Wetting Agents and Surface Modifiers
With wetting agents and surface modifiers for water-based and non-aqueous coatings, we can provide solutions for almost any paint, coating and ink system. Our broad technology portfolio includes polymeric, oligomeric and surfactant-based products such as slip agents with very good recoatability and wetting properties or polymeric flow and leveling agents that offer excellent appearance. Formulators value wetting agents and surface modifiers from BASF for high efficiency, allowing dosage reduction and universal suitability.
Improved flow and substrate wetting
Organomodified silicones are a very versatile class of polymers. Depending on the degree of modification and the overall silicone oil content they can be employed as substrate wetting agents, flow and leveling agents and/or slip agents. In general, siliconebased additives reduce the surface tension of a formulation rather drastically. Silicones are very surface-active polymers that provide low surface tension and they always try to orientate themselves on the air/liquid interface. This makes them ideal raw materials for interfacially active additives. Silicone surfactants, due to their short chain lengths will not provide surface slip in most paint systems.
Alkoxylated surfactants are usually cost-effective, non-ionic wetting agents. Depending on the starting alcohol, the ratio of ethylene oxide to propylene oxide and the overall degree of alkoxylation, their hydrophilic-lipophilic balance (HLB) can vary widely. Some alkoxylated surfactants are especially low-foaming wetting agents.
A very special class of alkoxylated surfactants are star-shaped polymers. The hyperbranched structure of these non-ionic surfactants was modified to give them additional wetting and defoaming properties. They are non-ionic wetting agents that are virtually 100% active and designed for the use in waterbased coatings for metals, woods and plastics. These liquid products are free of silicones and are not formulated with additional solvents.
Performance Highlights
- Excellent foam suppresion in high PVC, premium flat and eggshel, and semi-gloss paints
- Improved persistency
- Easier handling
- Highly compatible
- No haze, no fogging
- Excellent long term stability
Sustainabilty Highlights
- VOC-free in accordance with EU 2004/42 and US-EPA Method 24
- Does not contain mineral oils
- Best-in-class with ultra-low SVOC
- Free of colors
- Environmentally sound polymer technology
- Designed to be used in paints with pro-environmental labelling (Blue Angel, Ecolabel, German TÜV)
Practical Guides for BASF Wetting Agents and Surface Modifiers
