Как можно проверить смачиваемость добавок к покрытиям?

The wetting performance of Добавки для покрытия поверхности directly affects the spreading, adhesion, and surface defect control of the coating on the substrate. So, how should this be tested in actual formulation development? The following explains this through several common questions.

What is the wetting performance of coating additives?

Wetting performance mainly refers to the ability of additives to help coatings spread quickly and evenly on the substrate surface. Insufficient wetting can easily lead to problems such as pinholes, orange peel, and other defects in the coating film.

What are some commonly used testing methods?

Common methods include contact angle testing, spreading testing, and coating appearance testing. Among these, contact angle testing provides a more direct evaluation of the degree of wetting between the liquid and the substrate; a smaller contact angle generally indicates a better wetting effect.

How to perform a contact angle test?

First, prepare a standard substrate. Drop coating samples containing different additives onto the substrate surface, and then use a contact angle meter to record the angle formed by the droplets and the substrate. By comparing the contact angles of different formulations, the wetting improvement effect of the additives can be determined. Is the contact angle alone enough?

Not necessarily. In practical applications, a comprehensive judgment is needed, considering the coating’s condition, such as observing for pinholes, fisheyes, edge retraction, and uneven leveling. For industrial coating formulations, laboratory test results should also be verified under actual application conditions.

How to choose the right wetting additive?

It is recommended to select based on the coating system, substrate type, application method, and desired surface finish, while also paying attention to the dosage and compatibility. A suitable surface additive should not only improve wetting ability but also minimize its impact on recoatability, interlayer adhesion, and coating appearance.

Testing the wetting performance of coating surface additives should not focus on a single indicator but should be comprehensively evaluated based on contact angle, spreading speed, coating appearance, and actual application results. By comparing different additives and dosages, their effectiveness in improving substrate wetting and coating surface finish can be more accurately determined. Polywill provides corresponding surface additive solutions based on different coating systems and application needs, helping customers select suitable products through targeted formulation testing to achieve more stable wetting, spreading, and coating surface finishes.