Pigment wetting efficacy of branched-chain esters

John Hibbs, Terri Germain, Jonette Payne – McIntyre Group

This article presents the pigment wetting efficacy of a series of novel branchedchain esters using a model system.

This empirical study with mica demonstrates that branched-chain esters are effective pigment wetters. Specifically, Butyloctyl palmitate was found to have exceptional wetting properties with a viscosity difference of only 362 cps between the ester and the 35% pigment suspension. In addition, butyloctyl cetearate, butyloctyl behenate, decyltetradecyl cetearate and tetradecyloctadecyl hexyldecanoate all show excellent pigment wetting properties with an observed difference of less than 2,000 cps between the neat ester and the corresponding suspension in the ester.