The Secret and Application of Dispersants in Waterborne Wood Paint
As an important coating in modern home decoration, waterborne wood paint has
gradually replaced traditional oil-based wood paint with its advantages of environmental protection, easy
construction, and fast drying. However, the performance and quality of waterborne wood
paint depend largely on the various ingredients in its formula, among which dispersant is an
indispensable key ingredient.
1. Definition and Classification of Dispersants
Dispersant is a special additive that is mainly used to help particles such as pigments and
fillers to be evenly distributed in aqueous media to ensure the quality and performance of
the coating
It is usually composed of high molecular polymers, has good wettability and adsorption, and
can effectively reduce the aggregation force between pigment particles, so that it can be stably
dispersed in water. According to different chemical structures, dispersants can be divided into
many types, such as anionic, cationic and non-ionic.
Anionic dispersants: dissociate negative charges in water, can effectively adsorb on the surface
of pigments, improve the wettability and stability of pigments, and are suitable for alkaline or
neutral systems.
Cationic dispersants: carry positive charges, suitable for acidic environments, and can enhance
the adhesion and water resistance of coatings.
Non-ionic dispersant: It does not contain charge carriers and can achieve uniform dispersion of pigment particles
through steric hindrance effect. It is widely used in systems with various pH
values and is particularly suitable for the dispersion requirements of sensitive or complex systems.
2. The role of dispersants in water-based wood paint
Improve dispersion efficiency: Dispersants can reduce the time and energy required to complete
the dispersion process, so that particles such as pigments and fillers can reach a uniform
distribution state faster.
Stabilize the dispersion system: Dispersants prevent pigment particles from attracting each other
and aggregating through mechanisms such as electrostatic repulsion or steric hindrance,
thereby increasing the stability of the system.
Improve paint film performance: The addition of dispersants can significantly improve the gloss,
fullness and transparency of the paint film, making the wood texture more clearly visible. At
the same time, it can also enhance the water resistance, corrosion resistance and mechanical strength
of the coating.
Prevent pigment sedimentation: During the preparation and storage of the paint, dispersants can
prevent pigment particles from settling, avoid paint stratification, and ensure the uniformity
and stability of the paint.
Improve construction performance: Suitable dispersants can reduce the viscosity of the paint, make
the painting process smoother, reduce bubbles and sagging during construction, and
further improve construction efficiency and coating quality.
3. Selection and application of dispersants
When selecting dispersants, factors such as the specific formula of water-based wood paint, pigment
types, construction conditions, and required paint film performance need to be considered
Different dispersants have different physical and chemical properties and scope of application, so they
need to be selected according to actual conditions.
In practical applications, dispersants are usually added during the paint mixing stage. Before adding,
it should be ensured that the dispersant is compatible with other components of water-
based wood paint to avoid adverse reactions. At the same time, attention should also be paid to the
amount of dispersant used. Too much dispersant may cause the paint film performance to
deteriorate, while too little dispersant may not achieve the expected effect.
4. Development trend and outlook
With the advancement of science and technology and increasingly stringent environmental regulations,
the future development trend of dispersants for water-based wood paint will move
towards a more efficient and environmentally friendly direction. On the one hand, researchers will focus
on developing dispersants with better performance and easier to use; on the other
hand, they will also pay attention to the environmental performance of dispersants to reduce pollution
and damage to the environment.
5. Conclusion
Dispersants play a vital role in water-based wood paint. It can not only improve the dispersion efficiency
and stability of the coating, but also significantly improve the performance and
construction performance of the paint film. Therefore, when preparing water-based wood paint, attention
should be paid to the selection and application of dispersants to ensure that the
quality and performance of the coating meet market demand. At the same time, it is also necessary to pay
attention to the future development trend of dispersants to promote the continuous
development and innovation of the water-based wood paint industry.
