Bhagwati allied

Paint Driers in India Introduction Paint driers (also known as siccatives) are chemical additives used in paints, especially oil-based and alkyd paints, to accelerate the drying process. They work by catalyzing the oxidation and polymerization of the bin

Types of Paint Driers

Paint driers are primarily metal salts of organic acids (e.g., octoic acid, naphthenic acid). The commonly used metals include:

• Cobalt – promotes surface drying

• Manganese – balances surface and through drying

• Lead – enhances through drying (less used due to toxicity concerns)

• Zirconium, Zinc, Calcium, Barium – used as auxiliary driers

The Indian Standard IS 8766:1978 classifies driers based on:

• Physical form:

  • Type 1: Solid

  • Type 2: Liquid

• Grade:

  • Grade 1: High metal content

  • Grade 2: Medium

  • Grade 3: Low

Each type and grade has specific requirements for acid value, refractive index, and moisture content.

---

Application in Indian Paint Industry

In Indian paint formulations, driers are used in optimized blends to enhance both drying performance and finish quality:

• Cobalt Octoate: Surface drying agent

• Calcium Octoate: Promotes pigment dispersion and acts as a through drier

• Zirconium and Zinc Octoates: Replace lead driers to meet environmental safety standards

A typical paint formulation might use a combination of these driers to achieve balance in drying speed and surface hardness.

---