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Gloss Control Without Impacting Viscosity

The Orgasol® and Rilsan® D products provide a multitude of benefits to solvent borne, aqueous, and UV coating formulations. The best fit, from a technical and commercial perspective, is situations when the formulator wants to improve two or more coating performance parameters.

In this section, the focus is on the use of these materials for gloss control.

Orgasol® powders use as a Matting or Texturing Agent

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The Orgasol® and Rilsan® D materials provide benefits through physical methods so it is important for them to retain their shape and not be melted or dissolved. In the case of gloss control, the most efficient matting occurs when the dry film thickness of the coating is approximately the same as the diameter of the Orgasol® material used in the formulation.  If the diameter of the Orgasol® materials is larger than the DFT, a texture will be created.  On average, Orgasol® material will reduce gloss to a satin finish, a gloss number of 30 to 50 measured at 60 degrees.  If a lower gloss is required, there is a synergistic effect between the Orgasol® products and silica.  Adding both products in a 1:1 ratio will further reduce gloss. 

In most applications, the loading of the Orgasol® or Rilsan® D is roughly 2-5% on a weight basis, which is similar to other coating additives.  If a formulator wants to improve scratch and mar resistance without impacting gloss, keeping the Orgasol® or Rilsan® D loading <1.5% on a weight basis will accomplish this.

Using Orgasol® Powders as a Matting Agent in 100% Solids UV Coating Formulation

The graph displays the use of differing concentrations of the Orgasol® 2001 UD Nat 1 (5 micron diameter) and Orgasol®2001 EXD Nat 1 (10 micron diameter) in a UV coating formulation with a DFT of 7 microns.  Both products reduce the gloss of the UV varnish.  Notice how the Orgasol®2001 EXD reduces gloss more than the same amount of silica.  In addition, notice the diminishing impact on gloss of the Orgasol® products once the loading increases above 6% on a weight basis.

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Orgasol® Powders provide good matting efficiency

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A ratio of 1:1, particle size/DFT, will provide optimum matting.

Helpful hints

  • Adjust Orgasol® powder loading from low to high to optimize the formulation.
  • Use a combination of Orgasol® powders to adjust the gloss.
  • To reduce gloss to less than 30GU measured at 60°, use a combination of Orgasol® powders with silica.

Orgasol®Powders Excellent for Texturing Effects

Orgasol® powders can also be used as texturing agent. Available in a range of particle sizes (from 5 to 60 microns), Orgasol® powders can impart textures from smooth to rough by modifying the ratio of particle size to coating thickness. Thus, the spherical shape of the particles and the very narrow particle size distribution of Orgasol® powders impart very specific regular textures combining pleasant hand touch as well as anti-slip properties.


Shape of Orgasol® and Rilsan® D Polyamide Powders

The Orgasol® and Rilsan® D products will create different types of texture because of the different manufacturing processes used to produce each product range.  The Orgasol® products are made by a direct polymerization process with no grinding, yielding a spherical shape.  Meanwhile, the Rilsan® D products are polymerized and then ground, producing flakes. The different shapes of the Orgasol® and Rilsan® D materials is evident in the electron micrographs.

Orgasol® powder texture features
  • Soft touch texture
  • Very narrow size distribution
  • Spherical shape

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Orgasol® 2002 ES5

Rilsan® D powder texture features
  • Sandy/abrasive texture
  • Narrow size distribution
  • Irregular flakes

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Rilsan® D NAT

Using Orgasol® and Rilsan® D as a Texturing Additive

In order to create texture, the diameter of the Orgasol® or Rilsan® D product chosen must be larger than the dy film thickness (DFT) of the coating.  When choosing an appropriately sized Orgasol® product, a “soft touch” or “electronic” texture will result.  An appropriately sized Rilsan® D material will yield a “sandy” or “abrasive” texture.

Orgasol® powder in a 100% UV Soft Touch Coating

It is important to remember that the best fit for the Orgasol® and Rilsan® D materials is when improvement in two or more characteristics of the coating is desired.  In this example, an Orgasol® product was incorporated into a UV formulation to create a soft touch texture.  In addition to creating the desired texture, inclusion of the Orgasol® product helped control gloss and improved stain resistance to coffee, without unfavorably impacting other performance characteristics.

FORMULATION

Ingredient Supplier Weight %
CN6510EU Sartomer 87.0
Orgasol® 3501 EXD NAT1 Arkema 4.3
Byk® 2008 Altana 0.4
Acematt® 3300 Evonik 4.0
Speedcure 73 Lambson 4.3

 

Haptic properties: Soft touch effect

Gloss (85°)


  • Pure silica formulation : 34 UB

  • Orgasol® & silica : 27 UB

Physical properties

  • Persoz hardness : 155 s

  • Scratch resistance (Pencil hardness): 7H

Stain resistance


  • Better coffee resistance for the Orgasol® based formulation

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