Application and advantages of leveling agent in water-based paint
1. Application of leveling agent in water-based paint
Surface defect repair
Application scenario: Spraying process of substrates such as metal, plastic, and wood.
Mechanism of action: Leveling agent reduces the surface tension of the paint, so that the paint film automatically fills
defects such as pinholes, orange peel, and shrinkage before curing.
Case: In the spraying of automobile bumpers, adding leveling agent can increase the flatness of the paint film by more
than 30%, reducing the manual polishing process.
Gloss and appearance optimization
Application scenario: high-end furniture, 3C electronic products, automotive exterior parts and other fields with high
gloss requirements.
Mechanism of action: Leveling agent promotes uniform arrangement of molecules to form a highly reflective surface.
Case: After a certain brand of mobile phone shell uses leveling agent, the glossiness is increased from 85GU to 98GU,
and the mirror effect is significantly enhanced.
Enhanced interlayer adhesion
Application scenario: multi-layer coating system (such as primer + topcoat).
Mechanism of action: The leveling agent migrates to the interface layer to improve the interlayer bonding.
Case: In the coating of industrial equipment, the interlayer adhesion is improved by 2 levels (according to ASTM D3359
standard), and the peeling resistance is enhanced.
Anti-sagging and construction performance optimization
Application scenarios: Vertical surface construction such as building exterior walls and industrial anti-corrosion.
Mechanism of action: Adjust the compatibility of the molecular weight of the leveling agent with the resin system to
control the critical film thickness of sagging.
Case: In the exterior wall coating of the building, the critical film thickness of sagging increases by 50%, and the construction
efficiency increases by 20%.
2. The core advantages of leveling agents in water-based baking varnish
Environmental protection
Advantages: The VOCs content of the water-based system is extremely low (≤50g/L), which complies with the EU REACH
regulations and the Chinese GB 30981-2020 standard.
Comparison: The VOCs content of traditional solvent-based coatings can reach 300-500g/L, and the water-based system
reduces emissions by more than 90%.
High efficiency and economy
Advantage: Low addition amount (0.5%-2.0%) can significantly improve the leveling effect and reduce the coating cost.
Case: In the coating of 3C electronic products, 0.8% leveling agent addition can increase the leveling efficiency by 50%, and
the annual cost saving exceeds 10%.
Multifunctional integration
Advantage: Modern leveling agents have the functions of wetting, dispersing, and anti-shrinkage, simplifying the formula
design.
Comparison: Traditional formulas require the addition of multiple additives (such as wetting agents + dispersants), and leveling
agents can achieve "one dose, multiple effects".
Weather resistance and long-term effectiveness
Advantage: Through molecular structure design, leveling agents can enhance the UV resistance and moisture and heat resistance
of paint films.
Case: In the coating of outdoor equipment, weather-resistant leveling agents extend the aging cycle of paint films by 2-3 years
and reduce maintenance costs.
3. Technology Development Trend
Nano-leveling agent
Advantages: Particle size ≤ 50nm, high-efficiency leveling at ultra-low dosage (0.1%-0.3%), while improving the hardness and
wear resistance of the paint film.
Application: high-end automobile coating, precision instrument housing.
Intelligent responsive leveling agent
Advantages: pH/temperature responsive leveling agent can automatically adjust the surface tension according to the construction
environment and adapt to complex working conditions.
Case: In low-temperature curing system, the leveling efficiency is improved by more than 30%.
Biological-based leveling agent
Advantages: Using vegetable oil as raw material, carbon emissions are reduced by more than 50%, which is in line with the trend of
sustainable development.
Application: environmentally friendly architectural coatings, children's toy coatings.
4. Conclusion
Leveling agent achieves multiple functions such as surface defect repair, gloss improvement, interlayer adhesion enhancement, and
construction performance optimization in water-based baking varnish by reducing surface tension, optimizing molecular arrangement
and other technical means. Its environmental protection, high efficiency, multi-functional integration and weather resistance make it
an indispensable key additive in the coatings industry. With the advancement of technology, leveling agents are developing towards
nano-,intelligent and green directions, providing continuous impetus for the upgrading of coating performance.
