Pigment concentrate, also known as pigment paste, is essentially a highly concentrated form of pigment dispersed in a minimal amount of binder (grinding resin).
Here's a breakdown:
- High Pigment Content: Pigment concentrates prioritize maximizing the amount of pigment packed into the mixture.
- Minimal Binder: The binder, or grinding resin, is kept to a minimum, just enough to properly disperse and stabilize the pigment. This allows the user to add the concentrate to their own coating or formulation without significantly altering the properties of the final product.
- Monopigmented Systems: Typically, pigment concentrates feature only one type of pigment. This allows for precise color control when blending different concentrates.
How Pigment Concentrates are Used:
Pigment concentrates are utilized in the production of coatings in two key ways:
- Color Matching & Tinting: Concentrates enable precise color matching in various coating applications. By carefully blending different pigment concentrates, manufacturers can achieve a specific desired color.
- Base Formulation Pigmentation: Concentrates are added to base coating formulations to achieve the desired color and opacity. Since the concentrate contributes primarily pigment, the formulator can control the other properties (gloss, durability, etc.) of the coating independently.
