Alcohol-soluble leveling agent: Why is it the "preferred" among coating additives?
In the production of coatings, inks, adhesives and other products, leveling agents are key additives to improve the appearance
and performance of coatings. As an important branch, alcohol-soluble leveling agents are favored in many fields due to their
unique performance advantages. What are its "outstanding features"? Let us explore the core advantages of alcohol-soluble
leveling agents together.
1. Outstanding environmental protection attributes, in line with the trend of green development
Today, with increasingly stringent environmental protection requirements, the "green attributes" of chemical additives have
become an important consideration, and alcohol-soluble leveling agents have performed well in this regard.
Its core advantage lies in the use of alcohols as the main solvent carrier. Common alcohol solvents such as ethanol and
isopropanol have lower volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions than traditional organic solvents such as benzene and
esters. VOC is not only an important source of air pollutants, but may also have an impact on human health, such as irritating
the respiratory tract and causing allergies. Alcohol-soluble leveling agents reduce the environmental risks in the production
and use process by reducing the use of highly toxic solvents, and are more in line with the requirements of environmental
protection regulations of various countries for VOC limits.
At the same time, the odor of alcohol solvents is relatively mild, which has less impact on the health of production operators
and can improve the working environment of the workshop. This environmentally friendly feature makes alcohol-soluble
leveling agents a preferred choice in fields with extremely high environmental protection requirements such as food packaging,
children's products, and interior decoration.
2. Excellent compatibility and adaptability to a variety of systems
Whether the effect of the leveling agent can be fully exerted depends largely on its compatibility with components such as
substrates and resins. Alcohol-soluble leveling agents show significant advantages in this regard.
It can be perfectly matched with a variety of alcohol-soluble resins, such as alkyd resins, polyvinyl acetate resins, cellulose derivatives,
etc. When these resins are mixed with alcohol solvents, the molecular structure of the alcohol-soluble leveling agent can "get along"
with them, evenly dispersed in them, and will not have problems such as stratification, precipitation or turbidity, ensuring the stability
of the system.
In addition, alcohol-soluble leveling agents can also show good wetting ability for some polar substrates, such as plastics, paper,
wood, etc. This is because alcohol solvents themselves have a strong affinity for polar materials. With the help of the "bridge effect" of
the solvent, the leveling agent can better adhere to the surface of the substrate, promote the spreading of the coating, and reduce
defects such as shrinkage and fish eyes caused by poor compatibility.
Whether it is a single resin system or a complex system mixed with multiple components, alcohol-soluble leveling agents can adapt
well, greatly reducing the difficulty of formula design.
3. Stable performance and improved coating quality
In terms of improving coating performance, the advantages of alcohol-soluble leveling agents are reflected in multiple dimensions,
which can improve the quality of the coating in all aspects.
First, it can significantly enhance the leveling effect. By accurately adjusting the surface tension of the coating, the paint or ink can
flow evenly during the drying process, effectively eliminating surface defects such as brush marks, orange peel, pinholes, etc., making
the coating surface smoother and smoother, and the glossiness is also improved. This advantage is particularly important for products
that pursue high decorativeness, such as furniture and gift packaging.
Secondly, it can improve the uniformity and consistency of the coating. In large-scale construction or continuous production, uneven
coating thickness is a common problem, and alcohol-soluble leveling agents can promote the uniform distribution of materials, ensure
that the performance of the coating at different locations remains consistent, reduce cracking and shedding caused by local
over-thickness or over-thinness, and extend the service life of the coating.
In addition, alcohol-soluble leveling agents can also improve the adhesion of the coating. While promoting the spreading of the coating,
it can help the coating to better wet the surface of the substrate, enhance the intermolecular force, make the coating and the substrate
more firmly bonded, and reduce the risk of shedding.
4. flexible application and wide adaptation to scenarios
The flexibility of alcohol-soluble leveling agents enables it to be used in many fields, which is also one of its outstanding advantages.
In the packaging and printing industry, whether it is paper, plastic film or metal foil, it can perfectly cooperate with alcohol-soluble inks
to make the printed pattern clearer and the color more vivid, while improving the wear and scratch resistance of the ink, ensuring that
the packaging maintains a good appearance during transportation and use.
In the field of wood coatings, it can adapt to different types of wood and wood paints, making the paint surface smoother and more
delicate, highlighting the natural texture of the wood, while enhancing the water resistance and weather resistance of the paint, so that
the furniture will still be as beautiful as new after the test of time.
In the field of architectural decoration, when used in indoor wall paint, wood paint and other products, it can reduce the defects on
the coating surface and enhance the decorative effect. Moreover, due to its outstanding environmental protection, it is more suitable
for indoor use.
In addition, in scenes such as handicraft manufacturing and automobile repair paint, alcohol-soluble leveling agents can also flexibly
adjust the dosage and use methods according to different materials and process requirements to meet diverse needs.
5. Easy to use and lower the operating threshold
For production and construction personnel, the convenience of using alcohol-soluble leveling agents is also a major attraction.
It usually exists in liquid form, is easy to add and mix, does not require complex pretreatment procedures, only needs to be directly
added to the coating, ink and other systems in a certain proportion, and can be evenly dispersed by simple stirring, which greatly
improves production efficiency.
At the same time, it has strong adaptability to construction conditions. Under different temperature and humidity environments,
as long as the dosage is adjusted appropriately, a good leveling effect can be maintained, reducing the process adjustment cost caused
by environmental changes and reducing the difficulty of operation. Even inexperienced operators can master the use method well.
Conclusion
Alcohol-soluble leveling agents have many advantages such as good environmental protection, excellent compatibility, stable performance,
wide application and convenient use, and have occupied an important position in the coating, ink and other industries. It not only improves
the quality and aesthetics of the product, but also conforms to the trend of green development and provides strong support for the
upgrading of related industries. With the continuous advancement of technology, it is believed that more advantages of alcohol-soluble
leveling agents will be discovered and play an important role in more fields.
