How to Solve the Anti-settling Challenge for Metallic Pigments?

Beyond Settling Prevention: The All-round Assistant for Metallic Paints Balancing Pigment Orientation and Sag Resistance.

In the industrial coating field that pursues excellent appearance and protective performance, metallic paints (aluminum powder paints, pearlescent paints) always occupy a place in the high-end market due to their unique sparkling effects and metallic texture. However, formulation engineers often face a thorny challenge: how to keep these "delicate" metallic pigments stably suspended during storage, avoiding hard settling that is difficult to stir upon opening or soft settling that affects application? This concerns not only the product's in-can appearance and application experience but also directly affects the final appearance uniformity and performance of the coating. Anjeka Technology, deeply engaged in the field of coating additives, provides professional anti-settling solutions from solvent-based to waterborne systems tailored to the characteristics of metallic pigments, helping you easily resolve settling problems.

I. Metallic Pigment Anti-settling: Why is it a "Technical Skill"?
Metallic pigments, such as aluminum powder and pearlescent powder, with their flake structure, are prone to settle in paint systems due to density differences, changes in solvent polarity, or insufficient resin encapsulation. Traditional anti-settling agents like fumed silica and bentonite, while having some effect, may bring issues such as significant thickening, affecting leveling and gloss, or poor compatibility with the system. Especially for aluminum powder paints, an overly strong thixotropic structure may also disrupt the orientation of aluminum flakes, leading to uneven sparkling effects. Therefore, choosing an anti-settling agent that can effectively suspend pigments while having minimal impact on system viscosity, gloss, and application properties is key.

II. The "Anti-settling Tool" for Solvent-based Systems: Convenient Post-addition and Excellent Compatibility

For mainstream solvent-based baking paints, automotive refinish paints, industrial paints, etc., Anjeka offers several market-proven anti-settling agent options.

Anjeka-4330: A dispersed polyethylene wax paste. Its greatest advantage is that it does not require grinding and can be directly post-added, making it particularly suitable for anti-settling modification of already prepared aluminum paste or pearlescent pigment paints. It is a flowable paste, very convenient for dispensing and dispersion, providing excellent anti-settling effects with minimal impact on system viscosity. Even if slight settling occurs, it is easily stirred and will not form hard lumps at the bottom of the can, ensuring long-term storage stability and good in-can appearance of the product.
Anjeka-4410: Performs excellently in anti-settling for pearlescent and aluminum powders, while also possessing outstanding anti-sag properties67. It has little effect on the leveling and gloss of the coating film, making it a preferred choice for many high-end metallic paint formulations. Additionally, it can be used as a synergist for thixotropic agents like fumed silica to improve the efficiency of the overall anti-settling and anti-sag system.
Anjeka-4360: Also a polyethylene wax paste, suitable for addition before grinding and dispersion with pigments, providing excellent anti-settling effects and preventing hard settling.
These products are widely used in various resin systems such as alkyd/amino baking paints, acrylic baking paints, epoxy, polyurethane, etc., with no significant negative impact on the coating film's properties like yellowing resistance and water resistance18.

III. Countermeasures Under the Waterborne Trend: Balancing Orientation and Anti-settling

With increasingly stringent environmental regulations, the application of waterborne metallic paints is becoming more widespread. Waterborne systems, due to their stronger polarity, pose new challenges for the encapsulation and stabilization of metallic pigments. Anjeka offers targeted solutions for this:

Anjeka-4561: A waterborne polyamide wax-based anti-settling and anti-sag agent. It not only has excellent anti-settling properties for aluminum and pearlescent powders but also provides a certain aluminum powder orientation effect, helping to improve the sparkling uniformity and visual effect of metallic paints. This is particularly important in waterborne baking paints, dip paints, and other applications pursuing high decorative effects.
In practical applications, engineers can test and select among products like Anjeka-4561 and Anjeka-4420 based on the specific system (e.g., waterborne acrylic, epoxy, polyurethane) and process requirements (e.g., need for high thixotropy, sensitivity to slight thickening), with a wealth of customer application cases available for reference in the knowledge base.

IV. Selection and Usage Recommendations: Making the Effect Twice the Result with Half the Effort

Clarify the System and Process: First, determine whether it is a solvent-based or waterborne system, the resin type, and whether the pigments are aluminum powder, pearlescent powder, or other metal powders. The production process involves grinding dispersion or post-addition mixing.
Testing is Key: Any recommended dosage (e.g., 0.5-5.0%) is an empirical range18. The optimal addition amount must be determined through a series of tests on your own formulation to achieve the best balance between anti-settling effect, cost, and other properties.
Pay Attention to Addition Method: For example, it is recommended to first disperse Anjeka-4330 uniformly with the resin at high speed, then add aluminum powder and other raw materials at low speed for mixing to ensure its full dispersion and effectiveness. Anjeka-4360 needs to be added before grinding. Correct processes maximize product efficacy.

The stable suspension of metallic pigments is the first step in ensuring the final quality of the coating. If you are looking for solutions for aluminum powder paint settling, pearlescent paint storage stability, or application sagging problems, Anjeka's professional team is always ready to provide technical support.

Free Sample: Contact us to obtain Anjeka anti-settling agent samples suitable for your system for practical verification.
Technical Consultation: Our application engineers can provide one-on-one formulation advice and problem diagnosis.
Request Information: Need more detailed product technical data sheets (TDS) or application cases? Feel free to message us.