Color Pigments for Construction Materials

When coloring concrete roof tiles, the quality and color consistency of the pigments utilized play a decisive role, on the one hand to avoid color fluctuations during production, and on the other hand to ensure permanent UV- and weather stability. Due to their chemical structure, our synthetic Bayferrox® and Colortherm® pigments are completely color-stable and weather-stable and are therefore the preferred choice for all outdoor applications.

Besides their coloring effect, LANXESS pigments provide further decisive benefits. For example the unique black pigment Bayferrox® 303T when used for coloring concrete tiles, reduces the roofing’s surface temperature by about 20 % due to its significantly higher solar reflectance.

The lightfastness and weather resistance of Bayferrox® iron oxide pigments ensures that paving blocks keep their rich color even over decades of intensive exposure to the elements. A fact proved by long-term outdoor weathering tests under different climate conditions.

LANXESS pigments provide further decisive benefits. Our Bayferrox® products, for example, are the only iron oxides certified to have a high percentage of recycled content, which can positively affect scoring in rating systems for sustainable buildings such as LEED, BREAM or DGNB.

Pre-fabricated colored concrete elements are being used ever more frequently to give building facades, walls or noise barriers a more individual and aesthetically pleasing touch. Furthermore, the coloration of in-situ concrete, which is cast into forms on site, provides numerous possibilities to the designer. In architecture, in-situ concrete is enjoying a renaissance, driven by the development of modern concrete formulations and the creation of unique landmarks by world-renowned architects. The integral color remains true for eternity – subsequent cost-intensive repainting is unnecessary.

LANXESS inorganic pigments display high quality levels in terms of color strength and color consistency. Because of their chemical structure these products are inherently weather-stable, lightfast and UV-stable. Most products are certified for usage in steel-reinforced concrete (category B) according to the criteria of DIN ISO 12878 and ASTM C 979.

LANXESS pigments provide further decisive benefits. For example, our Bayferrox® products are the only iron oxides on the market that are certified for coloration of Ultra High Performance Concrete. The compressive strength of UHPC is not adversely affected when colored with our pigments.

With colored mortar, contrasts in the masonry can be specifically either highlighted or homogenized. Modern facade plasters give walls an interesting structure in combination with an individual coloring. Screed as a floor covering is also very much in vogue – by coloring, an industrial look can be realized.

Our pigments display high quality levels in terms of color strength and color consistency. Our products do not affect the setting behavior of cement-based and lime-based materials or the effect of commonly-used additives like methyl cellulose, zinc stearate, or plastic powder.

LANXESS pigments provide further decisive benefits. For example, due to our global network of blending facilities we are able to offer customized pigment shades for our customers, worldwide.

Bayferrox® and Colortherm® pigments are suitable for the coloring of bituminous mixtures used as the raw materials for all asphalt types, such as grid mastic asphalt, noise-reducing and semi-rigid asphalt or asphalt concrete. The color is influenced mainly by the type of bitumen used. Dark bitumens are most commonly colored red using inherently heat-stable iron oxide red pigments with high tinting strength. By using a clear polymer bitumen, the color spectrum can be extended to even yellow or green surfaces.

LANXESS pigments provide further decisive benefits. Bayferrox® 130 A red pigment, for example, provides the highest heat stability on the market. Being produced via the Laux-Process, the product’s color is not influenced even at the high manufacturing temperatures which are applied during the production of mastic asphalt. What’s more Bayferrox® 130 A is available in low-melt PE bags which can be dosed manually directly into the asphalt mix.