Chemical Dryers
Metallic dryers accelerate the drying of paints, coatings and inks by catalyzing the oxidation of drying oils and synthetic resin varnishes. We offer a wide variety of high-quality dryers.
List of Dryers
Cobalt: Cobalt in the form of carboxylates is the most active oxidation catalyst acting as a surface or top dries.
Lead: Lead drier is the most complete of this type of paint catalysts, promoting the uniform polymerization of drying oils and resins within the film.
Manganese: This promotes both superficial as well as complete drying, although it is less efficient in air-dried paints. It is recommended for use in baking finishes.
Calcium: An auxiliary drier that is most commonly used in paints and in combinations with zirconium, serves as a lead substitute. It also can be used as a wetting agent in the pigment grind.
Zinc: As an auxiliary drier it has the advantage of keeping the film surface “open” during drying and allowing air to reach the lower layers.
Zirconium: Another important auxiliary drier functioning as a catalyst of cobalt and manganese driers. It has also proven to be the most useful auxiliary drier as a replacement for lead in fume-proof paints and other situations where a lead-free system is desired. It shows improved gloss and color retention as compared to lead but does not perform as well as lead under adverse drying conditions of low temperature and high humidity.
Bismuth: The newest alternative as a lead substitute that is used in traditional combinations with cobalt and manganese.
Lithium: Generally employed together with cobalt and calcium to substitute lead in high solids systems.
Iron: Promotes the drying of dark baking finishes through polymerization and eliminates the tackiness of paints containing high levels of non-drying oils.
Rare-Earths: In white and light paint, where color retention is of importance, Rare-earth and cerium-based driers are utilized.
Aluminum and Barium: For specific formulations and specialty paint.
