Polyaspartic is a high-performance coating widely applied in industrial protection, flooring, automotive, and wind energy sectors due to its rapid curing, excellent weather resistance, superior abrasion resistance, and strong mechanical properties. Color technology is crucial for achieving diverse decorative effects and functional requirements.
Selection of Colorants
1. Pigments
The most commonly used and important colorants.
- Inorganic Pigments: Such as titanium dioxide (white), iron oxide series (red, yellow, brown, black), chromium green, carbon black. Generally exhibit excellent weather resistance, lightfastness, heat resistance, chemical resistance, and hiding power, at relatively lower costs. Preferred for outdoor and heavy-duty anti-corrosion polyaspartic applications.
- Organic Pigments: Such as phthalocyanine blue/green, azo red/yellow, quinacridone red/purple. Provide brighter and more saturated colors with higher tinting strength but generally have inferior weather resistance, lightfastness, and chemical resistance compared to inorganic pigments (except high-performance grades) and are costlier. Rigorous screening is required to select polyurethane-compatible, weather-resistant types.
2. Dyes
Primarily for transparent or high-transparency effect coatings (e.g., metallic-like finishes). Limited use in polyaspartic systems due to generally poor weather resistance and migration resistance, causing fading or bleeding. High-performance solvent dyes may be suitable for specific applications.
3. Effect Pigments
Aluminum flakes (silver), pearlescent pigments (mica titanium), bronze powder, glass flakes, etc., used to create metallic, pearlescent, or sparkling effects.
Key considerations: Polyaspartic cures quickly with rapid solvent release, significantly affecting the orientation of effect pigments. Specially coated aluminum or pearlescent pigments suitable for fast-drying systems are necessary, along with optimized formulations (e.g., orientation aids) and application methods (spray pressure and technique).
Pigment Dispersion Technology
1. Dispersion Stability
Polyaspartic systems are typically two-component (resin and curing agent), often with high viscosity. Ensuring uniform pigment dispersion without settling or flocculation before storage and application is critical.
2. Dispersion Equipment
High-speed dispersers, sand mills, and basket mills are commonly used to fully disperse pigments evenly in resin or solvents.
3. Dispersion Additives (Wetting/Dispersing Agents)
A core component of color technology:
- Reduce grinding viscosity significantly, enhancing efficiency.
- Effectively encapsulate pigment particles, preventing reagglomeration and ensuring stability.
- Improve pigment-resin compatibility, increasing gloss, color strength, and vividness.
- Different dispersants (especially polymeric block copolymer types) are generally required for inorganic versus organic pigments.
4. Grinding Resins/Bases
Sometimes part of polyaspartic or compatible resins (e.g., low-viscosity acrylic resins) are used as grinding bases to produce pigment pastes. Choice of grinding base impacts paste stability, compatibility with primary resin, and final coating performance.
Color Matching Systems
- Pigment Paste Systems: Preparation of basic pigment pastes (e.g., titanium white, carbon black, iron oxide pigments, phthalocyanine blue/green, organic red/yellow).
- Color Matching Software and Databases: Professional color matching software (Datacolor, X-Rite) builds color databases specific to polyaspartic systems. Software calculates pigment paste proportions based on spectral data (Lab values).
- Tinting Equipment: Accurate tinting machines for automated or semi-automated pigment paste dosing.
- Quality Control: Colors are tested by producing coated panels, curing, and measuring color with spectrophotometers. Color deviation (ΔE) is compared against standard panels. Polyaspartic colors typically stabilize quickly (hours to one day) but long-term weathering effects must be monitored.
Compatibility with Polyaspartic Characteristics
1. Rapid Curing: Most distinctive polyaspartic characteristic.
- Requires pigments/pastes to rapidly and uniformly settle in films, posing challenges to effect pigment orientation.
- Pigment pastes must maintain compatibility and stability during quick mixing and application without flocculation.
- Tinting operations must be efficient to avoid gelation in mixing vessels.
2. High Reactivity: Impurities in pigments/pastes (e.g., moisture, reactive groups) may react adversely with isocyanate curing agents, affecting curing, performance, and color. Pigment moisture and active hydrogen content must be strictly controlled.
3. Viscosity and Application: Pigment paste addition influences system viscosity. Paste concentration must balance viscosity impact and flowability/compatibility. High-viscosity pastes can hinder uniform mixing.
4. Weather Resistance: Polyaspartic is commonly used outdoors; pigments (especially organic) must have excellent weather and UV resistance to prevent chalking, fading, or discoloration.
5. Chemical Resistance: Pigments must withstand chemical exposure (acids, alkalis, solvents) in industrial anti-corrosion applications.
Color Differences from Epoxy Systems
- Curing Speed: Epoxies cure slowly, allowing pigments longer positioning time; polyaspartics cure rapidly, placing higher demands on pigment dispersion and effect pigment orientation.
- Yellowing Resistance: Epoxies inherently yellow over time (especially aliphatic amine-cured systems), impacting white/light colors. Polyaspartics (aliphatic) exhibit superior yellowing resistance, preserving brightness in decorative fields (high-end flooring, construction).
- Weather Resistance: Epoxies have poor weather resistance and limited outdoor use. Polyaspartics excel outdoors, fully exploiting high-performance pigments' durability.
- Gloss and Transparency: Polyaspartics typically achieve higher gloss and more vivid transparent colors, particularly with organic pigments or dyes.
Summary of Polyaspartic Color Technology
- Select appropriate pigments based on application requirements (weather resistance, chemical resistance, color, cost).
- High-efficiency, stable dispersion using advanced wetting/dispersing agents and grinding methods.
- Professional color matching systems ensuring accuracy and reproducibility.
- Address rapid curing challenges, especially effect pigment orientation and compatibility.
- Leverage inherent non-yellowing characteristics of polyaspartic to maintain vibrant colors.
Successful color technology relies on close collaboration between pigment suppliers, paste manufacturers, coating formulators, and applicators, forming the basis for polyaspartic's high performance and aesthetic appeal.
Feiyang has been specializing in the production of raw materials for polyaspartic coatings for 30 years and can provide polyaspartic resins, hardeners and coating formulations.
Feel free to contact us: marketing@feiyang.com.cn
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