HMMAT® Matting Agents — Silica-Based Flatting Agents for Wood, Architectural, Powder, Leather, UV-Cure, and Decorative Coatings

Overview

HMMAT® is the East Materials brand of silica-based matting agents — synthetic precipitated silica with engineered particle size (4–12 μm), controlled internal porosity, and application-specific surface treatments. The portfolio covers the major coating segments: industrial wood lacquer, architectural matt paint, powder coating, decorative burnish-resistant finishes, UV-cure systems, and cost-optimised interior coatings.

Matting silica works by what surface protrusion does to reflected light: micro-roughness at the coating surface (50–200 nm RMS scale) scatters incident light, converting glossy appearance to matt at the visual level. The polymer underneath remains glossy at the molecular scale — the matt is purely an optical effect of the silica particles.

HMMAT is functionally equivalent to Evonik Acematt (OK 412 / TS 100 / 3300 / 3600 / SY 50), W.R. Grace SYLOID (C / RAD / W series), and J.M. Huber Zeofree / Zeofree XL at a typical 30–45% landed cost discount vs European reference grades. Each shipment ships with batch CoA covering particle size distribution, oil absorption, surface treatment (wax %), and heavy metals (food / cosmetic / leather-grade applications).

Pair with HJSIL® Fumed Silica for rheology + matting in the same formulation, or see the broader Coatings Application Hub for paint-system context.

Why Multiple Engineered Grades

Matting silica trades five performance variables against each other; no single grade optimises all of them:

1. Sheen control — target gloss at 60° measurement geometry
2. Burnish resistance — matt appearance survives rubbing without polishing-out
3. Sandability — inter-coat sanding for multi-coat industrial finishes
4. Haze in clear coats — limits use in high-clarity finishes
5. Cost — mass-market vs premium application drives price sensitivity

The HMMAT portfolio is engineered around different priority combinations, organised by target coating segment rather than a single universal grade. The right grade for a given customer is selected by application + sheen target + post-coating handling exposure — speak to our chemists for spec-driven recommendation in your specific resin system.

Application-Specific Grades

Key technical notes by segment:

• Washable: surface wax treatment maintains film integrity at 500+ wet-scrub cycles per ASTM D2486.
• Sandable wood: wax-treated lubricant gives 250–350 sandpaper-life cycles vs 150–200 for untreated — saves consumable cost in furniture lines with inter-coat sanding. See How to Choose Matting Agent for Wood Coatings for full selection logic.
• Powder coating: wax surface reduces inter-particle friction during electrostatic spray, mitigating Faraday-cage defects on complex geometries; extends powder shelf life via anti-caking effect.
• Burnish-resistant: untreated porous structure compresses under abrasive pressure (instead of deflecting), maintaining matt over years of consumer handling. Trade-off: lower sandability — use on finished surfaces that won't be sanded after.
• UV-cure: narrow particle distribution and reduced 365 nm absorption (<0.2 vs 0.6–1.0 for typical matting silica) preserves cure depth in 30–50% of conventional matting silica. Essential for >50 μm thick films.

Selection Guide

For high-build industrial maintenance combining matting with rheology, see Silica Paint Matting Agent for Industrial Coatings.

Procurement, Storage, and QC

Packaging, MOQ, and lead time:

Sealed dry storage <30°C. Most grades: 24-month shelf life sealed, 12-month opened. Wax-treated variants are temperature-sensitive below 5°C — wax can phase-transition; avoid unheated northern winter warehouses.

QC documentation (every batch CoA includes):

• Particle size distribution — laser diffraction, ISO 13320
• Oil absorption — DBP method, ISO 19246
• Wax content (wax-treated grades) — ASTM E1131 thermogravimetric
• Loss on drying at 105°C
• pH of 5% slurry
• Heavy metals (cosmetic / leather / food-contact applications)
• Reflectance / haze at 4% loading in reference acrylic resin (on request)

Regulatory: REACH-registered across all grades. FDA 21 CFR 175.300 compliance for food-contact coatings (wine label, food packaging gravure inks). Heavy-metals CoA at cosmetic limits (Pb ≤1 ppm, As ≤1 ppm) on request. EU Cosmetics Regulation 1223/2009 Annex II compliance verified for cosmetic-grade variants.

Substituting from Reference Brands

Independent application testing in customer formulations typically yields ±2 GU sheen at 60° and ±10% sandability vs reference brand — within typical batch variation of either supplier.

FAQ

How do I select the right HMMAT grade?

Two questions: (1) what's the target sheen at 60°, and (2) what does the coated surface get exposed to after curing? Mass-market interior → cost-optimised segment. Industrial wood with inter-coat sanding → industrial-wood-lacquer segment. High-end retail furniture with daily handling → decorative-wood burnish-resistant segment. Powder coating (electrostatic) → powder-coating segment. UV-cure coatings → UV-cure transparent segment. Kitchen/bath washable + automotive leather → washable + leather segment. Send your resin chemistry and target sheen to our chemists for a specification-driven recommendation.

What's the difference between matting silica and fumed silica?

Different function and particle size. Matting silica (HMMAT precipitated SiO₂, 4–12 μm) creates surface roughness for visual matt effect. Fumed silica (HJSIL flame-hydrolysis SiO₂, 7–40 nm primary particles aggregating to 100–500 nm) controls bulk rheology and adds reinforcement. Most coatings use both — fumed silica at 0.5–2% for anti-sag plus matting silica at 2–8% for sheen.

Are HMMAT grades food-contact and cosmetic compliant?

Yes — multiple grades have FDA 21 CFR 175.300 indirect food-contact pathway (e.g., wine label gravure inks, food-packaging coatings). Direct food-contact and cosmetic applications use food/cosmetic-grade variants on request. All grades are REACH-registered. Cosmetic-grade variants ship with heavy-metals CoA at cosmetic limits (Pb ≤1 ppm, As ≤1 ppm), EU Cosmetics 1223/2009 Annex II verified.

What about UV stability of matting silica in exterior coatings?

Synthetic amorphous silica is intrinsically UV-stable — no significant degradation at 1000+ hours QUV exposure. The matt appearance does not wash out from UV exposure. The binder system around the silica is the UV-vulnerable element — for exterior applications, select UV-resistant binders (silicone, polyurethane, modified acrylic).

What's the typical lead time and MOQ?

Standard grades 4–5 weeks FOB Shanghai; UV-cure transparent 5–6 weeks; cosmetic-grade variants 5–7 weeks. MOQ 1 pallet (1.0 t). For coating manufacturers running 50–500 t/yr of one paint SKU, contract supply with 6-month forecasts gets pricing 8–12% below spot.

Related & Sister Sites

• HJSIL® Fumed Silica — paired with HMMAT for full rheology + matting in one formulation.
• MEGEL® Silica Aerogel — thermal-insulation coatings combining with HMMAT matting.
• Silicone Oils — slip and levelling additives for leather coatings.
• HPSIL® Healthcare Silica — for cosmetic / food-contact applications.
• Coatings Application Hub — broader coating selection guide.
• For flame retardants and titanium dioxide pigments used alongside matting silica in coatings, see coatingsink.com. For silane coupling agents for substrate adhesion in coatings, see chemzip.com/products/silane-couplers/.