Come funzionano gli agenti livellanti?

Quick answer: A practical additive decision starts with the exact defect: foam, poor wetting, craters, haze, or instability. The best product is usually the one that solves that defect with the safest compatibility window.

1. Panoramica del livellamento

After the construction of paint, there is a flow and drying film-forming process, and then gradually form a flat, smooth, uniform coating film. Whether the coating film can achieve the characteristics of flat and smooth is called leveling. In the actual construction process of the coating, the film defects that often appear are orange peel, fish-eye, shrinkage, pinhole, shrinkage, Benedict swirl, air sensitivity and due to poor leveling, brush marks when brushing, roller coating roller marks are known as poor leveling, the generation of these phenomena reduces the decorative and protective function of the coating. There are many factors affecting the leveling of coatings, such as solvent volatility gradient and solubility properties, surface tension of coatings, wet film thickness and surface tension gradient, rheology of coatings, construction process and environment, etc., of which the most important factors are the surface tension of coatings, surface tension gradient generated by the wet film in the film-forming process and the surface tension homogenization of the surface layer of the wet film. To improve the leveling of coatings, it is necessary to consider adjusting the formulation and adding suitable additives. In practice, CHLUMILE 3345 Leveling Agent e CHLUMILE 3033 Leveling Agent are often compared so that the coatings have suitable surface tension and the ability to reduce the surface tension gradient.
2. Ruolo del livellante
Dopo aver bagnato il substrato, gli additivi che controllano il flusso del rivestimento fino al livellamento finale sono chiamati agenti livellanti, che possono risolvere i seguenti problemi
3. I principali fattori che influenzano il livellamento
3.1. Gradiente di tensione superficiale - interfaccia liquido-aria
I gradienti di tensione superficiale negli strati interni ed esterni portano a vortici di Benadryl.
L'eliminazione del gradiente di tensione superficiale è un elemento essenziale per ottenere una superficie piana.
3.2. Tensione superficiale -- interfaccia liquido-solido
Tensione superficiale più bassa rispetto al substrato, in modo che il rivestimento abbia una migliore bagnabilità del substrato
● Minore tensione superficiale del rivestimento, che porta a un migliore livellamento del liquido a onde lunghe.
4. Fattori che influenzano la velocità di livellamento
Più alta è la viscosità, più lento è il livellamento.
Più spessa è la pellicola, più veloce è il livellamento.
Più alta è la tensione superficiale, più veloce è il livellamento.
5. Meccanismi e proprietà dei diversi agenti livellanti
5. 1) Eliminare il gradiente di tensione superficiale
5. 2 Ridurre la tensione superficiale del sistema.
Organosiliconi.
-Riducono significativamente la tensione superficiale
● Organosiliconi: - Riducono significativamente la tensione superficiale - Buone proprietà di migrazione eliminano il gradiente di tensione superficiale
Non siliconico e non fluorurato: - Nessuna riduzione significativa della tensione superficiale.
-Nessuna riduzione significativa della tensione superficiale
- Nessuna migrazione superficiale
- Orientamento all'interno del rivestimento, regolazione dell'omogeneità della tensione superficiale locale

How buyers usually evaluate coating and ink additives

Additive selection is usually most effective when the team defines the defect first and then screens compatibility, dosage range, and process stage. That is often much more reliable than choosing only by chemistry family or by a single dramatic lab result.

• Start from the defect, not the additive name: wetting loss, crater, microfoam, and instability often need different solutions even inside the same formula.
• Check compatibility at the intended dosage: the strongest additive can still be the wrong commercial choice if it narrows the process window too much.
• Review the stage of use: some products are most useful during grind, while others matter more during let-down, filling, or final application.
• Balance cure or film quality with defect control: the right additive fixes the problem without sacrificing adhesion, gloss, or appearance.

Recommended product references

• CHLUMIAF 094: A balanced defoamer reference for waterborne coatings and many general foam-control screens.
• CHLUMIAF 3062: Useful when printing-ink and UV-ink compatibility matter in the defoaming screen.
• CHLUMIAF 3037: A stronger process-defoaming option when persistent foam survives harsher conditions.
• CHLUMIWE 3280: A strong wetting-agent reference for inks, coatings, and difficult substrate wetting.

FAQ for buyers and formulators

Why does an additive that looks powerful in a beaker sometimes fail in production?
Because shear, temperature, substrate, and the full formula can all change the way the additive performs under real process conditions.

Should the most aggressive additive always be preferred?
Not usually. The best additive is the one that solves the real defect while preserving the broadest safe operating window.