IT7849292A0

Abstract

The agent for preventing the flooding of coloured pigments from polymer emulsion (dispersion) paints, polymer renders or distempers that contain cellulose ether is based on a block polymer of a di- or polyamine and added alkylene oxide units. The block polymer conforms to the formula II. The substituents in formula II are as defined in Claim 1. The agent is used for aqueous binder-containing paints or renders that contain cellulose ether and are to be coloured or are already coloured and are or would be white without the addition of coloured pigment. <IMAGE>

Description

(54) ANTI-FLOODING AGENT (71) We, HOECHST AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT, a Body Corporate organised according to the laws of the Federal Republic of Germany, of 6230 Frankfurt/Main 80, Postfach 80 03 20, Federal Republic of Germany, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: The present invention relates to an agent for reducing the flooding of color pigments contained in flowable building materials or surface coating materials, aqueous, cellulose ether-containing plastics dispersion paints, distemper paints, or plastics-based plasters, and to methods of employment of the agent.

If plastics dispersion paints, distemper paints or plastics-based plasters which contain cellulose ethers, which are normally white, are to be colored, it is often impossible, despite careful stirring, to work the commercially available concentrated pigment pastes used for this purPose into the paints with the desired degree of uniformity. This undesirable lack of uni ormity, which is not recognizable during mixing of the components, normally only becomes apparent when the paints or plasters are spread, rolled, on, or otherwise applied to a support, such as a wall or wall-paper, in that the resulting color shade is inhomogeneous. The vanations in the color shade are more or less intensive, depending on the frictional forces occurring during application of the paints or plasters. The treated surfaces display an uneven, blotchy color shade.This, normally undesirable, effect is designated in the technical terminology as "rub-out" or "flooding" of the pigments.

Numerous additives, mostly surface-active anionic, cationic, or non-ionic substances, have been disclosed and/or are commercially available which are alleged to prevent such flooding.

Nevertheless, the consumer still encounters often unsurmountable difficulties because the known substances are, for example, effective in some cases only, or must be added in relatively high quantities so that they affect certain desirable properties of the paint or plaster, or cause a marked reduction of the water-resistance of the dry paint or plaster.

The pigment pastes disclosed in German Auslegeschrift No. 11 65 544 contain substances which are soluble in water, benzene or benzine and which may be obtained by causing propylene oxide to act upon water-soluble aliphatic compounds with less than 8 carbon atoms which contain at least one active hydrogen atom. Suitable aliphatic compounds are monohydric and polyhydric alcohols, partial ethers of polyhydric alcohols, amines and alkylol amines. It is stated in the German Auslegeschrift that the pigment pastes prepared in this manner do not tend to foam and can be very finely distributed by stirnng or kneading them in the usual media, of which water and several organic solvents are mentioned.

In German Auslegeschrift No. 21 56603 or U.S. Patent No. 3,841,888, aqueous pigment dispersions are disclosed which are stated not to flocculate in plastics dispersions containing cellulose ethers or distemper paints. Such aqueous pigment dispersions contain from 20 to 55 per cent by weight of finely divided pigment, 5 to 25 per cent by weight of a surface-active agent or a mixture of surface-active agents, and 40 to 75 per cent by weight of water or a mixture of water and water-retaining substances.The surface active substances are products of a reaction between certain aliphatic diamines or polyamines, or aromatic or cycloaliphatic diamines, with 3 to 50 moles of propylene oxide and a subsequent reaction with 2 to 70 moles of ethylene oxide (the molar quantities refer to the equivalent of reactive amino hydrogen), the proportion of terminal polyethylene oxide blocks ranging from 40 to 80 per cent by weight. The coloring of aqueous, binder-containing white pigment paints containing cellu lose ethers is stated as the preferred field of application of these pigment dispersions.

Besides the customary additives, the aqueous pigment dispersion disclosed in German Patent No. 2,414,455 contains pigments, condensation products of naphthalene, formaldehyde and sulfuric acid, ethylene oxide adducts to long-chain amines, and polymerization products of ethylene oxide and propylene oxide with terminal polyethylene oxide blocks. In the form of a pigment paste, this aqueous pigment dispersion allegedly shows good flowing behaviour, no re-agglomeration of the pigment particles, no formation of lumps, and thus no reduction of the color intensity. A pigment composition prepared in this manner is said to be particularly suitable, for example, for coloring aqueous paints based on plastics dispersions, and especially for coloring wall paper paints based on plastics dispersions and cellulose derivatives.

