Thesis (MSc)--Stellenbosch University, 2015. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Various types of anionic, non-ionic, cationic and zwitterionic additives are used in the coatings industry for the production of paints and colourants. These additives are added to enhance properties such as stabilization of pigment dispersions, wetting of pigments and improvement of open time and freeze/thaw stability. Very often the exact chemistry of these commercial additives is unknown and this is a limitation for new product developments. The identification and characterization of these multi-component polymeric materials continues to be a challenging task. This research presents the use of various advanced analytical techniques to identify and characterize commercial additives that are used in a multi-component colourant formulation. The focus of the present study is on additives that are based on poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG). The molar mass distribution of PEG-based additives was determined with liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (LC-MS) using solvent gradient elution and at critical conditions of adsorption (LCCC) of PEG. Using the combination of LC-MS, proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H NMR), pyrolysis gas chromatography (py-GC-MS) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy in attenuated total reflectance mode (FTIR-ATR), different additives were identified in terms of the number and type of polymer end groups. The efficiency of the extraction and identification protocol was demonstrated for a blend of additives in a colourant formulation. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Verskeie tipes anioniese, nie-ioniese, kationiese en zwitterioniese bymiddels word gebruik in die bedekking nywerheid vir die vervaardiging van verwe en kleurmiddels. Hierdie bymiddels word bygevoeg om sekere eienskappe, soos die stabilisering van pigment dispersie, benatting van pigmente en die verbetering van ope tyd en vries/dooi stabiliteit te versterk. Dikwels is die presiese chemie van hierdie kommersiële bymiddels onbekend en het dit ʼn beperking vir nuwe produk ontwikkeling tot gevolg. Die identifisering en karakterisering van hierdie meer-komponent polimeriese materiaal duur voort om ʼn uitdagings te wees. Hierdie navorsingstudie stel voor die gebruik van verskeie tegnieke om kommersiële bymiddels te identifiseer en karakteriseer wat in meer-komponent kleurmiddel formulasies gebruik word. Die fokus is geplaas op bymiddels wat gebaseer is op poli(etileen glikol) (PEG). The molêre massa verdeling van PEG-gebaseerde bymiddels was bepaal met vloeistofchromatografie gekoppel tot massaspektrometrie (VC-MS) met die gebruik van oplosmiddel gradient eluasie en by kritiese toestande van adsorpsie (VCKT) van PEG. Deur die kombinasie van VC-MS, proton kern magnetiese resonansie spektroskopie (1H KMR), pirolisegaschromatografie (pir-GC-MS) en Fourier-transformasie infrarooi spektroskopie in verswakking totale refleksie modus (FTIR-VTR), is verskillende bymiddels geïdentifiseer in terme van die hoeveelheid en tipe polimeer eindgroep teenwoordig. Die doeltreffendheid van die ekstrahering en identifisering protokol is gedemonstreer vir ʼn mengel van bymiddels in ʼn kleurmiddel formulering.