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Wetting agents and surface modifiers

Dispersions, Resins and Additives

Wetting agents and surface modifiers

Hydropalat® and Efka® slip, flow, leveling, and wetting agents for water-based, solvent-based, and solvent-free formulations.

BASF's portfolio of Wetting Agents and Surface Modifiers provides formulators with versatile solutions for any coating, paint, or ink system. The broad technology platform incldues polymeric, oligomeric, and surfactant-based additives designed to improve substrate wetting, flow and leveling, slip, anti-blocking performance, and surface appearance while enabling reduced dosage levels and broad formulation compatibility.

The range combines the strengths of multiple technologies to address different formulation challenges. Fluorinated polyacrylates deliver excellent flow and leveling while significantly reducing surface tension. Organomodified silicones provide outstanding surface activity, enabling excellent wetting, flow, leveling, slip, and anti-blocking properties. Alkoxylated surfactants, also included in our portfolio, are cost-effective non-ionin wetting agents with a wide range of hydrophilic-lipophilic balances (HLB), including low-foaming grades for demanding applications.

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Power UP your Formulations with our broad range of food contact compliant Formulation and Performance Additives
BASF offers a strong portfolio of industry leading additives that help to enable sustainable and performance-driven solutions, our broadest technology of Dispersing Agents, Wetting Agents & Surface Modifiers, Defoamers, Rheology Modifiers, Film-Forming Agents, Light Stabilizers and Antioxidants offer global registrations and compliance with relevant food contact regulations.

Products

Featured wetting agents and surface modifiers for water-based systems

Efka FL 3782
A silicone-modified polyacrylate that has been developed to improve the leveling and wetting properties of solvent-based, water-based, and solvent-free Industrial and Automotive Coatings formulations.
Efka SL 3030
An additive designed to improve leveling and to increase scratch and abrasion resistance.
Efka SL 3035
An organically modified polysiloxane that can be used in water and solvent based coatings.
Efka SL 3200
A solvent-free polysiloxane block polymer and universal silicone-based slip and leveling agent.
Efka SL 3210
A solution of a polysiloxane-modified polymer which is active at the substrate and air interfaces of inks and overprint varnishes. 
Efka SL 3257
Highly effective solvent-free slip additive and leveling agent for non-aqueous coatings and UV systems.
Efka SL 3259
A solvent-free, organo modified polysiloxane for use in printing inks, coatings, and paints.
Efka SL 3288
An organically modified polysiloxane additive designed to improve slip, levelling, surface smoothness and ‘soft-touch’ effect in high gloss coatings.
Efka SL 3299
An excellent slip and levelling agent for industrial coatings, that is suitable for high-gloss clear coatings without causing haze.
Hydropalat SL 3683
Highly effective slip and anti-blocking agent for water-based paint, coatings, and ink systems.
Hydropalat
WE 3111
Alkyl phenol free, proprietary, non–ionic ethoxylate aliphatic alcohol wetting agent that improves tint strength.
Hydropalat
WE 3120
Low-foaming wetting agent for aqueous formulations; excellent reduction of dynamic surface tension.
Hydropalat
WE 3127
A biodegradable surfactant for pigment wetting and pigment dispersion in aqueous paints, inks, and adhesives.
Hydropalat
WE 3130
Low-foaming wetting agent for water-based coatings, printing inks and adhesives.
Hydropalat
WE 3147
Alkyl phenol free, non–ionic surfactant that stabilizes high inorganic filler content coatings.
Hydropalat
WE 3158
a low molecular weight wetting and dispersing agent with excellent pigment wetting properties.
Hydropalat
WE 3165
An excellent wetting and dispersing agent for aqueous, binder- and solvent free pigment pastes.
Hydropalat
WE 3197
A non-volatile, non-ionic surfactant with low foaming behavior and low surface tension.
Hydropalat WE 3220
Silicone surfactant to improve substrate wetting in aqueous systems showing strong reduction of surface tension in water-based systems.
Hydropalat WE 3221
Silicone surfactant to improve substrate wetting in aqueous systems showing strong reduction of surface tension in water-based systems.
Hydropalat
WE 3225
Silicone based wetting agent with pronounced defoaming action for all kinds of aqueous coating formulations. It combines excellent compatibility and wetting action with defoaming properties.
Hydropalat
WE 3229
Our unique low-foaming and very efficient silicone-based wetting agent. 
Hydropalat
WE 3311
Non-volatile and non-ionic surfactant, which is used in water-based coatings as a wetting and dispersing agent for enhanced color development / acceptance and improved substrated wetting.
Hydropalat
WE 3317
Non-ionic, relatively non-toxic 100% active difunctional block copolymer surfactant terminating in primary hydroxyl groups.
Hydropalat
WE 3320
A clear to hazy liquid, nonvolatile, non-ionic surfactant. It is used in waterborne coatings as a wetting and dispersing agent for enhanced color development/acceptance and improved substrated wetting. 
Hydropalat
WE 3322 EC
Excellent wetting agent with low foam stabilization and anti-cratering performance.
Hydropalat WE 3323 EC
Non-ionic, 100% active wetting agent effective in waterborne inks, OPVs, and coatings intended for plastic, wood, and metal substrates. 
Hydropalat WE 3475
Highly efficient sulfosuccinate wetting agent; strong reduction of dynamic surface tension; standard product used in overprint varnishes.
Hydropalat
WE 3477
Highly dynamic wetting agent for aqueous coatings, printing inks, over print varnishes and related systems.
Hydropalat
WE 3485
Highly effective wetting agent for water based coatings.
Hydropalat
WE 3488
An excellent wetting agent for polymer dispersions. It is characterized by its excellent solutibility in water and its optimal compatibility in different polymer systems.
Hydropalat
WE 3625
Is especially suitable as wetting and dispersing agent for the formulation of aqueous, binder- and solvent-free pigment pastes.
Hydropalat WE 3645
Shows excellent performance as a dispersing and a wetting agent in aqueous, binder- and solvent-free pigment pastes.
Hydropalat WE 3645 NG
A wetting and dispersing agent that shows excellent performance in aqueous, binder, and solvent-free pigment pastes.
Hydropalat WE 3650
Highly effective wetting agent for water-based coating and ink applications; shows excellent dynamic surface tension reduction in combination with low foam stabilization. 
Hydropalat
WE 3694
Non-ionic wetting agent for aqueous formulations with excellent wetting and emulsification properties; low foaming and low surface tension.
Hydropalat
WE 3966
Label-free, effective, low foaming, nonionic surfactant; miscible with anionic, cationic and non-ionic surfactants; excellent improvement of shock stability in inks; strong improvement of compatibility.
Hydropalat
WE 3987
Non-ionic, relatively non-toxic 100% active solid grade (prill) difunctional block copolymer surfactant terminating in primary hydroxyl groups.

