US Patent 7189772 Polyurethane thickeners for aqueous systems

The invention provides for thickeners for inks and coating materials, comprising polyurethanes, water, viscosity regulators, and, if desired, organic solvents, wherein said viscosity regulators comprise compounds of the general formula (I)R1—O—(SO)a—(EO)b—(PO)c—(BO)d-(DTO)e—R2in whichR1 and R2 independently of one another are one of the radicals from the group consisting of hydrogen, an aliphatic or cycloaliphatic hydrocarbon radical which optionally is substituted and/or contains multiple bonds and/or contains heteroatoms, an aromatic radical which optionally is substituted and/or contains heteroatoms, an acyl radical, a carboxyacyl radical, and a carboxyalkyl radical,a=1 to 5,b=3 to 30,c=0 to 5,d=0 to 5, ande=0 to 5where (a+c+d+e)<=b.