Floating

Floating, also known as pigment accumulation, describes the phenomenon in which pigments are concentrated on the surface of a coating material or coating. This process often occurs during the drying and curing process when the solvents or thinners evaporate from the coating. This causes the pigments to rise to the surface due to differences in density, size or surface energy, which can lead to color changes and staining.

Pigments with a lower density or smaller particle size tend to rise to the surface faster, while heavier or larger pigments tend to remain in the coating. This leads to an uneven distribution of pigments, which can affect the visual and functional quality of the coating.

To prevent floating, special additives and dispersants can be used to distribute the pigments evenly in the coating. In addition, the careful selection of pigments plays an important role in ensuring that they have similar physical and chemical properties. The application technique and drying conditions must also be carefully controlled to ensure uniform pigment distribution.

Understanding floating and implementing suitable measures to prevent it are crucial to producing high quality coatings. Only by evenly distributing the pigments can a homogeneous color and opacity be achieved that meets aesthetic and functional requirements.