Tension in the Surfactants Market

By Cynthia Challener

Many properties of paints are determined by interactions that take place at surfaces. Control of surface interactions is achieved through the use of surfactants, or surface active agents. Because they are a key additive in coatings, surfactants have been affected strongly by the changing regulatory environment and the globalization and consolidation the industry has been experiencing. Producers are responding with increasingly specialized, “greener” chemistries that provide improved performance attributes that en­able paint formulators to differentiate themselves.

surfactants act as wetting agents in aqueous formulations, stabilize pigment l dispersions, and control foam formation. More generally, the main function of surfactants is to reduce the surface tension of a solution. These properties are important during both the production and application of the coating. Their importance has increased with the growing interest in water­based formulations.