The value of the high-performance pigments (HPP) market was estimated at $4.75 billion in 2016, rising to $5.49 billion in 2021 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 2.9 percent, according to the latest report from Smithers Rapra. In volume terms, global consumption of high-performance and specialty pigments is expected to total 178,844 tons in 2016, rising to 206,921 tons by the end of 2021 at a CAGR of three percent.

Here is a look at some of the latest high performance pigment launches from BASF and Sun Chemical.

Marketed under the Colors & Effects brand, BASF launched the innovative stir-in pigment eXpand! red (EH 3427).

“It is the first pigment to result from the strategic partnership between BASF and Landa Labs,” said Rose Qin, global business management, pigments for Coatings, BASF. “Due to the very small particle size, the blue-shade red pigment features both high transparency and high tinting strength for unique, more intensive shades with lower scattering. Compatible with modern automotive coating systems, eXpand! Red is the first of its kind suitable for outdoor applications. The revolutionary high performance pigment extends the color space potential for intensive chroma shades meeting the high requirements of automotive OEM / refinish and also in aerospace, building & construction, powder coatings and consumer electronics applications. Also for automotive coatings, we launched two effect pigments at the American Coatings Show that will widen the golden color spectrum. Our Paliocrom Premium Gold is by far the most saturated aluminum based effect pigment and our Lumina Royal Exterior Dragon Gold are the latest addition in our series of highly saturated pearlescent pigments. These products not only provide a lot of value in the golden color space, but also offer extra scope in the green color area. Furthermore, the Paliocrom Brilliant Red – launched at the last European Coatings Show – is developing well and making fast inroads in new red OEM stylings.

Sun Chemical is a leader in high performance pigment chemistries. The company continues the expansion of the color range and development of products to meet the specific regional needs of its customers. Some of its newest high performance pigments include:

• Perrindo Maroon 179: One of the most yellow pigment red 179 shades on the market, Perrindo Maroon 229-8834 features the benchmark transparency that is vital to producing modern, high chromatic metallic red finishes and offers excellent light and weather fastness, rigorous process and quality control, compatibility in water and solventborne systems, and is easy to disperse.

• Quindo Red 122: Suitable for water and solventborne systems, Quindo 228-3122 enables excellent styling for highly transparent and chromatic effect shades and has excellent durability and fastness properties for automotive and high-performance coatings. As Sun Chemical’s newest quinacridone pigment, its good rheology and broad compatibility provides easy formulating using one product for all systems, and it delivers highly pigmented bases in low-VOC, high-solid coatings.

• Indofast Violet 23: Sun Chemical’s 235-LBP2 is a versatile pigment for general purpose use across a wide range of coating technologies for industrial and architectural end uses that features high strength, easy dispersability and improved opacity compared to other offerings. 

• Palomar Blue 15: Specifically developed for automotive coatings market, Sun Chemical’s Palomar Blue 15 is an phthalocyanine blue designed to have a highly desirable green flop color in metallic coatings. It is non-flocculating, non-crystalizing and has excellent rheological and lightfastness characteristics.  

• Sunbrite Yellow 74: Sun Chemical’s newest Azo yellow for architectural coatings was developed specifically for decorative coatings producers and the needs of machine colorants. It is easier to disperse than previous grades and delivers 15 to 20 percent more tint strength than comparable products. It has been quickly adopted because of its color point for existing and new VOC-free colorant systems.