Reactive diluent

Reactive diluents are substances which reduce the viscosity of a lacquer or resin for processing and become part of the lacquer or coating during its subsequent curing via copolymerization.

Diluents (or thinners) are usually added to lacquers or other resins, to reduce their viscosity and rheology).

[1] If volatile diluents are replaced by reactive diluents, flammability, smell, skin irritation and environmental compatibility (by lower or no VOC emissions) can be improved.

Monofunctional monomers offer a low viscosity, but are quite volatile and tend to smell.

Epoxides make use of reactive diluents with oxirane functionality.