An analysis of the way in which pigments for paints and coatings are being produced shows that this sector has had a considerable evolution and with a positive environmental trend.
by Duván Chaverra Agudelo
Pigments are an essential raw material within the paints and coatings industry. We know that they are substances that are scattered in a liquid vehicle, that are reflected in light to generate white effects or absorb some light waves for the production of colored effects.
Technically, everything is said in terms of the characteristics of the pigments, to which we add that those classified into organic and inorganic have a different performance according to the needs.
On this occasion, INPRA LATINA will highlight the main advances in the formulation of this class of pigments, the changes in the processes and their environmental characteristics.
For them we have the participation of four companies related to the environment: Ciany Galicia, sales representative of the Lamberti Group (Mexico); Daniel Smid, President of Arquimex (Argentina); José Francisco Carreño Cantor, manager of Distribuidora de Materiales Primas y Colorantes LTDA - D'macapri (Colombia), and Mariana Rodrigues, marketing coordinator for Latin America of the inorganic pigments division of Lanxess (Brazil Division).
On the latest technological developments in the formulation of pigments, the representative of Lanxess commented that her company has a process called Laux, a production method that saves resources.
"It is exemplary in its consistent use of the heat generated during the chemical reaction. This heat is used for the production of steam and hot water that is needed to dissolve iron sulfates or to wash away pigments. The result is a process that requires virtually no external heat and whose energy efficiency is currently second to none," Explained Mariana.
This process allows Lanxess to generate the special quality properties for red and black tones. Mariana adds that "especially with reds, a very wide range of nuances can be produced - it extends from a yellowish tone to a different bluish tone. The red tones with a blue mold are unique compared to other iron oxide reds available on the market, as they do not change color even with intensive spraying or spraying."
With regard to inorganic pigments, Lanxess has a development less focused on new chromophores, but on finishing processes, which optimize surface coatings and particles of size and shape, to improve compatibility with water-based systems, and durability.
For his part, Ciany Galicia, of the Lamberti Group, commented on this same concern as
"The main novelties in the formulation of dispersed pigments are additives specifically designed for this purpose, known as dispersants and humectants, which must be selected with a detailed study to achieve the desired optimal levels."
Meanwhile, Daniel Smid, president of Arquimex, a company specialized in aluminum pigments, said about this specific segment that "the most innovative aluminum pigments are obtained by vacuum metallization, instead of obtaining them by grinding. With this new technology, a pigment is achieved that when applied gives a chrome effect of impeccable finish, "he said.
Manufacturing changes?
As for the manufacturing processes, our sources recognize some novelties. For the representative of the Lamberti Group, the processes of dispersion of the pigments and the equipment used in the elaboration of the same have undergone constant modifications and improvements, being more used the mills of cylinders or three rollers, of Balls, of Sand, etc.
"The factors involved in selecting the right mill to manufacture each particular product are very varied. Therefore the proper selection of the mill is essential to obtain a high performance of the final product. In Grupo Lambert, the line of dispersed pigments "Neoprint", is processed with the Zeta grinding system of Netzsch, which provides high quality of the product, being able to reach even finesse up to the nanometric range, "explained Ciany Galicia.
Mariana Rodrigues, from Lanxess, commented on the existing processes in organic pigments that work at a high level of reliability and that their improvements are based on efficiency and the fine-tuning of the final steps of the process.
On the manufacture of inorganics, our guest commented that they use as raw material metal parts produced from scrap, mainly from cars, for the production of iron oxide, which requires large volumes of water.
In this sense, the company has reduced its consumption by optimizing the production process by using a technology that was designed internally for water reuse, which minimizes the environmental impact.
"Another technology that is added to the production process was the opening of the cogeneration plant in Porto Feliz. Brazil, (March 2010), where the pigment is produced. The steam and energy for this unit is generated from renewable sources. Thus, plant emissions are neutralized by carbon uptake during sugarcane cultivation, which in turn releases oxygen, completing the cycle. Therefore, the use of metal waste and energy contributes to the reduction of compounds that are aggressive to the environment," Mariana explained.
