Colour Your World
What is colour? Colour is perceived by the eye's retina when light strikes matter on earth and a portion is absorbed while the rest is reflected. Although three primary colours are known, there are four primary colours on a plane: these are 'Red-Yellow-Blue-Green'. In colour space, Red-Green and Yellow-Blue are complementary colours.
Black appears black because the pigment absorbs light completely and reflects none.
White appears white because the pigment reflects light completely. White is achromatic (pure) and is formed from the combination of three primary colours (Green+Red+Blue). The factors affecting colour can be listed as follows:
- Light source,
- Object size,
- Background,
- Viewing angle.
Light sources are: Daylight – d65/10, F 2/10 (fluorescent), A 2/10 (tungsten). The human eye can see wavelengths between 400nm-770 nm. Each colour has specific wavelengths at which it is perceived.
The answer to the question "What gives colour to objects?" is pigments. For the eye to perceive the colour that pigments give to objects, a light source is needed. Colours are perceived through the reflection or absorption of incoming light by the object. The properties of pigments are:
- They are insoluble in the systems to which they are applied,
- However, they must be able to disperse well,
- Coloristic properties vary depending on the systems to which they are applied and dispersion conditions. In other words, colour intensity also depends on good grinding and dispersion.
- Particle composition can be in the form of agglomerates, aggregates, and primary particles.
- Crystal structure affects pigment characteristics and durability properties.
- Particle size affects opacity and colour intensity.
- UV resistance is one of the most fundamental properties of a pigment, and the UV resistance of a coloured paint varies according to many criteria such as the pigment's chemical structure, production process, particle size, concentration, composition, and binder type.
The numeric codes used to classify and define pigments are called "colour index".
Inorganic pigments can be defined as metal salts and metal oxides with very low solubility.
Their opacity and external durability are excellent. Organic pigments are pigments obtained naturally, with more vivid and clean colours. Pigments that add colour to our lives are used in almost every field such as paints, textiles, cosmetics, and food. The most common sector where they are used is the paints and coatings industry.
BASF, one of the world's leading manufacturers in this field, serves the sector by offering many specific products for all types of systems and acts as a distributor with a serious product portfolio.
As powder pigments, there are organic, inorganic, hybrid, transparent, effect and heat-resistant pigments, while in the production process and for machine colouring systems there are also concentrated pigment preparation alternatives.
Pigment preparation is formed by grinding it in a liquid medium (resin and/or solvents) with good dispersion until it becomes a concentrated paste.
Regarding the advantages of preparations, features such as easier colouring of paints and coatings, no grinding requirement, easy dosing capability and greater environmental friendliness can be listed.
In BASF's product portfolio, the pigment preparation series LUCONYL® and LUCONYL NG® (non-glycol) used in water-based systems are VOC-free types. Additionally, as a preparation for solvent-based decorative and wood coatings, the SICOFLUSH® series consisting of non-opaque transparent iron oxide pigments is available.
We can summarise BASF's product portfolio regarding organic and inorganic pigments and pastes as follows.
LUCONYL NG®; These products have been developed as APEO free and suitable for use in VOC-free formulas according to 2010 regulations.
LUCONYL®; Glycol-containing pigment pastes suitable for water-based systems.
SICOFLUSH L®; Pigment pastes consisting of inorganic pigments and carbon black. These products are used in all solvent-based decorative paints, especially in wood systems. Available in carbon black, iron oxide yellow and iron oxide colours.
SICOFLUSH P®; Pigment pastes produced with inorganic and carbon black pigments and compatible with many solvent-based systems.
HELİOGEN®; Green and blue phthalocyanine pigments. They have excellent external durability. Colour indices: PB 15:1, 15:2, 15:3, 15:4, 15:6, PG 7, 36.
PALİOGEN®; Indantrone blue and transparent red pigments. They have excellent durability properties. Colour indices: PB:60, PR:178, PR:179.
PALİOTOL®; Yellow and orange organic pigments. Paliotol Black L 0080 is an exception. It is aniline black. They have high chroma, opacity and external facade durability. Colour indices: PY:139, PO:67, PY:138, PY:185, PY:151.
SICOPAL®; Bismuth vanadate (PY 184) pigments. They can be recommended in vivid yellow, orange, red and green colours. Light fastness is high.
SICOTAN®; Rutile-structured inorganic colour pigments. Nickel (PY 53) and Chromium (PBr 24) titan yellow. They have excellent heat, light and chemical resistance in fulton and titania formulations.
SICOTRANS®; Sicotrans pigments consist of very small transparent iron oxide particles. Due to their very high external durability, they are especially recommended for wood and automotive effect paints used outdoors. PY:42, PY:101.
PALIOTAN®; Paliotan pigments are hybrid pigments formed from a combination of high-performance organic and inorganic pigments. They are available in yellow, orange and red shades. Since they are hybrid, they do not have colour indices.
X-FAST®; X-Fast granular pigments are non-dusting products used by direct addition to water-based systems. They contain no solvents and are therefore suitable for VOC-free products.
MICROLITH®; Preparations consisting of high-performance organic and inorganic pigments and requiring no dispersion. Types suitable for water-based and solvent-based systems are available.
As Boysan Boya San. ve Tic. A.Ş., with our 48 years of technical and commercial experience in the market, we will continue to serve the paint and coatings industry in Turkey and Turkic Republics with the pigment and paste product portfolio of BASF, one of the world leaders in its field, particularly in decorative paints, powder coatings, industrial paints, automotive paints and specialty protective paints.
Tuğba Sadıç
Senior Technical Manager
BOYSAN A.Ş. & TARAKİM A.Ş.