German Offenlegungsschrift No. 2500865 discloses a process for the preparation of a dry, water-dispersible pigment composition which comprises the following steps: a) mixing a pigment with water and 15 to 45 per cent (based on the weight of the pigment) of a non-ionic dispersing agent, 10 to 70 per cent of a water-dispersible, non-ionic copolymer, and, if desired, up to 40 per cent of a non-ionic colloid, and b) removing the water from the mixture until a dry mass of a certain composition is obtained. The following compounds are listed as suitable non-ionic dispersing agents: polyether alcohols, alkylene oxide/alkylene diamine block polymers and polyoxy ethyleneglycol or glycerol esters, the block polymers being obtained by addition of propylene oxide to ethylene diamine and subsequent addition of ethylene oxide.The following compounds are listed among the non-ionic polymers: at least partially hydrogenated vinyl acetate polymers or their ether derivatives, N-vinyl pyrrolidone polymers and their co-polymers with other vinyl compounds. Cellulose ethers, starches and starch derivatives, natural resins etc. are said to be useful as nonionic colloids. The pigment mass prepared in this manner is said to disperse easily in water, be compatible with latex systems and other aqueous systems and to show good resistance to flocculation.

In addition to the above listed auxiliaries, further so-called "anti-flooding agents" are known, for example from E. Karsten: "Lackrohstofftabellen" (Table of Raw Materials for Paints), 6th edition, Curt R. Vincentz Verlag, Hanover, 1976, some of which are expressly intended for systems which may be diluted with water and for systems to be diluted with solvents and water. Practical experience has shown, however, that-up to now no agents having such an effect could be found and certainly none which, in the field of cellulose ether-containing plastics dispersions, plastics-based plasters and distemper paints, prevent the flooding of color pigments or pigment pastes in a large variety of applications.This applies not only to precautionary treatment of the colored dispersion mixture to be prepared, but more especial to subsequent treatment of such already prepared colored dispersion mixtures which during practical use, for example during their application to a wall or wall paper, show flooding of the color pigments.

The present invention is concerned with providing a method of inhibiting flooding of pigments having advantages over the techniques previously proposed.

The present invention provides a method for inhibiting flooding of color pigments in a flowab e composition, e.g., flowable building materials or surface coatings, especially in aqueous, cellulose ether-containing plastics dispersion paints, plastics-based plasters, and distemper paints which comprises adding thereto, or to a component thereof, an antiflooding agent comprising a block polymer obtainable by reaction of one mole of a di- or polyamine of the general formula H2N - (R - NH)X - H (I) wherein R represents an alkylene group with from 2 to 6 carbon atoms and x represents a whole number from 1 to 4, with 5 to 50 moles of ethylene oxide, followed by reaction with 5 to 100 moles of propylene oxide.

The invention also provides a flowable building material or surface coating composition, or a component thereof, containing the block copolymer as anti-flooding agent.

Suitable diamines or polyamines according to general Formula I, from which the block polymers used according to the invention may be prepared, are, for example: propylene diamine-1,3, butylene-diamine-1,4, diethylenetriamine, dipropylenetriamine, tnethylenetetramine, tetraethylene entamine, and, preferably, ethylenediamine-1 ,2. The block polymer may be prepared, for example, according to the method disclosed in German Offenle gungsschrift No. 21 65 586, in which, in a first stage, only a relatively small quantity of ethylene oxide is used per mole of the amine of Formula I to replace the hydrogen atoms attached to nitrogen. Then, the alcoholic hydroxyl groups present in the thus synthesized molecules are alkalized, for example by the action of sodium methylate, and the resulting product is then treated with further quantities of ethylene oxide until the desired quantities of ethylene oxide have been incorporated. Finally, propylene oxide is added until the end product has the desired molecular weight.

The block polymers or graft polymers prepared in this manner may correspond on the average, for example, to the following general Formula II:

wherein each of the indices al to a4 stands for a whole number and the sum (a1+a2+a3+a4) = 5 to 50, preferably 10 to 40, and each of the indices bl to b4 stands for a whole number and the sum (b1 +b2+b3+b4) = 5 to 100, preferably 40 to 70, while R and x have the meanings stated above, or, where xis more than unity, the sum (al+a2+xa3+a4) = 5 to 50, preferably 10 to 40 and the sum (bl+b2+xb3+b4) = 5 to 100, preferably 40 to 70.

