High-Performance Paint Homogenizers

Ultrasonic mixers are a reliable tool to homogenize, disperse, and emulsify liquid paint and pigment formulations. Ultrasonic homogenizers not only produce highly stable, uniform paint emulsions and dispersions, but ultrasonicators are also used to mill and grind pigments, nanomaterials and primary particles. Due to excellent dispersion and milling results, ultrasonic homogenizers are implemented by the paint industry as one of the most sophisticated paint and pigment paste mixing techniques available.

Paint Homogenization, Dispersion, and Emulsion

Homogenization is applied to reduce particle size of solids or droplets in order to facilitate the production of stable high-quality emulsions and dispersions. In the formulation of paints, coatings, and varnishes, a uniform particle size is crucial for even results in coloration, application behaviour and functionality of the paint or coating formulation.

Ultrasonic Paint Homogenizers for Dispersion and Emulsion Formulations

Ultrasonic high-shear mixers are ideal for homogenization, emulsification and solubilization applications, where particle or droplet size and uniform distribution are critical for paint performance and quality.
Ultrasonication is the preferred technology of homogenization, since the intense acoustic cavitation of high-power ultrasound is able to break molecules reliably down to a uniform particle distribution in the micron- and nano-range. Ultrasonic homogenization is the most sophisticated technique to produce nano- and micron-sized particles. The size of the particles (e.g., pigments, oils, waxes, additives etc.) can be individually adjusted by applying the right amount of ultrasonic intensity.
Furthermore, ultrasonic dispersion can lead to surface modification of pigments resulting a significantly increased dispersion stability.

Ultrasonic Dispersion of Latex Emulsion

Although latex paints are not the most complicated paint formulation to prepare, it still must be carefully prepared and all components of a latex formulation must be added in a selected order. In the first preparation step, a basic paint suspension is prepared. Therefore, pigments are dispersed in water with wetting agents, antifoaming agents and other additives required for the specific formulation recipe. Titanium dioxide (TiO2) pigments are usually dispersed first and then the extender pigments added. For most formulas, the order and measure of addition of these compounds is an essential, quality-influencing factor. Mostly, high-speed blade / rotary mixers, which are the most conventional method of latex emulsification, are used for wetting and dispersing the particles. With blade or rotary mixers, the mixing of a consistent base formula is a time-consuming effort. Subsequently, the latex emulsion is added to the mixture and incorporated by a significantly lower level of mixing energy. Latex emulsions are prone to coalesce or break and require a mild homogenizing conditions. Already pre-dispersed thickeners are then added to adjust the viscosity of the final latex paint emulsion to a desired consistence.
Ultrasonic disperser can easily and reliably handle the preparation of latex emulsions. Since sonication energy and thereby the dispersing intensity can be adjusted to the emuslification and homogenization of the various preparation steps, a decomposition of ingredients or the breakage of the latex emulsion can be reliably prevented. Ultrasonic dispersion is a proven technique for complete powder wetting. The order of addition of materials, etc. can be changed to formulation demands. The ideally adjusted ultrasonic energy input allows for the full coloration expression of pigments and results in a high-quality latex emulsion paint.
Since the ultrasonic disperser with flow cell is closed system, no unwanted aeration or foaming occur. The ultrasonicator offers the advantage of robust and reliable, easy and safe to operate, having shorter batch cycles and simpler formulation procedures. Even with a bench-top ultrasonicator in flow-through setup, substantial production capacities can be efficacious and cost-efficiently processed.

Before and after sonication: The green curve shows the particle size before sonication, the red curve is the particle size distribution of ultrasonically dispersed silica.

Ultrasonic Dispersion of Wax Emulsions

Wax emulsions and dispersions are formulated additives made of fine and stabilized wax particles, homogeneously distributed in water. When wax is dispersed as nano droplets with a very homogeneous droplet distribution, a stable wax emulsions is obtained. Ultrasonic homogenizers generate intense shear forces and are reliable and robust dispersing systems to produce stable wax nano-emulsions.
Read more about ultrasonic wax emulsification!

Ultrasonic High-Shear Homogenizers for Paint Formulations

Hielscher Ultrasonics homogenizers, dispersers, emulsifiers, and mills are used in the industrial production of high-performance paints and coatings. With the intense ultrasound frequency energy, ultrasonic homogenizers create very high shear forces, turbulences and destructive forces. These extraordinarily intense ultrasonic forces couple the required impact on solid-liquid slurries to disperse and mill particles to the desired size and functionality.

