AppliedProduct selection and comparison are drawn from the owner-authorized Coating Additives Handbook. Verify current TDS/SDS and performance in the intended formulation before use.
Technical challenge
A mill base may show high viscosity, weak colour development or reflocculation even after sufficient grinding.
Product selection
Candidates are organized by a supplied technical handbook and the individual published TDS where available. These are starting points for trials, not confirmed equivalents or universal dosage recommendations. Grades without a SITI TDS page are not treated as formally published product profiles.
| Grade / evidence | Relevant system | Selection considerations |
|---|---|---|
| KOBOND 3063 ↗Published TDS profile · handbook slide 65, 66Products category ↗ | Medium- to high-polarity mill bases; carbon black and other pigments | Solvent-free polymeric dispersant; compare carbon-black viscosity, colour development and storage stability. |
| KOBOND 3069 ↗Published TDS profileProducts category ↗ | Medium- to high-polarity coatings, inks and pigment concentrates | TDS-supported block-copolymer option; evaluate pigment coverage, grind and UV-system compatibility. |
| KOBOND 3064Handbook grade; TDS page unavailable · handbook slide 65, 66Products category ↗ | Acidic-anchor dispersant selection | Handbook candidate; test against the actual pigment surface and medium polarity. |
Dispersant anchoring and system-polarity matrix
The table reproduces product-selection directions from the owner-authorized handbook. Listed grades are screening candidates, not interchangeable products or a claim that every grade has a published SITI TDS. Confirm current documentation and the complete formulation.
| Anchor / medium | Handbook-listed grades | Selection consideration |
|---|---|---|
| Acidic / medium polarity | KOBOND-3064, 3021, 3511, 3127, 3128 | Match the actual pigment surface and binder; the acidic label describes the anchor, not a universal pigment class. |
| Basic / high polarity | KOBOND-3131, 3102, 3062, 3132, 3063 | Compare mill-base viscosity, colour development and storage stability under identical grind conditions. |
| Acidic + basic / high polarity | KOBOND-3023, 3048, 3088, 3056 | Dual-anchor handbook candidates; verify pigment affinity and liquid-phase solvation. |
Handbook slides 65, 66
Three stages of dispersion
The liquid medium first wets pigment or filler agglomerates and displaces trapped air. Grinding or dispersing equipment then supplies mechanical energy to break down the agglomerates. Finally, the newly exposed particles need stabilization to resist reflocculation. A dispersant helps wet and stabilize these surfaces but does not replace the required milling energy. Pigment wetting and dispersion are distinct from spreading a coating over a solid substrate.
Why polymer architecture matters
Electrostatic repulsion, steric barriers and combined electrosteric effects can stabilize particles. A polymeric dispersant typically has pigment-affinic anchoring groups and chains that remain solvated in the liquid phase. Acidic, basic, phosphate and other anchoring functions interact differently with pigment surfaces; the solvated segment must fit the binder and medium. pH, electrolytes and water hardness can alter ionic stabilization, while poor solvation can weaken a steric barrier. Selection should follow pigment surface chemistry and formulation compatibility rather than a generic polarity label.
Particle demand and addition stage
Fine or high-surface-area pigments expose more interface and can need more effective anchoring. Carbon black also varies in structure, oxidation and surface chemistry, so primary particle size alone cannot predict its undertone or exact dispersant requirement. Add the dispersant before or during pigment incorporation and grinding, so it can reach newly created surfaces. Late addition to an unstable mill base may not reverse reflocculation without further processing. Compare viscosity, fineness, colour strength, gloss, settling and storage behavior under the same milling conditions.
Formulation guidance
- Record pigment grade, surface treatment, mill base composition and grinding energy.
- Add candidate dispersants at a controlled stage before or during milling.
- Compare both immediate fineness and stability after storage or dilution.
Troubleshooting
- Poor fineness or colour development
- Separate insufficient milling energy from inadequate pigment wetting and surface coverage.
- Viscosity rises after storage or dilution
- Check pigment surface chemistry, dispersant anchoring, solvent compatibility and stability after let-down.