Silicone Emulsion

Silicone emulsion (water-based) coatings offer some features of solventless and solvent-based coatings, and some unique advantages of their own.

Advantages:

• Same premium release performance as solventless coatings
• Uniform, low coat weights can be obtained on simple solvent coating equipment
• Can be used in size press operations

Disadvantages:

• Wetting and drying process tends to stress the paper
• Buckling, curling and cockling may occur

Thickeners can be added that allow emulsion coatings to be used on more porous papers, previously considered unsuitable for silicone pressure-sensitive release applications. Thickeners increase coating viscosity, which reduces penetration and prevents rupturing of the emulsion film during drying.