High Performance Pigments '99, organized by Intertech and held in Miami Beach, USA recently, brought together specialists from around the world to discuss colorants. Mark Holmes reports on some of the latest developments for the plastics industry.
In a keynote address Dr. Bansi Kaul, head of pigment technology research at Clariant, chose value-in-use and not far-beyond-use as his theme. He emphasized that while the main function of a colorant is to impart decorative character and sales appeal, it may also influence the functional properties of the substrate. The complexity of legislation, product and occupational safety and environmental protection all now affect colorant selection and while coloration, which used to be thought of as a black art, is becoming an increasingly precise science.
For the coloration of thermoplastics the most convenient and cost-effective way is the use of polymer soluble dyes, where they can be used. They offer the best value-in-use, despite a high optical price.