Featured wetting agents and surface modifiers for solvent-based systems

Efka FL 3287
Next generation leveling agent for solvent-and solvent-free industrial coatings.
Efka FL 3730
A silicone-free leveling agent for solvent-based, solvent-free, and powder coatings.
Efka FL 3740 EH
Silicone- and solvent-free flow and leveling agent with air-release properties for non-aqueous coatings.
Efka FL 3745
A silicone-free levelling agent with air release properties for powder coatings.
Efka FL 3750 AN
A polyacrylate-based, solvent-free and silicone-free flow and leveling agent for all solvent-borne and solvent-free coatings.
Efka FL 3755
A polyacrylate-based, silicone-free flow and leveling agent for all kinds of solvent-borne coatings.
Efka FL 3782
A silicone-modified polyacrylate that has been developed to improve the leveling and wetting properties of solvent-based, water-based, and solvent-free Industrial and Automotive Coatings formulations.
Efka SL 3030
An additive designed to improve leveling and to increase scratch and abrasion resistance.
Efka SL 3031
A slip, leveling and antiblocking additive that is compatible with all medium to high-polarity solvent based systems.
Efka SL 3033
Organically modified polysiloxane; improved surface flow; excellent compatibility in clear coats.
Efka SL 3035
An organically modified polysiloxane that can be used in water and solvent based coatings.
Efka SL 3200
A solvent-free polysiloxane block polymer and universal silicone-based slip and leveling agent.
Efka SL 3210
A solution of a polysiloxane-modified polymer which is active at the substrate and air interfaces of inks and overprint varnishes. 
Efka SL 3236
An organically modified polysiloxane, soluble in aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons, esters, and ketones.
Efka SL 3257
Highly effective solvent-free slip additive and leveling agent for non-aqueous coatings and UV systems.
Efka SL 3259
A solvent-free, organo modified polysiloxane for use in printing inks, coatings, and paints.
Efka SL 3288
An organically modified polysiloxane additive designed to improve slip, levelling, surface smoothness and ‘soft-touch’ effect in high gloss coatings.
Efka SL 3299
An excellent slip and levelling agent for industrial coatings, that is suitable for high-gloss clear coatings without causing haze.
Efka SL 3883
A polysiloxane-modified polymer which is terminated by unsaturated groups.

Featured wetting agents and surface modifiers for solvent-free systems

Efka FL 3287
Next generation leveling agent for solvent-and solvent-free industrial coatings.
Efka FL 3730
A silicone-free leveling agent for solvent-based, solvent-free, and powder coatings.
Efka FL 3740 EH
Silicone- and solvent-free flow and leveling agent with air-release properties for non-aqueous coatings.
Efka FL 3745
A silicone-free levelling agent with air release properties for powder coatings.
Efka FL 3750 AN
A polyacrylate-based, solvent-free and silicone-free flow and leveling agent for all solvent-borne and solvent-free coatings.
Efka SL 3033
Organically modified polysiloxane; improved surface flow; excellent compatibility in clear coats.
Efka SL 3200
Solvent-free slip and leveling agent for both non-aqueous and aqueous coatings/printing ink formulations.
Efka SL 3210
A solution of a polysiloxane-modified polymer which is active at the substrate and air interfaces of inks and overprint varnishes. 
Efka SL 3236
An organically modified polysiloxane, soluble in aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons, esters, and ketones.
Efka SL 3257
Highly effective solvent-free slip additive and leveling agent for non-aqueous coatings and UV systems.
Efka SL 3259
A solvent-free, organo modified polysiloxane for use in printing inks, coatings, and paints.
Efka SL 3288
An organically modified polysiloxane additive designed to improve slip, levelling, surface smoothness and ‘soft-touch’ effect in high gloss coatings.
Efka SL 3299
An excellent slip and levelling agent for industrial coatings, that is suitable for high-gloss clear coatings without causing haze.
Efka SL 3883
A polysiloxane-modified polymer which is terminated by unsaturated groups.