Surface tension is the tendency of liquid surfaces at rest to shrink into the minimum surface area possible.

In general, to get a proper glaze application, it is always important to work on the fluid's surface tension by decreasing or, more generally, adjusting it, until you reach the proper values according to the chosen application system (spray, vela or bell).

To do that, there are on the market several chemicals that, depending on their chemical nature and their formulation, are able to affect the surface tension acting – for example – as leveling agents (surfactants and wetting agents), anti-foaming (defoamers) or compatibilizers (in case of repellency phenomena), solving many problems.

How do these chemicals work and what do we need to know about the topic?