Aqueous plastics dispersion paints, plastics-based plasters, and distemper paints are normally available in the white state. Their composition may be taken from DIN 18 363 entitled; "Anstricharbeiten" (Painting Jobs) of September 1976: plastics dispersion paints contain plastics dispersions, pigments (normally white pigments, e.g., titanium dioxide, lithophones, or chalk), fillers (e.g., calcium carbonates, powdered quartz, barium sulfate, fibrous materials, and granulates), and auxiliaries, e.g., fungicides; they may be either fluid or pasty and are subdivided, according to their composition, into the following groups: washing-resistant, abrasion-resistant, and weather-resistant.

Plastlcs-based plasters are distinguished from plastics dispersion paints in that they contain fillers which impart a certain structure to them. Distemper paints contain sizes, pigments (normally white pigments), and fillers, e.g., fibrous materials. Plastics dispersions include many of the dispersions of film-forming homo- or copolymers of acrylic acid esters, methacrylic acid esters, acrylic and methacrylic acids, styrene, ethylene, butadiene, acrylonitrile, vinyl acetate, vinyl propionate, vinyl esters of long-chain branched carboxylic acids, or maleic acid esters. Suitable sizes are binders in general, such as water-soluble cellulose ethers, starch, dextrin, vegetable glues, bone glue, and other animal glues.Besides surface-active substances, water-soluble cellulose ethers, e.g., methyl cellulose, methyl-hydroxyalkyl cellulose, carboxy-methyl cellulose, hydroxy ethyl cellulose, or mixtures of these, are added to the paints or plasters in order to improve their water-retention capacity, their processing characteristics, and their adhesion.

The above discussed problem, which the invention is concerned to mitigate, may become apparent when the different disperse systems, viz. white paint or plaster on the one hand and colored pigment component on the other hand, are combined, i.e, when the white paints or plasters are colored.

As a rule, the colored pigment pastes normally used for coloring white paints or plasters contain, besides an inorganic or organic pigment, a tenside, an organic solvent, and/or water, and a preservative. Suitable inorganic pigments are, for example, carbon black, zinc sulfides, cadmium sulfides, ultramarine, iron oxides, nickel yellow or chromotitanium yellow, cobalt blue, chromium oxides, or chromates. Among organic pigments, those of the azo, anthraquinone, azaporphine, thioindigo, quinacridone, dioxazine, naphthalene-tetracarboxylic acid, perylene-tetracarboxylic acid, or phthalocyanine series are preferred.

The agent used according to the invention to prevent the "rub-out" of colored pigments may be added to, e.g., the aqueous paints or plasters containing cellulose ethers and binders, especially to plastics dispersion paints, plastics-based plasters, and distemper paints, either while the paint or plaster is still in the white state, by the manufacturer, converter or consumer, or after the paint or plaster has been colored by the addition of a colored pigment, by the converter or consumer. This latter possibility is of particular importance because in this manner already spoilt compositions, i.e., those displaying flooding when no agent is added to them, may be returned to a useful state. In addition to the preferred possibilities of application mentioned above, it is also possible to add the agent according to the invention directly to the colored pigment paste.Advantageously, about 0.1 to 2.0 per cent by weight (calculated on the weight of the colored paint or plaster) of the agent according to the invention are added; in many cases, the addition of about 0.2 to 0.5 per cent by weight is sufficient.

The advantages achieved by the agent according to the invention are mainly the following: - The agent may be generally added to paints or plasters at any stage of their preparation and is not limited to the use with one class or some classes of color pigments.

- The agent does not tend to foam, or foams only slightly, so that the frequently occurring foaming during intensive agitation of the paints or plasters is not or only insignificantly increased.

- The agent is capable of becoming effective without the action of strong shear forces, so that mixing it with the paint or plaster at a low rate of revolution of the dissolver or even by hand will be sufficient.

- The influence of the agent on the water-resistance of the paints or plasters is within tolerable limits.

