APPLICATION INFORMATIONWETTING AND DISPERSING ADDITIVE BYK-MAX D 4220

TP-A 10

02

Wetting and dispersing additive BYK-MAX D 4220

Contents
03 Why use wetting and dispersing additives for liquid color concentrates?
04 How do wetting and dispersing additives perform?
05	Benefits of BYK-MAX D 4220
07 Additional information

03

Why use wetting and dispersing additives
for liquid color concentrates?
The use of liquid colors for the coloration of thermoplastics hasregained interest since the development of easy-to-use meteringsystems. Thus, quick and convenient color changeovers are feasible.
Key application areas for liquid colors are in transparent shades ofwater bottles or in small parts such as caps and closures etc.

Why use wetting and dispersing additives?
For the high throughput processes broadly employed in theseapplication areas, a liquid color has to fulfill the following requirements:• Controlled viscosity for ease of pumping.
•	High pigment loading to avoid screw slippage induced bycertain carrier systems.
•	High pigment loading for favorable economics of storageand production.
Good pigment dispersion is needed to meet these requirements.
Various organic pigments in non-polar carrier systems are notoriously
susceptible to dispersion difficulties.
Wetting and dispersing additives solve these problems byenabling the preparation of highly concentrated, easy flowing
color concentrates.

Note
To ensure the best appearance
and full functionality, please
open in Adobe Acrobat.

04

Wetting and dispersing additive BYK-MAX D 4220

How do wetting and dispersing additives perform?
During the dispersion process pigment agglomerates arereduced in size; ideally to primary particles. Agglomerates
are pigment particles that are attached to each other via
edges and corners. They exhibit only small interactive forces
between each particle. The interfaces are efficiently wetted
by wetting agents. The agglomerates are broken down into
smaller particles by the shear forces exerted by traditional
dispersion equipment. The system endeavors to escape thisenergy-rich state in order to revert to its previous low energy
condition.

The dispersion process
The different steps of the pigment dispersion process can bedivided into three steps (G. 02).
During step 1, all of the air and moisture at the pigmentsurface is replaced by the carrier system.
Step 2 represents the true grinding stage. Throughmechanical energy (shear forces) the pigment agglomerates
are broken up and accordingly reduced in size.

In the concluding step 3, the pigment dispersion must bestabilized in order to prevent the formation of uncontrolled
flocculates.
Steps 1 (wetting) and 3 (stabilization) can be influenced byadditives. Wetting agents accelerate the wetting of pigment
agglomerates by the carrier; dispersing agents improve
the stabilization of the pigment dispersion. Wetting anddispersing additives unite both mechanisms of action in
one product, i.e. they are both wetting and stabilizing.

The deflocculated state achieved as a result of the shear
forces exerted by the dispersion equipment can be stabilized
by an appropriate additive (G. 01).

Pigment dispersing

The wetting and dispersing process

Primary particles(ideal dispersion)

Agglomerate(flocculate)

Dispersing

Flocculation

Flocculated condition

Deflocculated condition

G. 01

Wetting

Dispersing

Stabilizing

G. 02

05

Wetting and dispersing additive BYK-MAX D 4220

Benefits of BYK-MAX D 4220
BYK-MAX D 4220 has a broad compatibility in different
pigment and carrier systems. Incorporating the additive
into liquid color concentrates can result in two benefits,
either a higher pigment loading or a lower viscosity of thecolor concentrate. This is illustrated by the following resultsin liquid color concentrates based on a paraffin oil carrier
and the pigments in T.01. Viscosity curves were measured
24 – 48 hours after grinding at 23 °C using a controlled
stress rheometer.

Formulations
Pigment

BYK-MAX D 4220: % on pigment

Pigment Blue 15:325

Pigment Yellow 62

10Pigment Red 53:1

25T. 01

Increasing pigment loading at constant viscosity
BYK-MAX D 4220 allows higher pigment loading which
can lead to lower production costs, a reduced amount ofcarrier resins in the final application and a higher efficiencyof the liquid color concentrate.

