Silicone Surfactants are essential for optimizing the performance of water-based paints and coatings, particularly in improving levelling and avoiding crater formation. When selecting the right surfactant, the polarity of its structure is crucial as it directly affects solubility, compatibility and performance in the system. A more polar surfactant improves water solubility, which ensures better integration into the system, but potentially increases foam formation and stabilisation. On the other hand, a less polar surfactant reduces water compatibility and foaming, but potentially affects wetting properties.
Images. Solubility and foam test
Our new ORDISOL® SWT-49 features a less polar structure compared to the reference product. This results in lower water compatibility and significantly less foam formation in water-based systems. However, despite being less compatible with the system, ORDISOL SWT-49 maintains the same surface tension curve as the reference product, indicating that is successfully positions itself at the interface. This ensures effective wetting and anticratering performance while minimizing unwanted foam.
ORDISOL® SWT-49 is an all-purpose silicone surfactant specifically designed for aqueous systems. It provides formulators with an effective solution for advanced paints and coatings applications, particularly where foam reduction is essential.
Come and learn about these solutions at stand 3A-222 of the ECS2025 exhibition from March 25 to 27.
