PIGMENTS | TITANIUM DIOXIDE
providing opacity and whiteness. FP-550 in masterbatch and FP 510 in PVC can be used to replace 10-15% of the randomly distributed sub optimal TiO2
with optimally spaced TiO2
and thus
achieve a similar optical effect at a far lower cost.” White says FP Pigment works in a different way to conventional extenders, “which simply limit the space available to the TiO2
and push it on average
closer together. It is possible to use both technolo- gies in certain applications to further optimise cost versus performance.” In addition, he says that, compared to conven- , FP Pigment provides opacity and
tional TiO2
Above: Widely used in paints, extenders
could help TiO2 go further in plastics colouring applications
manufacturing plants around the world, giving it the most diverse global footprint in the industry. It is the world’s second largest supplier. “Our newly combined, wide-ranging portfolio of products continues to offer a combina-
TiOna TiO2
tion of desired high-performance characteristics for plastics producers,” says Jeff Engle, VP, Marketing. “The joining together of Cristal and Tronox posi- tions us to be in the right place with the right products for our customers.” At Ineos, Chairman Jim Ratcliffe says the acquisi-
Right: RD Titan Group Innova- tive TiO2
to be tackling the challenge of weathering performance
claims
tion of the Cristal units “is a great opportunity for Ineos to enter the pigments market and become the second largest producer of titanium dioxide in the key North American market.” Cristal’s North American business includes two plants in Ohio. TiPMC Consulting’s Colamarino says Tronox, Chemours and Lomon Billions “form a unique group not seen before in the industry, each bringing unique strengths, with capacity either over or near one million tonnes. Ineos is a new entrant into the industry, with a successful track record of buying undervalued assets and produc- ing excellent cash flows. Ineos brings the advan- tage of being a private company, with new ideas, methods, and a strong balance sheet into the industry. It’s an exciting time in terms of positive changes for an old industry.”
Extending pigments One way to make TiO2
go further is to use mineral
extenders. These are often used in paints, but less so in plastics. One company offering solutions for both is FP-Pigments. Its FP-500 Series Opacity Pigments contain what Andy White, Business Unit Director Paints and Plastics, says is “optimally spaced” TiO2
. “In almost all plastics, the levels of TiO2 are so
low that the spacing is extremely sub optimal,” he says. “Nevertheless, it is still the most effective at
46 COMPOUNDING WORLD | October 2019
www.compoundingworld.com
Under the weather Typically, TiO2
grades for plastics are characterised
by high hydrophobicity, which ensures good mixing during compounding and easy distribution in the polymer matrix. However, not every grade of hydrophobic TiO2
is suitable for production of
plastics that are exposed to external weather conditions (UV radiation, humidity), according to Andriy Gonchar, Director at RD Titan Group
Innovative TiO2. TiO2
is a photocatalyst that absorbs UV radiation,
he explains. When that UV absorption takes place in the presence of moisture a cycle of chemical reactions is initiated leading to the formation of extremely reactive free radicals. These can react with the molecules of the polymer matrix and cause its destruction. This process releases pig- ment particles enclosed in the polymer matrix, leading to chalking and loss of surface gloss. To avoid – or to significantly slow – this phenom-
whiteness without white strength. “This can facilitate the enhanced chroma of coloured pigments in plastics applications when replacing TiO2
with FP Pigment,” he says. “Cost savings on
reduced high-cost organic or mixed metal oxide pigments can then be considerable.”
PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK
PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK
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