Paint & Coatings Industry - January 2009 - (Page 38)

New Generation of Silica-Encapsulated, Ultramarine Blue High-Performance Pigments for Coatings T here are several possible definitions of High-Performance Pigments (HPPs) but all of them go in the same direction. A high-performance pigment is one that:1 • demonstrates high-performance properties in its intended end use; • commands a premium price based on valuein-use and that has not yet been copied by generic producers; and • is the right pigment for a specific use with welldefined quality criteria at optimized cost. The superior performance of such pigments is generally related to a combination of as many key attributes/ benefits as possible, e.g., uniqueness of color, ease of dispersion, durability, weather fastness, chemical resistance, processing improvements, thermal resistance and resistance to migration. Ultramarine Blues – High-Performance Pigments? Historically, Ultramarine Blue (PB 29) has not been considered a high-performance pigment for coatings. It is however a pigment that shows outstanding technical characteristics that could make it very appealing for paint producers in the 21st century. The most important one is the uniqueness of its reddish undertone. Such a blue color space cannot be reached by any other pigment or combination of pigments; therefore, it becomes an exceptional differentiation factor for coatings producers. Moreover, Ultramarine Blue pigment is very easy to disperse and to wet, neither migrates nor flocculates, has a high light fastness, is heat resistant, has a high solvent and alkali fastness, and does not show any metamerism. Another key feature in today’s world is its “green” profile, because it contains neither VOCs nor heavy metals in any reportable amount. On the other hand, Ultramarine Blues certainly do not have high tinting strength in comparison to organic pigments; nevertheless, they are better than other inorganic pigments such as Cobalt Blues. And it is true that Ultramarines are very transparent and do not provide opacity. But in many applications this is not a negative but rather a positive, e.g., metallic paints. Why then has this pigment never been on the list of HPPs for coatings? The answer to this question is the historical perception industry technicians have had of the pigment’s poor weather fastness derived from its lack of acid resistance. FIGURE 1 | Acid attack of the 3D Ultramarine Blue structure. FIGURE 2 | Old vs. new silica encapsulation technologies to make Ultramarine Blues acid resistant. Correlation of Acid Resistance with Weather Fastness Chemically Ultramarine Blue is a sodium aluminum sulpho-silicate. Due to its polysulfured composition, conventional Ultramarine Blues are not acid resistant. The pigment has a very porous structure. When Ultramarine Blue comes into contact with an acid, By Alex Capuz and Xavier Llovensá | Nubiola Inorganic Pigments, Barcelona, Spain 38 JANUARY 2009 | W W W . P C I M A G . C O M http://WWW.PCIMAG.COM

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Paint & Coatings Industry - January 2009 Contents Viewpoint Industry News Calendar of Events Company News Names in the News Synthesis of an Eco-Friendly, General-Purpose Binder Based on Agro-Waste Materials Supplier Showcases – Green Technology Federal R&D Tax Credit Program Helps Coatings Industry in Tight Economy New Generation of Silica-Encapsulated, Ultramarine Blue High-Performance Pigments Cleaning Up in the Coating Business Low-Odor, VOC-Free Renewable Coalescents for Latexes Used in Very Low-VOC Paints Materials Watch Products Classifieds Advertiser Index

Paint & Coatings Industry - January 2009

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