PIGMENTS AND DYES, DRY/DISPERSIONS, AND EXTENDERS

Antimony Oxide

Antimony oxide is a material produced from stibnite ores or as a byproduct of lead smelting and production, used for fire retardance.

Extender Pigments

Extender pigments are usually chemically inert compounds that can be found naturally or are made synthetically. Extenders provide characteristics to pigments such as thickness, gloss, and durability. (See also Extenders and Fillers, and Pigment Dispersions.)

Extender Pigments, Alumina Trihydrate

Serves as a non-halogen flame retardant and smoke suppressant.

Extender Pigments, Aluminum Silicate

(See Introduction to Fillers; Extenders and Fillers, Kaolin and Other Clays; and Extender Pigments, China Clay.)

Extender Pigments, Barium Sulfate (Barytes, Blanc Fixe)

Odorless, insoluble white powder that occurs in nature as barite.

Extender Pigments, Bentonite

Bentonite is a naturally occurring material used to thicken adhesive and sealant formulations.

Extender Pigments, Calcium Carbonate (Natural Ground)

Calcium carbonate finds wide use due to its low cost, availability, low oil absorption, and high brightness. It is also non-abrasive to processing equipment. Finer grades, including precipitated, are recommended in high-gloss applications, while coarser grades are used for gloss control in matte and low-gloss products. (See also Extenders and Fillers.)

Extender Pigments, Calcium Carbonate (Precipitated)

Additive derived from lime used to improve physical characteristics of adhesives and sealants.

Extender Pigments, Carbon Black

Carbon black is essentially synthetic soot produced by the incomplete combustion of natural gas. Its major use is as a reinforcing filler and pigment for rubber compounds, the largest application being in tires. (See also Introduction to Fillers.)

Extender Pigments, China Clay

Often referred to as kaolins, these materials are essentially a pure form of aluminum silicate clay. Finely ground versions are used as reinforcements and fillers for rubbers and adhesives. (See also Introduction to Fillers, as well as Extenders and Fillers, Kaolin and Other Clays.)

Extender Pigments, Magnesium Silicate

White powder used in the manufacture of paints and resins.

Extender Pigments, Mica

Mica is a silicate mineral in which the silicate structure is a series of tetrahedral-octahedral-tetrahedral layers where aluminum is substituted practically for silicon in the silicate tetrahedral structure. This substitution leaves the system open for additional substitution of monovalent or divalent cations to balance charge deficiencies created by the aluminum-for-silicon substitution.

Mica powder, or flake, is used as a filler in plastics or resins like epoxies and phenolics, where it imparts excellent electrical insulation properties plus chemical and moisture resistance. The color ranges from nearly neutral to dark gray, and can be clear to translucent depending on the nature of the cationic substitution in the mineral structure.

Mica is characterized by its propensity to break off into thin sheets or platelets. It is this platy or layered nature of the mineral that benefits adhesives and sealants. The plates form an interconnected structure that provides additional strength to the adhesive or sealant. Mica can be mined or produced synthetically. (See also Introduction to Fillers, and Extenders and Fillers.)

Extender Pigments, Silica, Amorphous-Naturally Occurring

Naturally occurring pigments without a defined shape or form.

Extender Pigments, Silica, Amorphous-Synthetic

Silica produced by the acidification of solutions of sodium silicate. It does not have a defined shape or form.

Extender Pigments, Silica, Quartz and Diatomaceous

Quartz silica is a colorless, white, variable, black, purple, or green crystal. It  is odorless and will not burn. A form of hydrous silica, diatomaceous silica is processed from natural diatomate, a sedimentary rock of varying degrees of consolidation that is composed essentially of the fossilized siliceous skeletal remains of single-cell aquatic plant organisms called diatoms. It consists of 83-89% silica, and its many uses include fillers for plastics. Known as diatomaceous earth, it has a particle size of 6 to 10 µm.

Extender Pigments, Talc

Materials such as talc and clay can be used in hot-melt adhesives to control the melt viscosity of the hot melt and to opacify the material. Most often, they are added to reduce the manufacturing cost of the formulated adhesive. (See also Extenders and Fillers, and Introduction to Fillers.)

Extender Pigments, Titanium Dioxide

Titanium dioxide is a white pigment and filler produced mainly from ilmenite (iron titanate) and natural rutile (titanium dioxide). It is widely used in adhesives, paints, paper, plastics, ceramics, rubber, inks, and a variety of other products. (See also Extenders and Fillers, and Introduction to Fillers.)

Inorganic Pigment Dispersions

Pigment dispersions that comprise inorganic pigments.

Inorganic Pigments

Pigments that comprise inorganic materials.

Organic Pigment Dispersions

Pigment dispersions are very popular in various industries. They can prove to be a clean and cost-effective way of coloring many products. The basic idea is to take an organic/inorganic pigment and disperse it into a liquid solution made up of a resin (or surfactant) and solvent (or water/oil/other carrier).

The process involves a pre-mix (all the ingredients mixed together using a high-speed mixer) being passed through a bead mill (a horizontal or vertical chamber filled with tiny beads being agitated) until the required level of dispersion is achieved. The amount of dispersion required will also depend on the ingredients being used and the end application. (See also Organic Pigments.)

Organic Pigments

Organic pigments combine high tinting strength with brilliance of shade, and cover practically the whole spectrum. They are typically used in combination with titanium dioxide and/or inorganic pigments that contribute opacity. Small quantities of carbon black are often added as a shading component.

Organic pigments cover the whole range of performance requirements for a wide range of polymers. Increasing performance is seen when moving from the classical pigment through the phthalocyanine pigment to the high-performance pigment ranges. (See also Inorganic Pigments.)

Pearlescent Pigments

Effect pigments that offer optical effects.

Pigment Dispersions

Certain pigments are affected by heat (when they will change color), and so a check is necessary on the heat stability of the colors chosen relative to the manufacturing process and end use. Pigments can contain a metal, which might deteriorate the elastomer used, calling either for the use of a chelating agent or the selection of an alternate pigment. Dispersing a pigment directly into an adhesive can be difficult, and is better performed either by pre-dispersing the pigment in a suitable carrier with the use of a commercial dispersing agent or by using commercially pre-dispersed pigment systems. (See also Introduction to Fillers.)

Titanium Dioxide

Titanium dioxide is a white pigment and filler produced mainly from ilmenite (iron titanate) and natural rutile (titanium dioxide). It is widely used in adhesives, paints, paper, plastics, ceramics, rubber, inks, and a variety of other products. (See also Extenders and Fillers, and Introduction to Fillers.)

Zinc Oxide

This fine-particle-size mineral is a white powder widely used as a pigment and accelerator. It is an excellent UV absorber and valued as an additive for outdoor applications.² (See also Introduction to Fillers.)

SOLVENTS

Solvents

Solvents are used in the manufacture of solvent-borne pressure-sensitive or contact adhesives. They can also be used to remove adhesive residue or to soften an adhesive to facilitate removal.

Acetates

A salt or ester of acetic acid.

Acetone

Miscible with water, acetone is typically used for cleaning purposes in laboratories.