10Pigment loading 17 %Pigment loading 14 %86

Pigment Red 53:1

50

Viscosity (Pa·s)

Pigment Yellow 62

Viscosity (Pa·s)

Viscosity (Pa·s)

Pigment Blue 15:3

Pigment loading 40 %Pigment loading 22 %

4030252015420

1021050000123456789100123456Shear rate (s-1)
Without additive  

With BYK-MAX D 4220

G. 03

78910Pigment loading 32 %Pigment loading 22 %0123456Shear rate (s-1)
Without additive  

With BYK-MAX D 4220

G. 04

78910Shear rate (s-1)
Without additive  

With BYK-MAX D 4220

G. 05

06

Wetting and dispersing additive BYK-MAX D 4220 / Benefits of BYK-MAX D 4220

Decreased viscosity at fixed pigment loading
BYK-MAX D 4220 offers a solution for color concentrates
based on pigments that are difficult to disperse.
Depending on the pigment used, a dose of BYK-MAX D 4220(approx. 10–25 %) significantly improves the viscosity profileof the pastes and considerably reduces the viscosity. This
allows an easier processing of the material.

Pigment Yellow 62

Pigment loading 17.5 %Pigment loading 17.5 %65Pigment Red 53:1

70

Viscosity (Pa·s)

7

Viscosity (Pa·s)

Viscosity (Pa·s)

Pigment Blue 15:3

Pigment loading 25 %Pigment loading 25 %60
502544015330

10220

11000012345678910500123456

Shear rate (s-1)
Without additive  

With BYK-MAX D 4220

G. 06

Pigment loading 25 %Pigment loading 25 %20789100123456Shear rate (s-1)
Without additive  

With BYK-MAX D 4220

G. 07

78910Shear rate (s-1)
Without additive  

With BYK-MAX D 4220

G. 08

07

Wetting and dispersing additive BYK-MAX D 4220

Additional information
Applications

Regulatory information

BYK-MAX D 4220 is a general purpose additive for organic
pigment dispersions, such as Lake Red, azo salts, andphthalocyanine blue pigments. In addition, good results
have been obtained with certain grades of DPP pigments.

For information regarding the regulatory status according tofood contact regulation please visit www.byk.com/en/
service/regulatory-affairs/food-contact or contact our BRIEF
Team.

BYK-MAX D 4220 has broad compatibility in different
thermoplastic systems including polyolefins, polystyrenes,
and polyester.

06/2022
TP-A 10BYK-Chemie GmbH
Abelstraße 4546483 Wesel
GermanyTel +49 281 670-0
Fax +49 281 65735

ADD-MAX®, ADD-VANCE®, ANTI-TERRA®, AQUACER®, AQUAMAT®, AQUATIX®, BENTOLITE®, BYK®, BYK-AQUAGEL®, BYK®-DYNWET®, BYK-MAX®,
BYK®-SILCLEAN®, BYKANOL®, BYKCARE®, BYKETOL®, BYKJET®, BYKO2BLOCK®, BYKONITE®, BYKOPLAST®, BYKUMEN®, CARBOBYK®, CERACOL®,CERAFAK®, CERAFLOUR®, CERAMAT®, CERATIX®, CLAYTONE®, CLOISITE®, DISPERBYK®, DISPERPLAST®, FULACOLOR®, FULCAT®, GARAMITE®,GELWHITE®, HORDAMER®, LACTIMON®, LAPONITE®, MINERPOL®, NANOBYK®, OPTIBENT®, OPTIFLO®, OPTIGEL®, POLYAD®, PRIEX®, PURABYK®,
PURE THIX®, RECYCLOBLEND®, RECYCLOBYK®, RECYCLOSSORB®, RECYCLOSTAB®, RHEOBYK®, RHEOCIN®, RHEOTIX®, SCONA®, SILBYK®, TIXOGEL®
and VISCOBYK® are registered trademarks of the BYK group.

info@byk.com
www.byk.com

The information herein is based on our present knowledge and experience. The information merely describes the properties of our products but noguarantee of properties in the legal sense shall be implied. We recommend testing our products as to their suitability for your envisaged purpose prior touse. No warranties of any kind, either express or implied, including warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose, are made regarding
any products mentioned herein and data or information set forth, or that such products, data or information may be used without infringing intellectual
property rights of third parties. We reserve the right to make any changes according to technological progress or further developments.
This issue replaces all previous versions.