Development and applications for matting agents

Matting agents, flatting agents or gloss control additives are introduced into surface coatings to produce finishes with reduced gloss and light reflection. The old method of obtaining a matt surface with a powdered abrasive or sandpaper is time consuming and inconvenient; the use of matting agents on a wide variety of substrates has consequently grown during the past decade. Matt surfaces are specified for many reasons: the reduced glare of surfaces in schools, hospitals and universities offers less chance of visual distraction and concentration is better in such environments; such finishes show less tendency to become unsightly as time progresses, as small scratches and imperfections are less obvious than on gloss surfaces; satisfactory surfaces from the visual point of view can be produced on wood using fewer coats of lacquer than for gloss surfaces; and matt finishes have become fashionable with architects and designers.