Dispersant

Description

A surface-active agent (surfactant) that aids in the separation and suspension of small particles in a bulk medium. A dispersing agent, or dispersant, minimizes clumping or settling. It is used in the wet grinding of pigments, the preparation of ceramic glazes and to distribute colors evenly in dyes and paints. Some classes of materials that act as dispersing agents to prevent pigment flocculation in paints are: borates, silicates, polyphosphates, and polyacrylates.

Synonyms and Related Terms

dispersing agent; emulsifier; detergent; surfactant

Authority

• G.S.Brady, Materials Handbook, McGraw-Hill Book Co., New York, 1971 Comment: p. 263

• Theodore J. Reinhart, 'Glossary of Terms', Engineered Plastics, ASM International, 1988

• Hoechst Celanese Corporation, Dictionary of Fiber & Textile Technology (older version called Man-made Fiber and Textile Dictionary, 1965), Hoechst Celanese Corporation, Charlotte NC, 1990

• The Dictionary of Paper, American Paper Institute, New York, Fourth Edition, 1980

• Art and Architecture Thesaurus Online, http://www.getty.edu/research/tools/vocabulary/aat/, J. Paul Getty Trust, Los Angeles, 2000