ABSTRACT
Coatings, inks, and adhesives contain more than
one component: (1) a binder that may include par-
ticles to give it a useful function (e.g., pigments for
color and opacity, silver halide particles for photo-
graphic activity, or iron and chromium particles for
magnetic activity); (2) a variety of additives (e.g.,
surfactants that aid the coating process, plasticizers
for flexibility, biocides that prevent bacterial growth,
cross-linking agents for toughness, and other addi-
tives to minimize static buildup); (3) surface particles
to control reflectivity and transport; and (4) a liquid
solvent to dissolve or suspend all particles. These
components can be reduced to two basic elements:
(1) coating liquids and (2) coating solids. The solids
can be concentrated on the web surface, such as in
coating and printing, or can be distributed through-
out a fibrous web, as in saturating or encapsulation,
or can be located at the interface between two webs,
providing adhesion, as in laminating.
