At the 2024 American Coatings Show + Conference, Orion S.A. will showcase its suite of high-performance gas black pigments and their benefits to coatings manufacturers. Orion also will highlight three new sustainable carbon blacks for coatings plus its PRINTEX kappa 50 conductive black. 

The 2024 American Coatings Show + Conference will take place April 30 – May 2 in Indianapolis.

“The gas black process produces a deep black with properties that are ideal for coatings and printing systems,” said Carlos Hernandez, marketing manager, coatings & printing systems, Americas at Orion, which is the only company with gas black capabilities. “The high structure and high purity of gas blacks lead to exceptional dispersibility compared to other carbon blacks of the same particle size.”

As examples, COLOUR BLACK FW 200, COLOUR BLACK FW 2, SPECIAL BLACK 4 and SPECIAL BLACK 6 feature excellent degrees of dispersion plus high purity. Their UV absorption mitigates weathering and their low pH makes the grades ideal for UV coatings systems.

“In addition,” Hernandez noted, “the gas blacks’ narrow particle size distribution speeds pigment development, and thus coatings production, while improving color performance.”   

Circular Carbon Blacks for High Jetness and Tinting

Orion’s sustainability strategy is key to its product development. The company has organized it business around sustainable development and helping coatings

manufacturers participate in the circular economy by producing sustainable materials.
“Our new circular grades, based on pyrolysis oil and renewable sources, meet the same application requirements as conventional specialty carbon blacks,” said Jennifer Stroh, PhD, Orion director of sales and marketing – Specialties Americas. “As a result, formulators can create more sustainable coatings with comparable application properties to regular specialty carbon blacks.”

XPB 10045, Orion’s first circular gas black for coatings systems, is designed for high-jetness applications and is compatible with all suitable coatings systems.  XPB 10042 and XPB 10049 powders, Orion’s first circular furnace blacks, are designed for tinting applications.

Conductive and Clean

PRINTEX kappa 50 powder meets or exceeds performance requirements for conductivity, dispersibility and cleanliness at lower concentrations than conventional conductive carbon blacks. Introduced in 2013 and previously designated XPB 545, PRINTEX kappa 50 achieves the percolation threshold with low carbon black loading and good coloristic properties.