Some of the terms used above are obtained from DIN 55945 entitled: "Anstrichstoffe und Ahnliche Beschichtungsstoffe" (Paints and Coatings) of October 1973. The term "Au sschwimmen" (flooding), for example, designates the visible separation of the pigments contained in the paint or plaster during storage or while the applied paint dries. A "Bindemittel" (binder) is the non-volatile component of the paint or plaster, without pigment and filler, but including plasticizers, desiccants, and other non-volatile auxiliaries; the binder connects the pigment particles with each other and with the substrate and thus forms the finished coating with them.

DIN 53 778, which is mentioned in the following examples, deals, in part 2 of September 1976, with plastics dispersion paints for indoor use and ways of determining the cleanability of paint coatings and their resistance to washing and abrasion. The washing and abrasion resistance of the dispersion paint coating which is to be determined is its property to suffer not more than a certain predetermined abrasion when it is subjected to a predetermined period of abrasive stress in a defined abrasion tester. The color pigment used in all of the following examples is known to present serious flooding problems to the converter or consumer.

Therefore, the quantities of the inventive anti-flooding agent which are added in the examples are not necessarily representative for the quantities to be used when processing most of the other color pigments or pigment pastes. The quantities added in the examples are very high; in most other cases, lower quantities will be sufficient.

All parts and percentages are by weight, unless otherwise indicated.

Example I A white dispersion paint for indoor use (washing-resistant according to DIN 53 778) of the following composition: 170 p.b.w. of water, 10 p.b.w. of a 10% aqueous solution of Na-polyphosphate, 5 p.b.w. of an NH4 salt of a polyacrylic acid, as the dispersing agent, 1 p.b.w. of a preservative (bactericide), 1 p.b.w. of a 10% aqueous NaOH solution, 75 p.b.w. of titanium dioxide, 400 p.b.w. of crystalline CaCO3, 50 p.b.w. of amorphous CaCO3 (chemically precipitated), 25 p.b.w. of kaolin (aluminum silicate), 1 p.b.w. of an anti-foaming agent, 160 p.b.w. of methyl hydroxyethyl cellulose in a 2.5 per cent aqueous solution (medium viscosity of a 2% aqueous solution at 20"C = 6,000 cP), 90 p.b.w. of a styrene-acrylate copolymer dispersion, and 7 p.b.w. of butyl-diglycol acetate, as a film-forming adjuvant, is manually mixed, by means of a spatula, with 2% by weight (based on the weight of the above composition) of a colored pigment paste consisting of 25 per cent of dioxazine(carbazole)-violet (Color Index No. 51,319), 13 per cent of a tenside, 46.3 per cent of ethyleneglycol monoethyl ether, 15 per cent of distilled water, and 0.7 per cent of sodiumpentachlorophenol as a preservative. The violet pigment contained in the mixture is present in the flocculated, i.e. flooded, state.Two batches of this inhomogeneous mixture are prepared and from each batch 50 g are removed and mixed, one with 0.5 g (=1% of the weight of the colored dispersion paint) and the other with 0.75 g (=1.5% of the weight of the colored dispersion paint) of a block polymer prepared from the following components: 1 mole of ethylene diamine, about 30 moles of ethylene oxide, and about 60 moles of propylene oxide. The block polymer may be prepared as follows: A mixture of 14.4 p.b.w. of an 80 per cent aqueous ethylene diamine solution and 0.13 p.b.w. of an 80 per cent aqueous hydrazinehydrate solution (to improve the color shade) is treated at 70"C with 42.7 p.b.w. of gaseous ethylene oxide. The resulting intermediate product has an overall nitrogen content of 9.35 per cent, the proportion of tertiary nitrogen being 99%. The intermediate product is alkalized by adding 14.4 parts by volume the relation between parts by volume and parts by weight being the same as between liters and kilograms) of a sodium methylate solution with a sodium content of 12.8 er cent. The formation of the alcoholate is completed by 5 hours' drying. 25.7 p.b.w. of the alkalized intermediate product are reacted with 22.7 p.b.w. of ethylene oxide at 120 - 130 CC; the addition product of ethylene diamine and ethylene oxide thus produced has an overall nitrogen content of 2.08%, corresponding to a molecular weight of 1345, and the proportion of ethylene oxide added is 29.2 moles. 28.5 p.b.w. of this intermediate product are reacted at 1301 50Cwith71.5 p.b.w. of propylene oxide.The analysis of the reaction product shows an overall nitrogen content of 0.57%, which corresponds to a molecular weight of 4910 and a proportion of 61.4 moles of propylene oxide.

