PIGMENTS | ADDITIVES
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Aside from aesthetics, sustainability issues are among the top concerns for both users and producers of pigments. However, sustainability in terms of pigments for plastic compound formula- tion has many facets including, but not necessarily limited to, responsible raw material sourcing; sustainable production methods and health and safety profiles. There is also a growing awareness of the
environmental impact of pigments. Grades that disperse well can help reduce energy consumption during processing. Heat-reflecting pigments can play a key role in sustainable building material design. Durable performance pigments can help plastic parts to last longer during use. And, with the increasing focus on the circular economy, pigments that enhance recyclability of plastic parts are very much a development priority. Pigment producers are well aware of these new demands. “Improved recyclability and sustainability are no longer trends but needs for our industry,” says Scott Heitzman, Business Development Manager Plastics at Sun Chemical Performance Pigments (Sun Chemical is a division of Japan- based DIC, which last month agreed to buy the BASF Colors & Effects business of BASF for around
www.compoundingworld.com
Producers of pigments are ensuring their products meet ever tighter
regulatory requirements while also addressing wider sustainability issues, writes Jennifer Markarian
€1.15bn. That move is covered in detail in this month’s news section). One of the latest pigment introductions from Sun Chemical is intended to improve dispersion and so reduce energy use. L28-P280 Predisol PV 19 provides higher throughput, better dispersion and allows higher loadings compared to some other small particle-size, high-performance pigments, says Heitzman.
Lightweighting of plastic parts is another aspect
of sustainability. In some lightweighted packaging applications, for example, balancing the desired opacity while allowing enough transmitted light to achieve the target appearance can be difficult. Sun Chemical’s new SpectraFlex Illusion C88-0103 light diffusing pigment solves this problem and allows a frosted glass effect without the need to modify the mould, according to Heitzman.
Sustainable chemistry Pigment chemistries continue to come under regulatory pressure, based on their chemical composition and physical forms as well as chal- lenges from non-governmental organisations. “We continue to push the edge of currently used chemistry to find new pigments that address new
September 2019 | COMPOUNDING WORLD 15
Main image: Dispersion, durability, high temperature resistance and tolerance of recycling are all high on the list of demands for today’s pigment users
PHOTO: LANXESS
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