Regarding the manufacture of aluminum pigment, the president of Arquimex, explained that for more than 100 years, aluminum pigment has been manufactured from molten metal, atomized and wet ground with solvents. But there have been changes.
"The evolution of recent years went from using atomized aluminum of irregular particles, to using spherical aluminum, which is subsequently ground resulting in flat particles with regular edges that allow to obtain lighter colors, called Silverdollar. Another advance was additives, which allow to obtain high quality products and greater chemical resistance to the different solvent-based vehicles and water systems. The great innovation in production was by vacuum metallization, which differs totally from traditional processes," said Daniel Smid.
In the case of environmentally friendly raw materials, they also continue to innovate, as explained by José Francisco Carreño, from D'mapri. "The trend in this industry is also towards the use of nanotechnology and environmentally friendly raw materials for the production of pigments. Currently it is very important to achieve high performance in the manufacture of these, seeking to minimize damage to the environment and human health."
In this regard, Mariana Rodirgues, from Lanxess, says that pigments are characterized by their low solubility, which at the same time determines very low biodegradability, and also limits bio-accessibility. This holds true for organic and inorganic pigments, and limits potential environmental risks.
On the sides of aluminum pigments, our guest from Arquimex explains that these do not affect health and are not contaminants, "for that reason they are used to coat containers for the food industry. In addition, it is an excellent component for the formulation of veterinary medicinal products. Another notable application is to use aluminium pigments in the formulation of anti-corrosion paints for metal structures."
Meanwhile, the representative of the Lamberti Group makes a significant difference between the environmental characteristics of organic and inorganic pigments: "Organics contribute to the preservation of the environment, since by their nature they do not present pollution. There are inorganic pigments that contain heavy metals and are highly polluting, so consumption is decreasing or being restricted by the application of environmental standards, from each country or region, these being replaced by more environmentally friendly pigments, made with cleaner processes that drastically reduce these pollutants. "
To highlight
The pigment market
The guests of this article talked about the current market trends for the pigment sector:
- Ciany Galicia, sales representative of the Lamberti Group: During the year of 2012, we began the promotion and commercialization of the range of pigment dispersions "Neoprint" for the Mexican market, having an excellent acceptance in the market niches worked. In 2013 the objective is to consolidate this line, as well as the range of chemical products we offer.
- Daniel Smid, President of Arquimex: The market position of aluminium pigments depends on the category. In the automotive industry it is the most used, so much so that adding the pure silver color, to the different metallic colors that also contain aluminum pigments, more than 40% is completed. In the field of roof coating, whose main advantage is concentrated in allowing to reflect the sun's rays by lowering the temperature of the protected interior, we can talk about a position between 30 and 50%, depending on the country.
- José Francisco Carreño, manager of D'macpri: Inorganic and organic pigments occupy a very prominent position with respect to other pigments (pearl, metallic, fluorescent, phosphorescent, etc.) for their excellent properties and cost. At the local level (Colombia), there was great influence of Asian pigments, especially due to low prices.
- Mariana Rodrigues, marketing coordinator for Latin America of the inorganic pigments division of Lanxess: "In 2010, some €20 million was invested in process improvement and expansion of the capacity of inorganic pigments. This has enabled us to meet the growing global demand for high-quality chromium oxide and inorganic iron oxide pigments. There is no evidence that the solid growth of the market has slowed across the globe, one of the main reasons is the growing trend towards urbanization, especially in the BRIC countries (Brazil, Russia, India and China). The sectors that benefit the most are construction and coatings, which are among the largest customers of these pigments. For these sectors, inorganic pigments are essential due to their lighfastness (light resistance), the climate of stability, the properties of resistance against chemicals, and their sustainable and environmentally friendly appearance. We also see growth opportunities for organic pigments."
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