What are the characteristics of penetrants and wetting agents?

Penetrants and wetting agents can prompt the surface of the fiber or fabric to be quickly wetted by water and penetrate into the fiber. The role of the penetrant is reflected in the word "penetration", which can make the liquid penetrate or accelerate the penetration into the porous solid Surfactants are called penetrants, and the prerequisite for penetration is to wet before being absorbed. Wetting refers to the extent to which the liquid spreads on the solid surface after the liquid contacts the solid. Therefore, for a penetrant that meets the standard and The requirements for wetting agents are:

Can withstand hard water and alkaline substances;

Strong permeability, can shorten working hours;

After being applied, the fabric can be significantly improved;

Therefore, penetrants and wetting agents are not only used in pre-treatment processes such as desizing, smelting, mercerizing and bleaching, but also widely used in printing and post-finishing processes. Due to the limitations of the application of amphoteric surfactants, The only surfactants that can be used as penetrants and wetting agents are anionic and nonionic surfactants, because cationic surfactants are not suitable for use as wetting agents and will adsorb on the fibers to prevent wetting.