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Product highlight: BYK-AQUAGEL 7100

New, highly effective, inorganic rheology additive for aqueous systems with excellent incorporation properties

Natural layered silicates, often referred to as “clay,” are well-known and widely used rheology additives. This raw material contains accessory minerals that must be removed via a purification process before it can be used as an additive. If a conventional drying process is applied, this leads to an agglomeration of the clay platelets.

The new BYK-AQUAGEL 7100 is purified in a very elaborate procedure and subsequently “shock dried.” This special process forms a significantly more open and delaminated surface structure compared to standard products. The structure is permanent and already slightly preactivated which makes BYK-AQUAGEL 7100 easier to incorporate. Longer dispersion times with high shear forces are therefore not required and the final viscosity is achieved sooner. The result is a significant thixotropic flow behavior for a wide range of applications in aqueous paints, coatings, construction formulations, and adhesives. One particular benefit is that the new natural, highly purified layered silicate BYK-AQUAGEL 7100 enables the manufacturing of higher filled flowable intermediates than standard products.

Shock drying BYK-AQUAGEL 7100 produces a permament, delaminated structure

BYK-AQUAGEL 7100 - Improved rheological effectiveness compared to conventional layered silicates

Special benefits

  • Shock drying produces a permanently open, delaminated, and slightly preactivated structure
  • Easy incorporation and immediate activation
  • Improved rheological effectiveness => lower additive dosage for achieving the desired final viscosity
  • Thixotropic flow behavior
  • Longer-term flowable intermediates
  • Excellent anti-settling and anti-sagging properties in the final product
  • No significant post-thickening