More than just colour: ACAT ColourStar® dyes, pigments and pigment pastes are in demand worldwide and are used in many different industries thanks to their benefits. In the automotive industry, they are used for tinting paints and coatings. In the construction industry, they are used to colour concrete, mortar and plaster. They are also used worldwide in the packaging industry, for example, for printing and coating plastic films and paper. The rubber and glass industries benefit from the versatility of ColourStar® pigment pastes, whether for colouring rubber goods or coating or decorating glass. “We also produce customised pigment pastes tailored to individual customer requirements. This allows us to adapt the colourant’s colour, properties and consistency precisely to the customer’s needs,” explains Andreas Lorenz (Sales & Technology ACAT chemtech).

Carefully selected raw materials

The raw materials used are vital to ACAT. High-quality materials, such as organic or inorganic pigments and dyes, are used for the pigment pastes. Other ingredients include additives such as dispersing agents, water and solvents, latex and rubber. “Together with our suppliers, we carefully select the raw materials and test them for purity and quality. This guarantees end products that meet the highest standards and offer optimum performance and colour depth,” says Lorenz, speaking from practical experience.

Sophisticated manufacturing process

The production of pigment pastes requires precision. The raw materials are mixed according to fixed recipes, and the pigments and additives are precisely dosed. This ensures the desired colour properties. “When developing products, we often work very closely with our customers to create customised solutions. “Next, the mixture is ground to prevent pigment clumping. This creates a coarse dispersion and facilitates the next processing steps. The coarse pre-mixed paste is fed into special ball or bead mills. There, the pigments are ground further to evenly distribute in the paste. “State-of-the-art milling technology is the key to ensuring that the pigments reach the optimum size. This improves colour brilliance and stability,” says Lorenz. After grinding, the paste is processed further. This includes adjusting the viscosity, regulating the pH value and adding additional substances to improve durability and processing. Each batch is then subjected to strict quality control. During this process, colour shade, viscosity, particle size and stability are carefully tested, ensuring that the pigment pastes meet ACAT’s high quality standards and are suitable for their respective applications.

High-quality packaging

The finished pigment pastes are packaged in suitable containers, from small units for the laboratory or production trials to large containers for industrial customers. When it comes to packaging, ACAT employees take great care to ensure that no contamination occurs, and that the quality of the products is maintained during transportation and storage. “We consistently strive to ensure that our customers always get the best product, from raw materials to packaging,” concludes Lorenz. ●

Silysiamont S.p.A. is an Italian based company established in 2002 by the Japanese Company Fuji Silysia Chemical Ltd, specialized in the production of amorphous silica with more than 50 years’ experience.

Silysiamont S.p.A. produces micronized amorphous silica with varying degrees of pore volume and particle sizes under the brand name SYLYSIA®, and is active in the EMEA markets both directly and through a network of local distributors like Applied Chemicals.

Silysiamont is certified on Quality, Safety and Environmental by ISO 9001- 45001-14001 accreditation. The chemical structure of SYLYSIA® is based on Silicon Dioxide (SiO2), The refractive index of SYLYSIA® is 1.46 -a high transparency similar to many polymer materials.

Characteristics of SYLYSIA

Porosity

SYLYSIA® has a sponge-like structure with different degrees of porosity that varies from low (0,4 ml/g) to high (1,8 ml/g) pore volumes. Low pore volume grades present reduced liquids absorption capacity and therefore limited influence on viscosity. High pore volume grades are characterized by higher matting efficiency thanks to their higher volume (number of particles) per unit weight.

Surface Treatment

SYLYSIA® grades are characterized by high specific surface area (300-700 m2/g).

Surface treatment is applied to the product in order to improve the performance in various applications. In most SYLYSIA® grades an organic treatment, based on different wax types, is applied in order to meet specific needs, as for example: prevention of the formation of a hard sediment and improvement of the mechanical properties of the applied paint film.

Particle Size

Each SYLYSIA® grade has a specific and controlled particle size distribution. The particle size is immediately relevant to the matting efficiency, smoothness and transparency of the applied paint film. In most applications, the selection of a suitable SYLYSIA® grade with a specific particle size is governed by the thickness of the applied film.

