Composition and method for controlling the wettability of surfaces

A coating formulation comprising:

• (i) a mixture of at least one binder and hydrophilized hedgehog shaped particles pre-treated and coated with at least one hydrophilizing agent but not a hydrophobizing agent, or
• (ii) a mixture of at least one binder, at least one hydrophilizing agent, and hydrophobized hedgehog shaped particles pre-treated and coated with at least one hydrophobizing agent but not a hydrophilizing agent,
• wherein the hedgehog shaped particles are composed of a calcium carbonate containing material, wherein the coating formulation is in a form of a solution or dispersion in a liquid medium, wherein the liquid medium is selected from the group consisting of water, alcohol ethers, alcohols, aliphatic hydrocarbons, esters, and any mixture thereof, wherein the binder is selected from the group consisting of a latex binder, a styrene-acrylic latex;
• a homopolymer or copolymer of acrylic acid and/or methacrylic acid, itaconic acid;
• an acid ester, ethylacrylate, butyl acrylate, a styrene;
• an unsubstituted or substituted vinyl chloride, vinyl acetate, ethylene, butadiene, and acrylonitrile;
• a silicone resin, a water dilutable alkyd resin, an acrylic/alkyd resin, a polyvinyl alcohol, a natural oil, linseed oil, and any mixture thereof, and wherein the at least one hydrophilizing agent in part (i) is, or the hydrophobizing agent and the least one hydrophilizing agent in part (ii) are, present in a total amount of from 0.3 to 2.4 wt %, based on the weight of the hedgehog shaped particles in part (i) and part (ii), respectively.