PTFE-free wax additives for scratch-free surfaces

Philipp Teriete, Brigitte Weber – BYK

Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) is a substance with a unique behavior in coatings applications. It is used in all types of coatings to modify total mechanical performance, while simultaneously lowering surface friction. If PTFE is used as an additive for paints and coatings, it has only a minor influence on gloss values or other optical properties and is suitable for food contact applications. Thanks to the higher density of PTFE, the wax additives can orientate throughout the entire coating film, in contrast to a number of other wax additives that orientate to the paint surface and only interact within the interfaces between the coating and the air (Fig.1).
PTFE-based wax additives are typically delivered in a micronized form or as a dispersion type in organic solvents.^(1,2)