Versatilit The wide range of pore and particle sizes available make SYLYSIA® grades suitable for a wide variety of applications.

Quality and mechanical properties of the applied film

SYLYSIA® grades provide smooth paint film surfaces with a high degree of transparency and consistency. SYLYSIA® organic surface treatment silica improves surface slip and also benefits mechanical properties of the film.

Ease of dispersion

SYLYSIA® is very easily dispersible even under critical conditions and can be added in any phase during the production cycle. However, high speed stirring equipment with suitable peripheral speed of 5 to 10 m/s and dispersion time of at least 15 to 20 minutes are recommended to get the best performance from the chosen silica grade.

Rheology

SYLYSIA’s special production process lead to silica with a minimal, highly controllable rheological impact allowing higher matting efficiency with optimum rheological behaviour.

Synthetic micronized silica gel can be used in a wide variety of applications including matting agents in paint and coatings, anti-blocking in polymer films, carrier in catalyst, food and cosmetics and many others.

Matting agent for coatings

Silica is available in a variety of different pore volume, particle size, oil absorption and surface treatment making SYLYSIA the ideal matting agent for the following applications: • Water and solvent based paint and varnish

• Leather coating
• Wood coating
• Do-It-Yourself (DIY)
• Coil coating
• UV systems
• Can coating

Ink

Sylysia in OPV offers an excellent matting efficiency combined with high transparency and enhanced blocking resistance.

Inkjet paper coatings

The wide spectrum of particle size, pore volume and oil absorption make SYLYSIA capable of meeting all the requirements of the coating formulators. The use of SYLYSIA speeds the ink drying rates, leading to excellent optical density and color gamut, enhancing high print definition and minimal color to color bleed.

Anti-Blocking

Adding SYLYSIA into the resin, the adhesive effects experienced during rolling and lamination of plastic films can be prevented. Thanks to it refractory index of 1.46 it can be used in most plastic resins without deteriorating film transparency.

Food & Cosmetics

SYLYSIA FCP is an amorphous silica-gel characterized by high purity and high porosity and it is produced to meet the US Pharmacopeia requirements. In the EU it is approved as E551 additive. It is used as anti-caking agent, flow and viscosity controller.

Special Fields

SYLYSIA® is a synthetic silica characterized by large internal surface area and high porosity. Controlling these properties, the silica can be used in a variety of other of application such Adhesives, Catalysts supports, Ceramics, etc.

Lithopone by VB Techno is a white pigment co-precipitated from solutions of zinc and barium salts in accordance with the following reaction equation:

ZnSO₄ + BaS → BaSO₄ *ZnS

Lithopone by VB Techno is an individual and pure chemical entity very different from any mixed products available to the market.

Lithopone by VB Techno is not only REACH and Indirect Food compliant, but also fulfils all the state of the art European RA Regulations for Toys, Packaging, Resin, etc.

Thanks to its rheological and optical properties, Lithopone by VB Techno offers both technical and economic advantages in TiO₂. Partial Replacement in a number of different applications.

LITHOPONE RED SEAL IN LIQUID COATINGS

Lithopone Red Seal by VB Techno is suitable in TiO₂ partial replacement for industrial and anticorrosive paint, for primer and for decorative and architectural paints.

Lithopone Red Seal present maximum purity, good opacity and reasonable light fastness. Lithopone Red Seal TiO₂ reformulation approach in liquid coating reduce costs, increase film resistance and show undirected fungicidal and algicidal actions.

REFORMULATE AS FOLLOW:

• Remove 5% up to 40% of TiO₂.
• Replace 1 Kg TiO₂ with 1 Kg of Lithopone Red Seal below 20% TiO₂ substitution rate.
• Replace 1 Kg TiO₂ with 1.3 Kg of Lithopone Red Seal above 20% TiO₂ substitution rate.
• Reduce coarse extender (if any) to achieve the original pigment volume concentration.
• Reduce a little binder.

VERY IMPORTANT:

During lab tests and production first of all add Lithopone to liquid batch disperse or mill and only after add TiO₂ and disperse or mill.