Samples are taken from the mixtures containing the agent according to the invention and from the mixtures containing no such agent and are applied, by means of a hand-operated wiper, to test cards in a manner such that wet films of about 200 ism thickness result. Before the films are dried, i.e. within 5 minutes, an area of the wet film selected at random is thoroughly spread by rubbing with the tip of the finger. After the films have dried, they are inspected in order to determine if the rubbed and the un-rubbed areas of the film are of identical color or if the color shades are different. The agent added is fully effective if the rubbed and the un-rubbed areas of the film åre identical in color.By the addition of 1% of the agent according to the invention, the rub-out of the violet pigment - which is very considerable in the absence of such agent - is reduced to a weak flooding. If 1.5% of the agent according to the invention is added, the color shades are identical, i.e. the violet pigment does not separate.

Example 2 In order to investigate the influence of different quantities of the inventive agent on the, abrasion resistance of the dispersion paints to which they are added, 0.75%, 1%, 1.5%, and 2% of the agent, based on the weight of the colored dispersion paint, are added to the dispersion paint colored as in Example 1. When the abrasion resistance is tested in accordance with DIN 53 778, about 1200 cycles in an abrasion tester are achieved without the addition of the agent and with an addition of 0.75%, i.e. a quantity which normally will be sufficient in less difficult cases. If 1% of the agent is added, the number of cycles in the abrasion tester drops to about 930, with an addition of 1.5% to about 425 cycles, and at 2% to about 250 cycles.

Comparative Examples V1 to V19: A violet dispersion paint is prepared as described in Example 1 and mixed, once with 1% and then with 1.5% of a known antiflooding agent. In none of the examples, identical color shades are observed in the different areas of the test films, which means that the comparative agents, when applied in quantities comparable to the quantities used of the inventive agent, do not prevent the serious flooding of the violet pigment. The comparison agents are based on block polymers in which the propyleneoxy groups are attached to the polyamine, the ethyleneoxy groups being attached to the polyamine only through the propyleneoxy groups.

Table: Comparative Tests No. of Chemical Composition of Agent added published Test in: V 1 block polymer of ethylene diamine, propylene DT-AS No.

oxide, and ethylene oxide with a proportion of 21 56 603 ethylene oxide of 40% V 2 block polymer of ethylene diamine, propylene oxide, and ethylene oxide with a proportion of ethylene oxide of 40% and a higher molecular weight than in V 1 V 3 block polymer of ethylene diamine, propylene oxide, and ethylene oxide with a proportion of ethylene oxide of 40% and a higher molecular weight than in V 2 V 4 block polymer of ethylene diamine, propylene DT-OS No.

oxide, and ethylene oxide with a proportion of 25 00 865 ethylene oxide of 10% V 5 block polymer of ethylene diamine, propylene II oxide anethylene oxide with a proportion of ethylene oxide of 20% V 6 naphthalene-sulfonic acid/formaldehyde DT-PS No.

condensation product 24 14 455 V 7 Na-alkyl-polyglycol ether sulfate with about 2 moles of ethvlene oxide V 8 Na-alkyl-polyglycol ether sulfate with about 3 moles of ethylene oxide V 9 nonylphenol-oxethylate with about 8 to 30 DT-OS No.

moles of ethylene oxide 25 00 865 V 10 cresol-nonylphenol-formaldehyde-oxethylate V 11 tributylphenol-oxethylate with about 50 DT-OS No.

moles of ethyleneoxide 25 00 865 V 12 oleyl fatty alcohol-oxethylate with about 8 to 25 moles of ethylene oxide V 13 coconut fatty alcohol-oxethylate with about 8 to 25 moles of ethylene oxide V 14 stearyl alcohol-oxethylate with about 15 to 25 moles of ethylene oxide V 15 tallow fatty alcohol-oxethylate with about 11 to 25 moles of ethylene oxide V 16 iso-tridecanol-oxethylate with about 8 to 15 moles of ethylene oxide V 17 oleylamino-oxethylate with about 5 to 25 DT-PS No.

moles of ethylene oxide 2414455 V 18 coconut fatty amino-oxethylate with about 2 to 25 moles of ethylene oxide V 19 Na-lignin-sulfonate WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A process for reducing the flooding of a color pigment in a flowable composition, which comprises incorporating in the composition, or in a component thereof, a block polymer obtainable by reaction of one mole of a di- or polyamine of the general formula H2N- (R- NH)X - H (I), wherein R represents an alkylene group with from 2 to 6 carbon atoms and x represents an integer from 1 to 4, with from 5 to 50 moles of ethylene oxide, followed by reaction with from 5 to 100 moles of propylene oxide.

