Color Pigments for Plastics
As a true one-stop supplier we have been offering the full range of iron- and chromium oxides for the plastics industry for more than 90 years. The Colortherm ®and Bayferrox® portfolio includes red, yellow, black and brown iron oxide pigments. In addition, green shades based on chromium oxide pigments are available.
Quality consistency is a key requirement in the coloration of plastics. We ensure the highest product reliability for our customers through a combination of controlled, consistent use of raw materials and permanent quality control procedures according to worldwide standardized test methods.
Our top-selling products provide the highest heat stability compared to other market alternatives. Colortherm® Red M-grades are produced by the unique Laux process which includes a calcination step at very high temperatures. These pigment types are suitable for all plastic applications and do not show a color shift even at processing temperatures of well above 300 °C. Colortherm® Yellow 5, 10, 20 and 30 are special pigments developed to ensure the formulation of yellow color shades at processing temperatures of up to 300 °C, e.g. for HD-PE, PS, ABS or PA.
All of our pigment products are milled, which significantly reduces the quantity of agglomerates in the pigment and increases the number of primary particles. Furthermore, the portfolio includes “micronized” pigments (M-grades) which are easily dispersible even at short dwell times and low shear forces in the plastic matrix.
Many of our product solutions are unique in their attributes. Learn more about how our pigments bring added value to your specific application.
All Colortherm® Red M-grades and Yellow grades are intensively milled. The high proportion of primary particles results in significantly improved dispersing behavior compared to standard iron oxide types. Thus, masterbatch manufacturers can improve efficiency in their production due to reduced downtimes and energy consumption.
Besides their coloring effect, LANXESS pigments provide further decisive benefits. The Colortherm® Yellow pigment range, for example, has been specifically developed for high-temperature plastic applications (HD-PE, PS, ABS or PA). Compared to standard iron oxides, these products remain color-stable, even at high processing temperatures of up to 300 °C.
For example, artificial turf gets its rich green color from our high-performance pigments, whilst running tracks are efficiently colored in red. Furthermore for construction materials such as plastic facades or wood plastic composites (WPC), iron oxides are the perfect match. In contrast to other color pigments, they provide particularly high light- and weather stability, thus ensuring that the products do not fade and retain their high color intensity over a long service life.
Besides their coloring effect, LANXESS pigments provide further decisive benefits. The unique black pigment Bayferrox® 303T, for example, significantly reduces the surface temperature of plastics materials by about 20 %. Thanks to the pigment’s higher solar reflectance, service life of plastics can be extended due to reduced thermal fluctuation in the polymer matrix.
What’s more, Colortherm® and Bayferrox® iron oxides combine very good dispersing properties during processing with a permanently high UV resistance in the end application. Due to their special property profile, our pigments withstand outdoor conditions and are widely used for packaging applications and films, e.g. those used in the agricultural sector.
Besides their coloring effect, LANXESS pigments provide further decisive benefits. Sorting black plastics according to their polymer class, for example, is a key challenge during mechanical recycling. With Bayferrox® 303T we are offering a unique detectable black pigment. Due a up to 20 % higher infrared reflection compared to carbon black, it is possible to reliably distinguish black plastics by NIR detection.
The portfolio includes various services, such as:
- Automated heat stability testing
- Color adjustment, matching and formulation
- Determination dispersibility behavior
- Light and weather stability testing
In addition, our experts offer extensive pigment expertise when it comes to coloring filaments for 3D printing and are able to give advice on the usage and effects of iron-oxide pigments.
Find out how our pigments improve the properties of your plastic applications, make them more cost-efficient and bring higher flexibility to your production. Our technical experts will assist you.
BAYFERROX® PIGMENTS STORIES
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