16 августа, 2015 
Pokraskin High performance pigments are an important segment of the diverse and rich field of color and visual effect technology. The sub-category of pigments referred to as “high performance” generally denotes members of the larger body of pigments, both organic and inorganic, that exhibit enhanced durability. The most salient durability feature is generally regarded as resistance to visible and ultraviolet radiation (lightfastness), but heat stability and chemical resistance are also critical attributes.
The distinctions within the various pigment sub-classes are not always consistent with this definition and can cause some confusion to new participants in the field. For example, copper phthalocyanine pigments typically exhibit the excellent fastness characteristics associated with high performance pigments but are often relegated to the category of classical or commodity pigments due to their prolific use in lower cost applications (e. g. publication printing inks) where durability is of minimal consequence or value. The characterization of pigments as high performance or classical types by cost is unreliable and ill advised.
The situation is further complicated by the relatively broad range of durability within the high performance pigment class. Though many organic high performance pigments exhibit sufficient stability for long-term outdoor applications, they are still not as lightfast or heat stable as the most durable inorganic members of the field. Yet another complicating factor is that application systems can significantly influence the performance. For example, copper phthalocyanine pigment may exhibit extremely poor resistance to sodium hypochlorite in one paint system and excellent resistance in another, while a mixed metal oxide performs equally well in both. Pigment surface treatments can also confound the classification situation. Lead chromate and aluminum pigments can be rendered more stable by encapsulating them with a dense amorphous layer of silica. Without this surface treatment these pigments could hardly be considered high performance in many applications.
Though it is challenging to summarize trends in such a technically diverse industry there are a two worth mentioning because they may provide some relevance and context with regard to the ongoing technical evolution. The first is that as product stewardship has gained a more prominent role in the chemical industry it has influenced the technical efforts of companies and universities engaged
in high performance pigment research and development. The Dyes & Pigments journal reported that over 60% of the research papers it receives pertain to environmental and product stewardship issues such as effluent treatment and toxicology. Most high performance pigments fall into the category of nano-particles which recently have been defined by the United States Environmental Protection Agency as particles having at least one dimension less than 100 nm. Nano-particle technology is receiving intensive scrutiny due to concerns over possible toxicological effects. The second trend is an increase in research directed toward elaborating high performance pigments for enhanced performance in emerging technologies such as digital printing, electronic displays, and solar cells, to name a few.
The chapters to follow are authored by some of the most knowledgeable innovators and practitioners in the field. Collectively, they have hundreds of patents and many have lectured throughout the world in their respective areas of expertise. Of equal importance to their technical depth is their knowledge of the commercial aspects which will influence the future of the technology and the industry. Their insights will hopefully prove to be valuable to the reader and their contributions to this collection are greatly appreciated.
Finally, thank you to Sun Chemical Corporation for its commitment and support of the project.
Ed Faulkner Russell Schwartz
Опубликовано в рубрике 