Product highlight: BYK-AQUAGEL 7100

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 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