What is a wetting agent?

Wetting agents are typically monomeric or oligomeric surfactants. The main purpose of these substances is to lower the surface tension of the formulation, allowing for better wetting of the surface.

Wetting agents are also known as emulsifiers or amphiphilic substances.

Wetting agents are used in industrial processes such as:

• flotation
  

• emulsification

• cosmetic

• Corrosion Inhibition

The use of wetting agents as corrosion inhibitors has been extensively studied, and the adsorption of these molecules on metal surfaces has been found to be responsible for the corrosion inhibition of metals. Inhibitors can change the interfacial properties even more, and their adsorption is affected by the following factors:

• metal surface charge

• Corrosive solution type

• The chemical structure of the inhibitor