DOWSIL™ 100F Additive

Innovative fluorosilicone additive for efficient, defect-free foam control, even after long-term storage

Is foam generation causing problems with the production, filling and application of your solvent-based or radiation-curable paints, inks and coatings? Are your high-solids formulations causing you particular trouble? Do you see more defects and haze and gloss issues resulting from the addition of your foam control agents? And do you have to use several different additives to control foam generation in your different solventborne, solventless and radiation-curable coatings?

Consider DOWSIL™ 100F Additive. It is a fluorosilicone defoaming agent that is effective in solvent-based and radiation-cured coating formulations, including high-solids systems. Because it is effective at very low use levels, DOWSIL™ 100F Additive does not affect the surface appearance or recoatability of the applied film. And it is suitable for multiple formulations, so you can achieve synergies in your manufacturing operations and supply chain. DOWSIL™ 100F Additive also helps improve customer satisfaction because it provides excellent foam control, even after long-term storage in formulated coatings.

Improved foam control with fluorosilicone technology

The low surface tension of DOWSIL™ 100F Additive enables very efficient foam control. The new fluorosilicone additive performs at very low concentrations, giving effective foam control at very low silicone addition levels, even in high-solids formulations. The low addition levels also mean DOWSIL™ 100F Additive does not cause issues with recoatability.

DOWSIL™ 100F Additive improves foam control performance beyond what is possible with other fluorosilicone-based products available today. The amount required is formulation-dependent, but DOWSIL™ 100F Additive typically is added up to 0.7 percent by weight (equivalent to 50 ppm fluorosilicone).

Figure 1: DOWSIL™ 100F Additive compared to competitor additives in a solventless, UV-curing acrylate varnish

^{*Foam height after shearing for 1 minute at 5,000 rpm using a dissolver blade}

Effective long-term foam control

DOWSIL™ 100F Additive provides better stability in coating formulations months after manufacturing has been completed. Its enhanced in-can stability in both solvent-based and solventless formulations gives long-term foaming protection for increased customer satisfaction.

After aging at 50°C for four weeks, good long-term foam control is still observed with DOWSIL™ 100F Additive in a high-solids (59 percent) paint, which outperforms the competitor solution.

Figure 2: DOWSIL™ 100F Additive at 0.5 weight percent (50 ppm silicone) in a high-solids red paint

Density (g/l) is reported after shearing 5 minutes at 2,800 rpm using a dissolver blade for un-aged and heat-aged (1 and 4 weeks at 50° C) paint.

Excellent results have been obtained in other types of formulations. For example, in a white, high-solids, solvent-based coating, DOWSIL™ 100F Additive provides better foam control after storage for three months at 50°C compared to a competitor antifoam.

Great foam control and surface appearance

DOWSIL™ 100F Additive is designed to be effective without compromising the surface appearance of the coating. As a clear and colorless formulation, it does not impact the gloss or clarity of the coating. And because it has good compatibility with solventborne and radiation-curable coating systems, DOWSIL™ 100F Additive has a low tendency to cause craters. In addition, it can be added in the let-down stage without causing surface defects. And this performance is maintained after long-term storage of the coating formulation.

In a white, high-solids, solvent-based paint, on Day 1 after roller application, micro-bubbles are still evident at the surface with a competitor material, but they are eliminated in the coating with DOWSIL™ 100F Additive. This performance is exaggerated after the paint formulated with the additives is left for three months at 50°C. 

Table 1: Differentiated performance of DOWSIL™ 100F Additive after long-term storage and with roller application

^{* Good  ** Better  *** Best}

More information on Dow Silicones food compliance in the European Union and United States for this product and others can be found here: EU and US Food Profiles