Wetting agents, as a type of additive that can significantly reduce the surface tension of liquids and promote rapid spreading of liquids on solid surfaces, are widely used in various industrial and daily life fields. According to their chemical structure and mechanism of action, wetting agents can be roughly divided into four categories: anionic, cationic, nonionic, and zwitterionic. Each type of wetting agent exhibits different wetting effects and applicability under specific conditions.

Adding an appropriate amount of wetting agent to the coating can significantly improve its fluidity and adhesion, reduce pinholes and shrinkage, and make the coating more uniform and smooth. Wetting agents play a crucial role in textile pretreatment, helping dyes penetrate evenly into the fibers, improving dyeing efficiency and color vividness. In the agricultural field, wetting agents can enhance the wetting and adhesion of pesticide solutions to plant leaves, reduce liquid loss, and improve pesticide use efficiency.

By optimizing the ratio of wetting agents to other additives such as dispersants and stabilizers, the wetting performance can be further improved. Under different temperature and pH conditions, there will be significant differences in the performance of wetting agents, and reasonable regulation of these factors can improve the wetting effect. Using nanomaterials to modify wetting agents, enhancing their intermolecular interactions, and improving wetting speed and efficiency.

With the increasing awareness of environmental protection, low toxicity and biodegradable wetting agents have gradually become a research hotspot. At the same time, strict adherence to safety operating procedures is required during use to avoid harm to the environment and human health.