The difference between silicone leveling agents and silicone wetting agents for paints, coatings and inks！
The difference between silicone oil leveling agent and silicone oil wetting agent is mainly reflected in their functions and effects.
Silicone oil leveling agent is mainly used to promote the coating to form a flat, smooth and uniform coating film during the drying and film-forming process. It can reduce the surface tension of the coating film, improve the leveling and uniformity, and may also have additional properties such as extending the open time of the coating surface, increasing smoothness, and improving scratch resistance.
Silicone oil wetting agent focuses on reducing the interfacial tension between liquid and solid, so that the liquid can better infiltrate and penetrate the solid surface. In the coating industry, it is mainly used to improve the dispersibility of pigments and reduce viscosity, thereby improving the coverage and uniformity of coatings. In addition, silicone oil wetting agents can also enhance the adhesion and anti-cracking properties of coatings.
Although the two are different, in actual applications, they may work synergistically to achieve better results. For example, in some cases, silicone oil leveling agents may also have certain wetting properties and are called "wetting leveling agents".
When choosing silicone oil leveling agents and silicone oil wetting agents, it is necessary to determine the appropriate amount of addition based on the specific coating system, construction conditions and the desired effect. At the same time, their compatibility with other coating ingredients should also be considered to ensure the performance and quality of the coating.