2. A process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the polymer is obtainable from 10 to 40 moles of ethylene oxide and from 40 to 70 moles of propylene oxide, per mole of di- or polyamine.

3. A process as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the compound of the general formula I is ethylene diamine.

4. A process as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the polymer is incorporated in a proportion of from 0.1 to 2.0 per cent by weight, based on the total weight of the composition in the coloured state.

5. A process as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the polymer is incorporated in a proportion of from 0.2 to 0.5 per cent by weight, based on the total weight of the composition in the coloured state.

6. A process as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the composition is an aqueous

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **.

V 5 block polymer of ethylene diamine, propylene II oxide anethylene oxide with a proportion of ethylene oxide of 20% V 6 naphthalene-sulfonic acid/formaldehyde DT-PS No.

condensation product 24 14 455 V 7 Na-alkyl-polyglycol ether sulfate with about

2 moles of ethvlene oxide V 8 Na-alkyl-polyglycol ether sulfate with about

3 moles of ethylene oxide V 9 nonylphenol-oxethylate with about 8 to 30 DT-OS No.

moles of ethylene oxide 25 00 865 V 10 cresol-nonylphenol-formaldehyde-oxethylate V 11 tributylphenol-oxethylate with about 50 DT-OS No.

moles of ethyleneoxide 25 00 865 V 12 oleyl fatty alcohol-oxethylate with about

8 to 25 moles of ethylene oxide V 13 coconut fatty alcohol-oxethylate with about

8 to 25 moles of ethylene oxide V 14 stearyl alcohol-oxethylate with about 15 to 25 moles of ethylene oxide V 15 tallow fatty alcohol-oxethylate with about 11 to 25 moles of ethylene oxide V 16 iso-tridecanol-oxethylate with about 8 to

15 moles of ethylene oxide V 17 oleylamino-oxethylate with about 5 to 25 DT-PS No.

moles of ethylene oxide 2414455 V 18 coconut fatty amino-oxethylate with about

2 to 25 moles of ethylene oxide V 19 Na-lignin-sulfonate WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A process for reducing the flooding of a color pigment in a flowable composition, which comprises incorporating in the composition, or in a component thereof, a block polymer obtainable by reaction of one mole of a di- or polyamine of the general formula H2N- (R- NH)X - H (I), wherein R represents an alkylene group with from 2 to 6 carbon atoms and x represents an integer from 1 to 4, with from 5 to 50 moles of ethylene oxide, followed by reaction with from 5 to 100 moles of propylene oxide.
2. A process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the polymer is obtainable from 10 to 40 moles of ethylene oxide and from 40 to 70 moles of propylene oxide, per mole of di- or polyamine.
3. A process as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the compound of the general formula I is ethylene diamine.
4. A process as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the polymer is incorporated in a proportion of from 0.1 to 2.0 per cent by weight, based on the total weight of the composition in the coloured state.
5. A process as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the polymer is incorporated in a proportion of from 0.2 to 0.5 per cent by weight, based on the total weight of the composition in the coloured state.
6. A process as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the composition is an aqueous

cellulose ether-containing plastics dispersion paint.
7. A process as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the composition is a plastics-based plaster.
8. A process as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the composition is a distemper paint.
9. A process as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the polymer is added to a white composition.
10. A process as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the polymer is added to a composition containing a colored pigment.
11. A process as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the polymer is added to a colored pigment paste.
12. A process as claimed in claim 1, carried out substantially as described in either of Examples 1 or 2 herein.
13. A flowable surface coating composition or a building material composition in a flowable state, which contains a polymer as specified in any one of claims 1 to 3.
14. A composition as claimed in claim 13, which is as specified in any one of claims 4 to 8.
15. A composition as claimed in claim 13 or claim 14, which contains a colored pigment.
16. A colored pigment paste containing a polymer as specified in any one of claims 1 to 3.
17. A paste as claimed in claim 16, wherein the proportion of polymer is as specified in claim 4 or claim 5.
18. A composition as claimed in claim 15, substantially as described in either of Examples 1 or 2 herein.