SPECIAL EFFECT | PIGMENTS
IMAGE: LIFOCOLOR
optical appearance through the use of custom colours, but not inadvertently ‘covering-up’ the effect pigments and reducing their sparkle. The combination gives customers the freedom to choose their own colours, whilst still being able to keep an intensive sparkle.” Gabriel-Chemie says that, based on its own in-house testing using a hand-held NIR detector, it does not expect the effects to
and effects with colour change tend to work better in this medium,” says Briggs. Pigment supplier Heubach has launched a
transparent red pigment that the company says can be used to extend the chroma and hue of special effect pigments in polyolefins. Vynamon Red 325405 is an especially transparent version of the company’s diketopyrrolopyrrole (DPP) chemistry pigment. This transparency shows its benefit in parameters used to characterise special effects, such as the flop index, which is a measure of the change in reflectance of a metallic colour as it rotates through the entire range of viewing angles. The flop index is said to be maintained at a much higher level for the new pigment compared to a standard DPP. Other characteristics, such as multi-angle chroma-travel, are also maintained.
Sparkling optics The latest developments from masterbatch producer Gabriel-Chemie include the Multicolour Sparkling Edition, which offers a sparkle effect in a range of colours using surface-treated aluminium pigments. “What is new is how we use the pig- ments to give a more luxurious optical effect,” says Ulf Trabert, Corporate Business Development Manager at Gabriel-Chemie. “Firstly, we use a combination of different pigment sizes to give a more diverse reflection effect, and secondly we have developed a new way to add colour to the masterbatches,” he says. “This enables a good balance between enhancing the
interfere with NIR-sortability for recycling. However, it adds that any final article would need to be tested to provide certainty in the application. New effect masterbatches from Germany’s Lifocolor include the Metal Look 2.0 series, designed to deliver a glossy metallic appearance in shades such as silver, chrome, bronze and champagne. The products are suited for polyolefins (PP and PE) and PET and PETG and for film and sheet as well as moulding. The company also offers the new Brilliant Gold masterbatches for polyolefins, PET and PETG, which are claimed to provide an intense, brilliant gold effect. Another new product family is
Lifocolor‘s authentic granite effect, introduced in four shades for decorative finishing of polyolefins at Fakuma 2023 and, since then, formulated for use in ABS, PMMA and TPE among others. The master- batches can be used for all common processing methods at temperatures up to 280°C, the compa- ny says. Applications are foreseen in consumer goods, beauty and care, garden, household, sport, leisure and office products. Granite naturally occurs in a broad range of colours with grain patterns and glittering mica particles, which makes it an appealing effect to imitate in plastics, according to the company. “We know from our business partners that many customers would like to see polymers with a stone
Tapping into plants for special effects
University of Cambridge spin-out Sparxell says it has developed a way to produce cellulose-based pigments that could eventually be used in thermoplastic compounds to create a wide range of colours and effects, such as sparkle. The company says it creates the 100% plant-based products by
www.compoundingworld.com
extracting cellulose crystals from sources such as wood pulp. Using a patented technology, the crystals are then formed into a film that can then be ground and shaped into different sizes or forms, including powders, pearls, and glitter. The pigments are said to be thermally stable up to 200°C and
could potentially be suitable for mixing with plastics, according to Benjamin Droguet, Sparxell’s Founder and CEO. They have already been successfully tested in 3D-printed filaments. However, he says the company is initially focusing on high-end fashion and cosmetics. �
https://sparxell.com/
March 2024 | COMPOUNDING WORLD 35
Leftw: Lifocolor has extended its Authentic Granite effect for use in ABS, PMMA and TPE as well as polyoefins
Above: Gabriel- Chemie’s Multicolour Sparkling uses surface coated aluminium pigments to create a luxurious optical effect
IMAGE: GABRIEL-CHEMIE
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