| For Paint Manufacturers worldwide, there | | | | Paint under goes through various |
| has come a radical new development in | | | | temperature conditions during its |
| the legion of Thickening Agents & | | | | transit. A sudden drop & rise in outside |
| Colloidal stabilizer for Aqueous Latex | | | | temperature can effect the stability. |
| Paints. So far most of the companies | | | | Solvitex has potentially proven to be |
| producing aqueous Paint emulsions, the | | | | stable under those conditions. |
| most preferred thickening agent was | | | | Amongst HEC, I personally find Cellosize |
| Hydroxy ethyl cellulose (HEC). The HEC | | | | of Dow as the most stable product |
| based thixotropic additives is produced | | | | compared to Bermocoll & Tylose. |
| by some of the renowned multi-national | | | | Myself as Paint formulator & other |
| companies such as Hercules, Akzo Nobel & | | | | colleagues working in different |
| Dow. | | | | companies had a dilemma existing for |
| Here we refer to a Biopolymer based on | | | | selection. For cheaper Paints the |
| Polysacchride derived from controlled | | | | Stronger product or High Viscosity |
| derivatisation process from plant | | | | grades were used such but there always |
| origin. The product developed by Asian | | | | was a flocculation after some period on |
| Trade Link Chemicals Division in India | | | | shelf storage. For the Expensive ones |
| has already been a successful venture | | | | we had to prefer Medium Viscosities |
| for replacement of HECs for many paint | | | | grade to overcome shelf storage time. |
| companies. The Product is known as | | | | Most of the companies carry the same |
| Solvitex thickening agent & colloidal | | | | practice. |
| stabilizer. | | | | When I came across Solvitex range of |
| The solvitex range of products is | | | | Thickeners I was given much competitive |
| offered in wide range of viscosities of | | | | prices. Priced at least 10% lower than |
| aqueous solutions. It comes in Powder | | | | HEC based Products, but my major concern |
| form of Offwhite color and the | | | | was to check the colloidal |
| thickening properties are similar to | | | | stabilization. The Product was |
| HEC. | | | | immediately tested and was found to |
| But the Advantages of Solviex against | | | | perform excellent. |
| HECs are many. The prime factor is the | | | | Apart from that, Solvitex has provided |
| stability & economic pricing. Its been | | | | better color acceptance & and |
| observed that for a Medium viscosity | | | | coatabilty. |
| range of products such as Natrosol 250 | | | | Sooner we came across Solvizen developed |
| HBR or Bermcoll 381 the intial drop | | | | by the same company for more economic & |
| after settling is by 20% and then the | | | | cheaper Price. The thickening & |
| finished paint adheres to be stable for | | | | stability properties was the same but |
| six months.and the viscosity further | | | | economically priced. |
| drops. Solvitex has an initial drop of | | | | However, The Water solution clarity of |
| settling to 10% and the product is | | | | Solvizen was not as clear as of Solvitex |
| stable in physical observation for more | | | | or HECs. It was slight turbid. But when |
| than 1year exhibiting the same | | | | incorporated in Paints, we couldn't find |
| viscosity. | | | | any difference. Again the Paint was |
| As known by many Paint technicians, its | | | | stable physically observed. |
| inevitable that the stability of | | | | As a Paint formulator from past 2 |
| thickening agent after incorporating in | | | | decades and based on my experiences, I |
| the Paint system, is delicate towards | | | | suggest to all those technicians in the |
| wide temperature changes. Especially | | | | same field to try Solvitex & Solvizen |
| applicable for Export shipments when the | | | | range of Thickening agents. |