Clariant has unveiled a complete color range of high-performance, easy to use colorants for UV cured wood coatings at the European Coatings Show 2017. The new Hostatint UV pigment preparation range supports the trend for colored UV systems and the industry focus on improving sustainability and product performance.

UV curing is gaining in popularity as coatings producers recognize its advantages in creating coatings with enhanced scratch, chemical and abrasion resistance, using less energy and resources. The technology offers opportunities for fast curing at low temperatures, increasing line speed to improve productivity, thus offering environmental and surface performance benefits.

Clariant’s new Hostatint UV liquid pigment preparations go the next step in supporting easy formulation of low VOC high performance coatings. The ready-to-use tinters are suitable for both interior and exterior coatings and cover the full color spectrum in opaque and transparent applications for dual and 100% UV systems. Their advantages include:

• Excellent product quality and compatibility in UV paint systems. Hostatint UV pigment preparations are high in pigment content but with a low viscosity that ensures good flow. They are compatible with common binder systems in UV wood coatings.
• Easy and safe coloration of UV paints based on ready to use product handling form. No complex pigment dispersion necessary.
• Wide variety of color options from the broad product range.
• High durability based on standard coatings color indices.
• Sustainable solution: colorants suitable for 100% UV-formulations ( low VOC) and dual cure systems.
• Compliancy with furniture and furnishing regulations.

Prof. Dr. Georg Meichsner, Esslingen University of Applied Sciences, Germany, says: “UV curing is very important in today’s trend to reduce solvent emissions. The curing of colored coatings without any major restrictions will be a key success factor.”

Dr. Thomas Metz, Head of Global Competence Center Coatings at Clariant, adds: “Clariant’s Hostatint UV range offers an easy solution to meet the growing trend for colored UV systems. The full color spectrum is covered with high performance, ready-to-use pigment preparations that add further value to the increased productivity, lower costs and surface performance improvements of UV cured wood coatings.”