Solvents are essential formulation ingredients for many coating and cleaning jobs. Without them, paints and cleaning products would simply not perform as well. However, choosing the appropriate solvent or solvent blend for a particular application is often not easy. Many variables must be considered, and the choice is system-dependent. For example, reformulating an existing product is not as straightforward as substituting another — even similar — solvent. To use a new solvent, a product typically needs to be completely reformulated to maintain desired performance attributes. Because formulations are complex, and reformulations could result in a poorer-performing product, it is wise for formulators to work with their solvent suppliers to find the best solvent system for the desired application.
The Solvents Industry Group has developed an article called Formulating Fundamentals for Coatings and Cleaners to introduce solvent users, formulators, and regulators to the basic principles of how solvents work in consumer and industrial products.
