
In electronics manufacturing, microscopic details define success. A single void, pinhole, or poor wetting on a circuit board can compromise performance and reliability. Surface control — the science of how liquids spread, wet, and adhere — is at the heart of every successful soldering, coating, and flux process. That’s where SURFLON™ S-386, a non-ionic, polymeric C6 fluorosurfactant (Mad in Japan) brings game-changing precision.
Modern soldering technologies — whether wave, reflow, or selective soldering — demand uniform wetting of fluxes and solder pastes across metallic and non-metallic surfaces.
However, high surface-tension materials such as flux vehicles, solder resists, and protective coatings often fail to spread evenly on metals, especially under low-VOC or water-borne conditions.
This results in:
By precisely lowering surface tension and improving wetting, SURFLON™ S-386 ensures each droplet behaves predictably — resulting in cleaner joints, uniform spread, and stronger connectivity.
SURFLON™ S-386 is a 100% active, non-ionic fluorosurfactant based on short-chain (C6) polymeric fluorochemistry.
It provides exceptional wetting power even at very low dosages (0.05 – 0.3%), while maintaining excellent thermal and chemical stability required for electronics manufacturing.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Appearance | Clear to pale yellow viscous liquid |
| Ionic Nature | Non-ionic |
| Active Content | 100% |
| Fluorochemical Type | Polymeric C6 |
| Surface Tension (0.1%) | 18–20 dynes/cm |
| Solubility | IPA, MEK, Ethanol, Glycol Ethers |
| Compatibility | Solder fluxes, coatings, conformal resins, and inks |
| Recommended Dosage | 0.05 – 0.3 % (as supplied) |
We recommend the 3M™ K-15 grade when the goal is a very low true density combined with moderate crush strength — an excellent balance for many ANFO and emulsion applications.
Available in 1Kg, 5Kg, 20 kg HDPE containers.