LITHOPONE PLATINUM SEAL IN MASTERBATCH

Lithopone Platinum Seal reduce cost, increase productivity, improve quality and is suitable for PP, PE, PS masterbatch for injection, single layer film, multilayer films masterbatch and for white, colored and filled masterbatch.

Lithopone Platinum Seal present maximum purity, good opacity and reasonable light fastness.

LITHOPONE RED SEAL IN NATURAL AND SYNTHETIC ELASTOMERS

Lithopone Red Seal is the perfect TiO₂ partial replacement solution for all pigmented natural and synthetic elastomers and rubbers since it is completely non-abrasive and extremely acid resistant.

Lithopone Red Seal in any kind of rubber do not only reduce cost by TiO₂ partial replacement but also increase industrial production output and increase finished product durability, thermal resistance, and mechanical resistance.

REFORMULATE AS FOLLOW:

• 1 Kg TiO₂: 1 Kg Lithopone Platinum Seal below 10% TiO₂ substitution rate
• 1 Kg TiO₂: 1,3 Kg Lithopone Platinum Seal above 10% TiO₂ substitution rate
• Reduce polymer content accordingly

VERY IMPORTANT: premix Lithopone Platinum Seal with TiO₂ in high speed or pin mixer before adding polymer and additives.

LITHOPONE RED SEAL IN PUTTIES, ADHESIVE, JOINTS AND SEALANTS

Lithopone Red Seal is the perfect TiO₂ partial replacement solution in putties due to its very soft nature and virtually not shrinking properties.

Lithopone Red Seal is suitable for TiO₂ partial replacement when major acid resistance is necessary such as in adhesive joints and sealants.

The team of ACAT Chemtech division is available for further technical support. Do not hesitate to contact us if you need detailed information or samples.

With our pigments, dyes and preparations, we can cover the entire range of industrial applications: in the plastics, paint and varnish, agricultural, building materials, food and feed, writing and artist sectors. Dyes are colouring substances. Unlike pigments dyes are soluble in application media, such as water, oils or solvents.

The main applications are the dyeing of textiles, paper and leather. Pigments are defined as colourants existing as fine particles and they are virtually insoluble in the application medium. They are used for paints, varnishes and plastics. In the pharmaceutical and food industry, however, the term dye is used for both pigments and soluble colourants.

Dyes are easy to use, but it takes some effort to commercially use pigments. Usually the particles must be pre-dispersed to break up and disperse the agglomerates.

Furthermore, dispersants and wetting agents are needed to wet the particles and to prevent separation from the application medium. To facilitate the complicated preparation for the consumer, often highly concentrated pigment preparations are distributed, which have to be adjusted to the individual application of the customer. For plastics, it is possible to produce

so-called master batches, in which the desired pigment or even mixtures of several pigments are incorporated into a binder matrix. The granulated pigment concentrates can be added very precisely during processing to achieve the exact and reproducible colour hue. Only in powder coatings pigments can be used without preparing. However, they are often combined with one or more fillers to be able to dose them more easily.

We supply pigments and dyes in liquid form and for aqueous applications APEO- and VOC-free. We also have universal pastes for solvent systems and aqueous systems in our product range. We offer pastes for epoxy, polyester, silicone and PU resins. Powders and dyes in powder form, also in dust-free or in pre-dispersed form, are available for many applications.

We are happy to advise you on the possibilities of delivering the tailor-made product for your application!

Lithopone is a re-discovered white pigment with functional properties suitable for several applications. It is chemically inert and practically insoluble in acids, alkalines and solvents. The optimized particle-size distribution imparts its low binder requirement and its excellent rheological behaviour. The low Mohs hardness produces lower abrasion comparedto TiO2. Further properties of this pigment are its high lightness, neutral white colour and its diffuse reflectance in the near UV range. Thanks to its rheological and optical properties, Lithopone is ideal for binder systems with high pigmentation or special requirements. We have barium sulphate both as grounded, natural, high-purity barium and as a synthetic, precipitated product. It can be also used as an universal extender with additional functional properties. Our products have the highest whitening power, they can be optimally dispersed and they have low oil absorption and abrasion.

Blanc Fix is chemically inert and has excellent UV barrier properties.