The macroscopic properties of materials are a reflection of their microscopic structure. The brittleness of polylactic acid (PLA) is determined by its molecular and aggregated characteristics, and coating additives provide an effective direction for its modification. The First "Lock": The "Rigid Body" of the Molecular Chain The methyl side groups of the PLA molecular backbone act like small, hard lumps regularly bound to a flexible molecular chain, directly leading to two major problems: - Restricted chain segment movement, macroscopically manifested as material rigidity and lack of flexibility; - High glass transition temperature, causing chain segments to "freeze" at room temperature, unable to dissipate impact energy. This necessitates strict control of compatibility when PLA is compounded with coating additives. The Second "Lock": The "Rigid Skeleton" of Crystallization During processing and cooling, polylactic acid (PLA) molecular chains partially form regular crystals. While this improves strength and heat resistance, it poses a threat to toughness: - The crystals themselves are hard and brittle, easily becoming stress concentration points that trigger cracks. Specific coating additives can improve this problem by controlling the crystallization process. - The amorphous regions between crystals are "anchored," restricting chain segment movement. Introducing coating additives can enhance their mobility through interfacial interactions. The Third "Lock": The "Lightning Propagation" of Microcracks PLA is extremely sensitive to notches; surface scratches and internal impurities can all become stress concentration points. Once microcracks form, they propagate rapidly due to the lack of energy dissipation mechanisms, leading to fracture. Interfacial modified coating additives can improve the surface density of the material, reduce notches, and delay crack propagation. In summary, the "brittleness" of PLA is due to its weak energy absorption capacity, not insufficient strength. As multifunctional modifiers, coating additives have become a research hotspot due to their potential application in optimizing its microstructure and improving toughness. This concludes the article. For more information, please follow "Qingtian New Materials". Suzhou Qingtian is a professional company specializing in coatings and ink additives for 15 years. Our main products include dispersants, leveling agents, defoamers, ice flower paint, electroplating silver resin, texture powder, and wax powder. Please feel free to contact us if you have any needs. Qingtian's hotline is 18020278196. We look forward to your call!

First Generation: Sodium Chloride – A Classic “Pioneer” Industrial salt is a relatively traditional and economical de-icing agent. Raw materials are readily available, costs are low, and it works well at moderate to low temperatures. In some scenarios, it is combined with textured powder to increase road surface friction and solve the slippery problem after pure salt melts snow. However, it is highly corrosive to infrastructure and vegetation, and its effectiveness is poor at extremely low temperatures. Second Generation: Calcium Chloride – A High-Efficiency “Low-Temperature Warrior” To overcome the low-temperature limitations of sodium chloride, calcium chloride was developed. It releases heat when dissolved, allowing it to adapt to even lower temperatures, and performs exceptionally well in extremely cold environments. In practical applications, textured powder is often added to enhance anti-slip properties and utilize its stabilizing properties to alleviate the problem of calcium chloride absorbing moisture and clumping. However, calcium chloride is highly hygroscopic, requiring extra care during storage and use. Third Generation: Organic De-icing Agents – Gentle “Environmentally Friendly” Increased environmental awareness has driven the application of organic de-icing agents such as potassium acetate. They are less harmful to metals, concrete, and vegetation, making them suitable for sensitive areas. Parks and schools often use it in combination with food-grade textured powder, as the two complement each other's environmental properties, ensuring both effective snow melting and safety. However, its high cost limits its large-scale use. Fourth Generation: Composite Snow Melting Agent – ​​A Smart "All-Round Player" Modern snow melting agents mostly use composite formulas, balancing snow melting efficiency, environmental friendliness, and cost through synergistic component action. Textured powder is now a key functional ingredient, not only providing anti-slip properties but also optimizing the snow melting agent's dispersion and adhesion by controlling particle size distribution. This "compensating for weaknesses" design allows textured powder to work efficiently with other components, leading the development direction of snow melting agents. That concludes this article. For more information, please follow "Qingtian New Materials". Suzhou Qingtian is a professional company specializing in coatings and ink additives for 15 years, mainly dealing in dispersants, leveling agents, defoamers, ice flower paint, electroplating silver resin, textured powder, wax powder, etc. Please feel free to contact us if needed. Qingtian hotline: 18020278196. We look forward to your call!

The essence of snow-melting agents is that they are "phase change regulators" that lower the freezing point by altering the phase change mechanism of water. This characteristic, while different in application scenarios, shares a common microscopic effect with the water-material interface regulation function of ice flower paint resin in surface treatment—both require altering the molecular interaction state on the surface or inside of a material to achieve their function. From a microscopic perspective, the snow-melting process of snow-melting agents is a fascinating physicochemical change: ① Pure water, the "intruder" of the ice crystal structure, begins to freeze at zero degrees Celsius, with water molecules forming a regular hexagonal crystal structure through hydrogen bonds. When we add snow-melting agents to snow and ice, these dissolved ions are like "uninvited guests" intruding into the carefully constructed crystal palace of water molecules. This, along with the process by which ice flower paint resin actively combines with the surface molecules of the substrate and changes the interfacial properties during film formation, both demonstrate the active intervention of matter in the interfacial state. ② The "disruptors" of the hydrogen bond network, the ions (such as chloride ions, sodium ions, and calcium ions) generated after the snow-melting agent dissolves, interact strongly with water molecules. These ions disrupt the original hydrogen bond network between water molecules, altering their orderly arrangement. This is similar to how the resin in ice flower paint, through the active groups of its molecular chains, breaks the original intermolecular forces on the substrate surface, thus achieving a strong adhesion mechanism. ③ The "Regulator" of Freezing Point: Due to the intervention of ions, water molecules require a lower temperature to rebuild a stable crystal structure. This is analogous to adding some unruly individuals to a crowd; the overall orderliness of the group is greatly reduced, requiring more time and stricter conditions to restore order. This effect is scientifically known as "freezing point depression," a typical manifestation of the colligative properties of dilute solutions. The higher the ion concentration, the more pronounced the freezing point depression. Ice flower paint resin achieves different surface decoration and protection effects by adjusting its own concentration and film-forming conditions; both rely on the key parameter of concentration for functional regulation. This concludes the article. For more information, please follow "Qingtian New Materials." Suzhou Qingtian is a professional company specializing in coatings and ink additives for 15 years. Our main products include dispersants, leveling agents, defoamers, ice flower paint, electroplating silver resin, texture powder, and wax powder. Please feel free to contact us if you have any needs. Qingtian's hotline is 18020278196. We look forward to your call!