Soft-touch coating additives should be selected against a defined tactile target and a durability limit. “Softer” is not enough: specify whether the surface should feel dry, silky, waxy, rubber-like, or low-drag, then measure what must survive—abrasion, mar, blocking, recoating, printing, or cleaning.
For Longchang’s current range, CHLUMIAG® 5005-60 is the water-based-only route; CHLUMIFE® 3166 is the broad multi-system feel/abrasion route; and CHLUMIFE® 3370 is a waxy solid for solvent and UV systems. The published dosage ranges are screening windows, not automatic targets.
Which route fits the coating system?
| System and first requirement | Start with | Must-not-fail check |
|---|---|---|
| Water-based coating; soft hand and surface durability | 클루미아그® 5005-60 | Gloss, recoat/print adhesion, foam, and blocking |
| UV, solvent, or water-based; feel plus abrasion balance | CHLUMIFE® 3166 | Pinholes, whitening, and foam stabilization |
| UV or solvent system; waxy/silky feel route | 클루미페® 3370 | Melting/dispersion, haze, gloss, and surface migration |
| 제품 | Supplier starting range | Published system fit | Process watchpoint |
|---|---|---|---|
| 클루미아그® 5005-60 | 1–3% on total formulation | 수성 제품만 해당 | Polysiloxane emulsion; protect from heat/light and validate the surface after aging |
| CHLUMIFE® 3166 | 0.05–1% | UV, 용매 및 수성 | Supplier warns about pinholes, whitening, and possible foam stabilization |
| 클루미페® 3370 | 0.05–3% | UV and solvent; not water-based | Waxy solid with initial melting point ≥50°C; dispersion history matters |
Use 5005-60 for a water-based soft-touch route
5005-60 belongs first when the formulation is definitively water-based and the team wants a dedicated silicone hand-feel emulsion. Its higher published starting range means a blank and a disciplined dosage ladder are essential. Judge the fully dried film, not the wet coating or a panel that has only flashed for a few minutes.
Record gloss, haze, block resistance, adhesion, cleaning resistance, and any later printing or recoating step. A pleasant touch is not a pass if the surface transfers, attracts dust, loses adhesion, or changes after warm storage.
Use 3166 when feel and abrasion must be balanced
3166 is the broader comparison point because the supplier lists it for UV, solvent, and water-based systems and positions it for coating feel and abrasion resistance. It is often the more informative benchmark when the chemistry family is not fixed or the customer values dry feel and wear together.
The disclosed risks—pinholes, whitening, and foam stabilization—must be included in the first screen. Compare surface defects under controlled lighting, assess foam during manufacture and application, and retain a no-additive control. If antifoam is introduced, treat that as a separate variable because it can change surface quality.
Use 3370 for solvent or UV systems that can handle a waxy solid
3370 is the narrower route: it is listed for solvent and UV systems and specifically excluded from water-based use. Its waxy-solid form and melting point mean temperature, addition order, and mixing energy can influence the result. Verify full incorporation before interpreting haze or feel.
Choose it when the target is a waxy or silky tactile effect in a non-waterborne coating and the plant can reproduce the laboratory dispersion method. Measure the film after full cure and again after heat aging to see whether feel, gloss, or blocking changes.
Build a repeatable soft-touch test panel
- Write the tactile brief. Use agreed descriptors and one approved reference panel. Do not let every reviewer invent a new scale.
- Keep film construction constant. Control substrate, pretreatment, wet/dry film weight, cure, temperature, humidity, and conditioning time.
- Run blind tactile ranking. Randomize coded panels and use several evaluators. Record both preference and defect comments.
- Add objective guardrails. Measure gloss, static/dynamic friction where applicable, abrasion or rub, adhesion, blocking, cleanability, and any downstream bond.
- Age the winning panels. Repeat after heat, humidity, cleaner exposure, and the customer’s storage interval.
ASTM D1894 covers static and kinetic coefficients of friction for plastic film and sheeting; use it only when the sample geometry is applicable. ASTM D4060 provides a Taber-abrasion method for organic coatings on rigid planar substrates, while ASTM D3359 provides tape-based adhesion ratings. Agree the method details and acceptance limits before comparing additives.
How to read common failures
The panel feels softer but becomes glossy
The additive may be changing surface flow or refractive behavior. Reduce dosage, check dispersion, and compare gloss at the correct measurement angle and after full conditioning.
Feel improves but abrasion worsens
Hand feel and wear resistance are separate outputs. Move down the dosage ladder or screen the broader 3166 route, then repeat abrasion with the same wheel, load, cycles, conditioning, and film thickness.
Pinholes appear after adding 3166
Follow the supplier warning: reduce level, revisit dilution/addition order, inspect foam, and check interactions with other surface-active additives. Do not mask the defect by adding several new products at once.
A UV panel feels good but remains tacky
Verify cure first. A surface additive cannot repair insufficient UV dose, poor spectral match, oxygen inhibition, excessive film weight, or pigment-related light loss.
Frequently asked questions
Which additive should I start with for a water-based soft-touch coating?
Start with 5005-60 for a dedicated water-based route, and include 3166 when abrasion balance or a broader system benchmark is important. Do not use 3370 as the water-based control.
Is lower friction the same as better soft touch?
No. Friction can support the evaluation, but tactile perception also depends on texture, modulus, temperature, gloss, and the way the finger moves across the surface.
Can the best panel be chosen immediately after cure?
No. Compare after a defined conditioning period and repeat after heat, humidity, cleaning, and storage exposure relevant to the product.
Request a focused soft-touch comparison
Send the binder and crosslinker, water/solvent/UV system, substrate, film weight, cure, current additive package, tactile reference, abrasion/adhesion target, and downstream operations. Ask Longchang Chemical for a 5005-60, 3166, or 3370 sample plan.