Inkjet photographic paper for super sharp images

A blend of fine particle oxides from the AEROSIL® family is applied to inkjet paper. The coating is a bit like a sponge. It absorbs the ink as it touches the paper. In other words, it takes up the ink particles and does not release them again. So now really sharp photos on matt or gloss paper can be picked up as soon as they are printed and there is no risk that the colors will run, even if they come into contact with water.

Fewer scratches on smooth surfaces

Highly polished wooden floors and coated surfaces may look impressive but they have to be treated with care because unsightly scratches are very difficult to remove.

High-gloss paints can be applied without unsightly drips

UV-curing lacquers are used to protect materials like wood, films and plastics that are sensitive to heat. These lacquers harden when exposed to ultraviolet radiation.

Inorganic fillers increase their scratch resistance but increase their viscosity, making them harder to apply. Now, help is at hand in the form of a specially treated form of AEROSIL®. This acts like an active inorganic filler, so it greatly improves the scratch resistance of coatings, but it does not alter their viscosity.

This special additive also has another benefit: In the past, UV-curing of the binders used in such lacquers was more effective if they did not come into contact with oxygen. In other words, curing was performed in an atmosphere filled with an inert gas such as nitrogen. That is no longer necessary. By adding this special grade of AEROSIL®, lacquers can now be applied under normal atmospheric conditions, in other words, in the presence of oxygen.

Non-drip paints

Anyone who has ever applied paints or lacquers themselves knows that unsightly drip marks can be a problem on vertical surfaces. Evonik’s AEROSIL® helps solve this problem: Adding a small amount of this fumed silica to paints prevents them dripping and running down vertical surfaces. This is a property known in the trade as "thixotropy".

Thixotropy is reversible. It means that paints and coatings have high viscosity before they are applied. If they are stirred, they become thinner, making them easier to apply. But as soon as they have been applied, they regain their original consistency. That prevents them dripping.

AEROSIL® fumed silica also prevents solid components in liquid paints and coatings sedimenting out during storage. And it is an essential component in anti-corrosive paints because it greatly improves protection against rusting.