Pigments

Industrial pigments are dispersed in paints to provide characteristics such as color, hiding power, bulk, durability, and corrosion resistance. They are available in many forms and colorant types. Common colors for industrial pigments include black, blue, bronze, brown, copper, gray, green, orange, purple, red, silver, white, and yellow. Pearlescent and photoluminescent products are also available. Important specifications for industrial pigments include pH and oil absorption, the amount of oil required to make paint with a pigment. Typically, oil absorption depends upon the size of the pigment particle, the type of binder, and the pigment’s physical and chemical properties. Smaller pigment particles require greater amounts of binder in order to cover larger surface areas and wet each of pigment particle. 

Industrial pigments are available in several forms. Examples include dry powders, granules, liquids, pastes, pellets, and chips. Dry powders and granules are traditional forms that are available in the widest variety of grades. Free-flowing pourable liquids and high-viscosity pastes are master batches or concentrated dispersions of organic or waterborne pigments that contain solvents or diluents. They may also contain resins, additives or surfactants. Pellets and chips do not contain solvents, but may contain additives or plasticizers. These solid industrial pigments are easy to handle and feature a high pigment-to-binder ratio. Depending on the pigment and resin type, pigment levels of between 50% and 75% are achievable.

There are many colorant types for industrial pigments. Examples include barium metaborate, barium sulphate, chromium oxide, iron oxide, lead carbonate, strontium chromate, zinc oxide, zinc phosphate, and zinc sulfide. Titanium dioxide or anatase titanium is the white pigment in most white paints and the primary hiding pigment in most other paints. Carbon black, a pigment produced by the thermal decomposition of natural hydrocarbons, is available in three types: furnace, channel, and lamp black. Other colorant types for industrial pigments include organic and inorganic compounds, fluorescent and phosphorescent materials, and the synthetic products of chemical reactions and processes. Raw sienna, burnt sienna, raw umber, and burnt umber are naturally occurring and commonly available.

Industrial pigments are used in a variety of products and often contain application-specific features. Common applications for industrial pigments include adhesives, art supplies, beverages, ceramics, clothing, concrete, cosmetics, fibers, food, glass, inks, paints, paper, plastics, polymers, soap and wax. Industrial pigments are also used in medical and biomedical applications such as tissue staining. Specialized products are resistant to heat, weather conditions, and ultraviolet light (UV). Some products are water soluble or can conduct electricity. Others contain reinforcing fibers or are free from heavy metals.

• Chlorophyll and Photosynthetic Pigment
  Chlorophyll is the green pigment in plants that provides most of the plant's color and supports the process of photosynthesis. Chlorophyll is found in the cytoplasm of blue-green algae and the...
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• Polymer/Pigment Dispersion in Textile Manufacture
  A textile manufacturer was faced with a dramatic increase in demand for one of their most popular products which required spinning a second line of fiber. The existing equipment used to produce the...
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• Taking the 'Sting' Out of Handling Dry Bulk Pigment Materials (.pdf)
  The Problem: Handling pigment materials can be one of the most challenging and frustratin parts of being a paint manufacturer. This white paper addresses this problem and solutions...
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Part Numbers for Pigments