Censil351C is built to replace ED 3 as a fine, universal matting agent for waterborne wood and plastic coatings.
Quick answer
Censil351C runs finer than ED 3 — d50 4.8 – 5.1 μm against the ED supplier’s published 6.0 μm. That is a real difference and we are not going to paper over it: a finer d50 generally improves clarity and touch, and may need a small dosage adjustment to land the same gloss. Censil351C is also wax-modified where the ED supplier lists ED 3 as untreated. Bench-trial at identical dosage first, then fine-tune within ±0.3%.
Each column reproduces figures from the publishing manufacturer’s own documentation, cited below the table.
| Parameter | ED 3by the ED supplier | Censil351CFine, universal finish |
|---|---|---|
| Median particle size, d50 | 6.0 μm (average, light scattering) | 4.8 – 5.1 μm |
| Pore volume | Not stated in cited source | 1.6 – 1.8 mL/g |
| Specific surface area | Not stated in cited source | 250 – 280 m²/g |
| Surface treatment | None (untreated) | Wax-modified (organic / PE-wax; grade-dependent) |
| pH | 7.0 | 6.0 – 8.0 (5% susp.) |
| Oil absorption | 320 g/100g | Not stated in cited source |
| SiO2 content, dry | Not stated in cited source | ≥ 99% |
| Recommended dosage | Not stated in cited source | 1 – 4% |
| Packaging | 15 kg bag | 20 kg multi-wall bag, palletized |
ED 3 column — ED supplier — Technical Information, Product Properties EMEA Region, DOC062 (© 2021). Censil columns — Censilcoat published grade specification, products page. “Not stated in cited source” means the value does not appear in the document cited; no figure has been estimated, inferred, or transferred between columns.
Separate from the datasheet comparison above: our laboratory in Fujian ran a commercially purchased sample of ED 3 and Censil351C side by side in the same waterborne acrylic system over 2025 Q4 – 2026 Q1. Every figure below is our own parallel measurement — not a manufacturer specification. Star ratings are relative in-house assessments on identical panels.
| Parameter | ED 3lab-measured, purchased sample | Censil351Clab-measured |
|---|---|---|
| Median particle size d50 (measured) | 5.8 μm | 5.0 μm |
| d50 spread, Δd50 | ±0.5 μm | ±0.3 μm |
| Pore volume | 1.8 mL/g | 1.8 mL/g |
| Specific surface area, N₂ | 320 m²/g | 265 m²/g |
| Oil absorption | 320 g/100 g (DBP) | 270 g/100 g (DBP) |
| pH (5% suspension) | 7.2 | 6.5 |
| SiO₂ content, dry basis | 99% | 99.2% |
| Surface treatment | Untreated | High-melting PE wax |
| Blushing after cure, 85% RH | Slight blushing ★★★☆☆ | No blushing ★★★★★ |
| Suspension in waterborne system, 7 days | Settles on standing | No hard sediment |
| Clarity on dark panel | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ |
| Surface smoothness (touch) | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★★★ |
| Matting efficiency at equal loading | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★★☆ |
Method notes: d50 by laser diffraction (Malvern); blushing rated after cure and conditioning at 85% relative humidity; suspension observed over 7 days in the waterborne system; matting efficiency compared at equal loading. Lab-measured values for the reference grade may differ from the manufacturer’s published specification.
Censil351C runs finer than ED 3 — d50 4.8 – 5.1 μm against the ED supplier’s published 6.0 μm. That is a real difference and we are not going to paper over it: a finer d50 generally improves clarity and touch, and may need a small dosage adjustment to land the same gloss. Censil351C is also wax-modified where the ED supplier lists ED 3 as untreated. Bench-trial at identical dosage first, then fine-tune within ±0.3%.
Datasheet parity is the starting point, not the proof. A 1:1 replacement is confirmed on your own line: run the Censil grade at the same dosage as your current import, compare gloss at 60° and 85°, clarity on a dark panel, touch and can stability — then fine-tune dosage within ±0.3%. Typical evaluation cycle is 1–2 weeks, and we ship a free 2 kg sample with a 1:1 benchmark sheet for exactly this.
It can. A finer d50 scatters light differently: expect better clarity and a smoother touch, and possibly a small gloss shift at identical dosage. Fine-tune within ±0.3% to land your target. If you need a closer particle-size match to 6.0 μm, tell us your system — Censil361C runs 5.9 – 6.2 μm.
Particle size is one of three levers; pore volume and surface treatment matter as much. Censil351C is tuned as a package for waterborne systems. Whether that package lands your finish is a question your own line answers in about a week.
In a waterborne system it usually helps: the wax layer is the parameter behind anti-settling and surface touch. It is a deliberate difference, not a parity gap.
The ED supplier does not publish a numerical pore volume or BET surface area for ED 3 in its EMEA product properties table. Censil351C is published at 1.6 – 1.8 mL/g and 250 – 280 m²/g.
Free 2 kg sample, bench trial at your current dosage, compare gloss at 60° and 85°, clarity on a dark panel, touch and can stability. Typical evaluation cycle is 1–2 weeks.
Send your resin system, target gloss and the grade you use today. We’ll ship a free 2 kg sample with a 1:1 benchmark sheet against ED 3, the relevant TDS. We reply within 24 hours.
Request a Free 2 kg SampleCensilcoat is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by the manufacturers of the reference grades. Trademarks are used solely to identify the reference products a customer may currently use, for comparison purposes. Reference-grade figures are reproduced from the manufacturers’ published documentation as cited and were current on the page date; manufacturers may revise specifications without notice. Censil figures are typical guidance values — the controlled specification per grade is stated in the grade TDS. Performance must be verified by the customer under their own conditions.