Ultrasonic Milling of High-Solid Loadings

Ultrasonic inline systems can easily handle very high solid concentrations. As long as the slurry’s particle loading is in the range of being pumpable and can be fed through the ultrasonic flow-cell, Hielscher’s industrial ultrasonic homogneizers can reliably process any kind of highly viscous, paste-like slurries. Ultrasonic wet-milling is commonly applied in order to prepare master batches of micron- and nano-sized pigments. The capability of handling such high solid loadings of even abrasive particles makes ultrasonic high-shear homogenizers the most efficacious and efficient milling technology of pigments and nano-particles.

Ultrasonic Tank Agitators and Flow-Through Reactors

Paint formulations can be mixed in open tanks or batches, in which one or more ultrasonic probes are inserted. The open container mixing using a setup like the Hielscher SonoStation (see pic. left) is an ideal setup to disperse mid-size volumes of low- to medium-viscous formulations. For high volume throughput, intense applications of milling and breaking primary particles as well as for high-viscous slurries and pastes, a pressurizable ultrasonic reactor is the setup of choice.
An open vessel such as a tank can neither be pressurized nor is it ideal for the uniform processing of larger and/ or highly viscous volumes. An ultrasonic flow-through reactor can be pressurized up to several barg. Applying pressure during sonication intensifies the acoustic cavitation and thereby shear forces and dispersing / milling / homogenizing effects of ultrasound. At the same time, all paint or pigments are uniformly fed into the reactor: having the same residence time and being processed under the exactly same ultrasonic conditions, a very homogenous dispersion / milling result is achieved. The very uniform treatment under intense ultrasonic forces results in superior paint products.
Hielscher Ultrasonics offers the full range of high-performance ultrasonic processor with tank and reactor setups supplying you with the ideal ultrasonic dispersing equipment for your paint production.

Ultrasonic Dispersers for Every Product Capacity

Hielscher Ultrasonics product range covers the full spectrum of ultrasonic processors from compact lab ultrasonicators over bench-top and pilot systems to fully-industrial ultrasonic processors with the capacity to process truckloads per hour. The full product range allows us to offer you the most suitable ultrasonic disperser for your paint formulations, process capacity and production targets.
Ultrasonic benchtop systems are ideal for feasibility tests and process optimization. Linear scale-up based on established process parameters makes it very easy to increase the processing capacities from smaller lots to fully commercial production. Up-scaling can be done by either installing a more powerful ultrasonic disperser unit or clustering several ultrasonicators in parallel. With the UIP16000, Hielscher offers the most powerful ultrasonic disperser worldwide.

Precisely Controllable Amplitudes for Optimum Results

All Hielscher ultrasonicators are precisely controllable and thereby reliable work horses in production. The amplitude is one of the crucial process parameters that influence the efficiency and effectiveness of ultrasonic dispersing and wet-milling of pigment pastes, paints and polymers.
All Hielscher Ultrasonics’ processors allow for the precise setting of the amplitude. Sonotrodes and booster horns are accessories that allow to modify the amplitude in an even wider range. Hielscher’s industrial ultrasonic processors can deliver very high amplitudes and deliver the required ultrasonic intensity for demanding applications. Amplitudes of up to 200µm can be easily continuously run in 24/7 operation. High amplitudes are essential when it comes to high-power ultrasound applications such as nano-dispersions, nano-particle synthesis, milling of primary particles and mini-emulsions.
Precise amplitude settings and the permanent monitoring of the ultrasonic process parameters via smart software give you the possibility to treat your pigments and powder slurries under the most effective ultrasonic conditions. Optimal sonication for best dispersion results!

Easy, Risk-free Testing

Ultrasonic processes can be completely linear scaled. This means every result that you have achieved using a lab or bench-top ultrasonicator, can be scaled to exactly the same output using the exactly same process parameters. This makes ultrasonication ideal for risk-free feasibility testing, process optimization and subsequent implementation into commercial manufacturing. Contact us to learn how sonication can improve your paint and pigment production.

Highest Quality – Designed and Manufactured in Germany

As a family-owned and family-run business, Hielscher prioritizes highest quality standards for its ultrasonic processors. All ultrasonicators are designed, manufactured and thoroughly tested in our headquarter in Teltow near Berlin, Germany. Robustness and reliability of Hielscher’s ultrasonic equipment make it a work horse in your production. 24/7 operation under full load and in demanding environments is a natural characteristic of Hielscher’s high-performance dispersers. This makes Hielscher’s ultrasonic equipment a reliable work tool that fulfils your paint processing requirements.