What Is a Water- and Oil-Resistant Coating Agent?
Water- and oil-resistant coating agents, typically solutions of dissolved fluoropolymers, are applied to surfaces to impart water- and oil-repellent properties. Easily applied by brushing or dipping, these agents can dry at room temperature.
Uses of Water- and Oil-Resistant Coating Agents
These agents are widely used across various industries and in everyday items that require water and oil repellence. Common applications include enhancing touch panels with water and oil repellence, preventing fingerprints, serving as waterproofing sprays for textiles like silk and cotton, and providing protection for industrial components like bearings in mini motors and barriers in HDD fluid dynamic bearings.
Additionally, they are applied for waterproofing materials such as wood and leather.
Principle of Water and Oil Resistant Coating Agents
The primary component, fluorine, forms stable C-F bonds resulting in low surface tension, making these coatings repellent to water and oil, which have higher surface tensions. This property is quantified as the contact angle, reflecting the wettability of a surface. A larger contact angle indicates superior water and oil repellence.
What Is Super-hydrophobicity?
Super-hydrophobicity refers to an extreme level of water repellence, differentiated from standard water repellence by a higher contact angle.
Types of Water and Oil Resistant Coating Agents
Various types of water- and oil-resistant coating agents exist:
- Non-flammable solvents: Safe and non-flammable.
- Water-based coatings: Dilutable with water or alcohol, requiring no curing.
- Petroleum-based solvents: Offers superior cost performance.
Recent developments include agents without C8 telomere or fluorine, responding to environmental and health concerns related to PFOA impurities in traditional fluorinated agents.
Examples of Water and Oil Resistant Coating Agents
These agents are commonly used in the inkjet printing industry. They prevent ink clogs when applied inside inkjet printer nozzles. Similarly, they are used inside ink cartridges to ensure efficient ink delivery without internal adhesion. Their suitability for plastic components like ink cartridges, without the need for heating or special treatment, makes them especially useful.