PIGMENT

I. PIGMENT 

Industrial pigments are chemical preparations, compressed into a powder from colorants. They have high dispersibility and insolubility in the dispersing medium, and are used by mixing with solutions such as paints, resins ... to color the product.

Currently, there are many types of industrial colors produced in different forms: powder, wax, water ... but the powder form is still preferred because it has many outstanding advantages such as:

- Ease of use: Because it is in powder form, when using it, it is only necessary to mix it with the coloring product without complicated preparation, without too much expertise to perform this step.

- Easy to store and transport: Just store the pigments in plastic and glass containers, keep in a dry place, protected from light. The product is very difficult to contaminate impurities when compared to other types such as wax or water.

- Cheap price: Among industrial colors, pigment has the cheapest price.

II. CHARACTERISTICS

- Diversity of colors, can be mixed into different colors according to the purpose required

- Create and preserve color for long-term products

- Save costs for the production process

- Create quality products thanks to the chemical purity of the pigments

- Durable to light

- Increase the transparency of the product

III. TYPES 

Industrial pigments have 2 main types: organic pigments and inorganic pigments

1. Organic pigments

Organic pigments: powdery solid compounds of various colors. Including surname:

- Pigment azo (-N = N-): is the most used family in the plastic industry due to its completely soluble properties in plastic. However, azo has the disadvantage of being easy to migrate, so it is often combined with metal ions or functional groups such as amide (-NHCO-) ​​to increase resistance to migration. Common colors: yellow, orange, red.

- Pigment phthalocyanine [-C6H4 (CN) 2)]: More commonly known as copper phthalocyanine (copper phthalocyanine). Some of the outstanding advantages of this form are: weatherproof, good heat resistance, standard mobility, standard acidity and alkalinity. Therefore, phthalocyanine pigment is also widely used in many industries. Common colors: blue, dark green.

- Pigment Antraquinon: The most prominent of this family is Alizarin (orange-red compounds, which are sparkling luminescent crystals). The Antraquinone family is widely used in the textile industry.

- Pigment dye: Because it is mobile, it is often used in plastics with a glass transition temperature higher than room temperature such as: PS, PMMA, uPVC.

* Advantages: Organic pigment is characterized by clear, fresh and high color fastness (stable temperature, alkali resistance, acid resistance ...)

* Disadvantage: The cost is relatively high compared to inorganic pigment. In addition, it is susceptible to oxidation under light, easily affected by weather factors.

2. Inorganic pigments

Inorganic pigments: are ferrous metals or insoluble metal salts. Including types: white (TiO2), black (carbon black), inorganic pigment ...

- White titanium dioxide (TiO2). In the plastic industry, TiO2 is extremely widely used, and there are two types: hiding and non - hiding.

+ Non - hiding white powder: Has a low refractive index, so the ability to create poor opacity, used as a filler or filler, the price is relatively cheap. The commonly used non - hiding white substances are calcium carbonate, talc, clay and silica.

+ White powder hiding: Has a high refractive index, capable of creating opacity in plastic products. The most important ingredient is TiO2 because it has strong absorption of UV radiation so it has the advantage of creating high opacity and white color (maximum reflectance, minimum absorption), good aging resistance and non-toxicity. In addition, there are several other commercially hiding white pigment such as: Zinc oxide (ZnO), Zinc sulfite (ZnSO3), lithopone (mixture of ZnS and BaSO4), anthony oxide ...

- Black: The most prominent is Carbon black (charcoal black). It is the most important black pigment, used very popularly in the plastics industry (after TiO2).

Carbon black has high color fastness, when combined with weather-resistant, heat-oxidizing UV absorbers, especially used on LDPE resin substrates. In addition, carbon black can contribute to improving the electrical conductivity or insulation of the polymer. In particular, the cost of this color is relatively low compared to the general ground.

Color inorganic pigments: The following types can be considered:

+ Iron oxide: is the most important color in the inorganic pigment system. There are colors from yellow, red to brown, black. This type is produced from natural or synthetic ores. These include: Red iron oxide (considered Fe2O3 in the form of crystals), yellow iron oxide [hydroxide oxide - FeO (OH)], brown iron oxide (mixture of FeO and Fe2O3).

The color of iron oxide is distinguished by its aging durability, opaque appearance, excellent UV resistance, and low cost. However, the intensity of the color and the freshness are poor so its use is limited.

+ Chromium oxide (Cr2O3): belongs to a single oxide color with dark green color, weak dyeing ability, aging resistance but not heat stability.

Mixed phase oxide: heat stable, weather resistant, color fastness and relative freshness. Some popular colors: cobalt aluminate blue, antimony titanium gold.

- Lead chromate color powder: green - yellow to yellow - red color range. This powder gives a bright, weather-resistant color. Used mainly in paint industry.

- Ultramarrine Blue: A complex form of zeolytic sodium aluminosilicate, which is light and heat resistant, and slightly resistant to acids. Widely used, has a very bright reddish-green color in resin

* Advantages: Inorganic pigments are usually durable under light, weather, have high heat resistance, and are resistant to solvents ... The price is cheaper than organic.

* Disadvantages: the color is not as bright as organic pigment.

IV. APPLICATION

Typical industrial pigments in the plastics industry are used in the manufacture of plastic products, typically:

+ Producing plastic bags, foam bags, glossy bags

+ Belt production: PP, PET,

+ Producing HDPE water pipes

+ Production of imitation rattan HDPE, LDPE

+ Manufacture of injection molding products: PS, PC, ABS

Sunrise Colors Vietnam is proud to provide customers with the highest quality masterbatch, additives with outstanding physical and chemical properties suitable for use in various plastic production technologies. With many years of experience in the plasticization industry, and a team of highly specialized staff and engineers, modern machinery and equipment system, high quality input materials, we are always a trustful choice of customers and a reputable partner in the domestic and international market.