The popular system of acrylic leveling agents used in the coating industry

To synthesize acrylic leveling agents, butyl acrylate is usually polymerized with amines and alkyl esters. The usual initiators for polymerization are BPO and AIBN. The polymerization temperature is controlled at 80-90 ℃. The solvents are toluene, xylene, cyclohexane, etc. The relative molecular weight of the polymer is controlled between 4000 and 10000. The narrower the molecular weight distribution, the better the leveling effect.

 Acrylic leveling agents are mainly used in the production and application of powder coatings. Usually, leveling agents are used to improve the appearance of coatings and eliminate surface defects such as orange peel, shrinkage, pinholes, and edge shrinkage. Leveling agents eliminate surface defects in coatings by reducing or altering surface tension and interfacial tension, and by improving the uniformity of surface tension during the curing process. High quality leveling agents can reduce the melt viscosity of the system, thereby assisting in melt mixing and pigment dispersion, improving the wettability of the substrate, enhancing the flowability and leveling of the coating, helping to eliminate surface defects, and promoting demolding. The most commonly used leveling agents in powder coatings are acrylic homopolymers and copolymers, as well as modified polydimethylsiloxane. Compared to polydimethylsiloxane, polyacrylate leveling agents are less sensitive to excess and contamination. Therefore, the more popular system used by leveling agent manufacturers in the coating industry is still acrylic leveling agent.