Preface: In the paint industry, leveling agent is an indispensable additive, whose core mission is to eliminate surface defects such as brush marks, roller prints, and orange peel generated during the construction process. The TAG Tech-100A non silicon leveling agent has emerged, with excellent compatibility, low foam stability, and no hidden risks of re coating. It is widely used in high-end industrial coatings, automotive coatings, and other fields.

1. Product positioning and advantageous features
Traditional silicone leveling agents have high leveling efficiency, but often come with uncontrollable side effects such as foam stabilization, affecting recoating properties, and easy shrinkage. Even if the chosen silicone leveling agent is already very mild, risks still exist and cannot be completely avoided~

But if there is a “super efficient non silicon leveling agent” with good leveling performance at low addition levels (0.3%), which can effectively reduce the surface tension of the system and promote rapid leveling of the coating before curing, how should you choose it?

Tech-100A is a non-silicone “super-efficient leveling agent” produced by Tiger Additives. It has a wide applicability and low risk. It will not cause compatibility issues such as shrinkage caused by the introduction of new additives. It has a perfect leveling experience and embodies Tiger Additives’ 19 years of product understanding of leveling agents.

We recommend trying a leveling agent.  Tech-100A

2. Application areas and scope of application

Tech-100A leveling agent has a wide range of applications covering high-end industrial fields, and is particularly suitable for system formulations with very demanding requirements on the paint film surface. For example:

High-end automotive refinish coatings: Require excellent long-wave leveling and high clarity to achieve the same look as original paint.
UV-curable coatings: Provide glossy systems with a clear, haze-free paint film.
Electronic product housing coatings: Achieving a uniform, smooth film surface even on complex surfaces.
Any existing product with insufficient leveling performance, requiring a breakthrough formulation.

 3. System performance analysis

There are many modified acrylic leveling agents on the market. We selected a classic and internationally renowned product in this field for our cross-comparison test. We will evaluate the comprehensive performance of four acrylic leveling agents – Tiger Additives Tech-100A, Tech-100, and Tech-158 – against international competitors in four typical industrial coating systems.

3.1 Test system and content

The test system covers most application scenarios of industrial coatings, including:

Two-component hydroxylated acrylic systems (2K PU): Representative of high-performance topcoats and varnishes, with stringent requirements for leveling, gloss, and clarity.
Alkyd resin systems (PU Alkyd): Traditional decorative coatings, cost-sensitive, and requiring versatile additives.
Epoxy resin systems (Epoxy 128): Widely used in primers and anti-corrosion paints, with greater focus on the compatibility of leveling agents and their impact on intercoat adhesion.
One-component systems (1K): Such as nitrocellulose lacquers and thermoplastic acrylic paints, have diverse curing mechanisms and are ideal for testing the compatibility of leveling agents.
Key evaluation indicators: Compatibility, foam stability, and leveling performance.

3.2 Main performance test

Compatibility: All passed the basic assessment. In the four major systems (2K, 1K, epoxy, and alkyd), the compatibility of the four leveling agents all showed “no difference from the blank sample.” This is a very important conclusion.

Tiger’s three additives closely match international products in polarity and solubility parameters across a wide range of resins, meeting the requirements for use as universal non-silicone leveling agents. Their introduction does not introduce new compatibility issues, avoiding surface defects caused by the additive itself. Users no longer need to worry about compatibility risks across different formulations, simplifying procurement and formulation management.

☑ Foam Stabilization: A Common Challenge. Experimental results show that, with the exception of epoxy systems, varnishes containing leveling agents offer little significant improvement in foam stabilization, making this a challenging task in highly compatible systems.

This is because high-molecular-weight acrylic leveling agents achieve their leveling effect by incorporating polar groups and non-polar segments into their molecular chains. This amphiphilic structure inevitably prevents bubbles from coalescing and collapsing. In 2K, 1K, and alkyd systems, foam stabilization occurs even in blank samples. For instantaneous defoaming, the use of a defoamer is recommended.

☑ Leveling Performance: Significant Differences in Extreme Tests. After meeting the requirements for compatibility and foam stabilization, leveling performance is the most critical and distinguishing aspect of this comparative experiment. To compare leveling differences, we sprayed a 2K varnish at a low concentration of 0.3%. The ranking of rapid leveling performance is as follows:

The excellent leveling performance of Tech-100A and Tech-158 is due to their higher efficiency in reducing surface tension or faster migration speed. They can reach the paint film surface faster and spread evenly, forming a more uniform “film” on the paint film surface, thereby more effectively driving the paint flow and improving flatness.

 

4. Summarize

This comparative experiment clearly demonstrates the significant advancements in Tiger Additives’ technology. Tech-100A demonstrates Tiger Additives’ product originality and leading technical strength. China’s additive industry is transitioning from “following” to “running alongside,” and even “leading” in certain areas. Tiger Additives will provide downstream customers with more diverse options, optimized costs, and stronger supply chain security. The perfect leveling experience of Tech-100A is a delicate balance between efficiency, cost, and effectiveness, and Tiger Additives provided crucial decision-making support. We are committed to establishing in-depth collaborations with our customers, exploring new industries and emerging needs, and achieving new breakthroughs together.