Clariant at the Eurocoat 2006 in Barcelona, Spain

Muttenz, Switzerland -- "Innovation and Service" is Clariant's slogan for the Eurocoat 2006, which takes place from October 3 to 5 in Barcelona, Spain. At this internationally renowned event, Clariant's Pigments and Additives Division, whose competitive strengths include outstanding customer service and first-class product quality, showcases its products at Stand D-10.

Clariant's presentation at the Eurocoat also includes three paper presentations:

Also at the center of Clariant's presentation are the new red and rubine pigments of the Hostaperm® series, which are based on diketopyrrolopyrrole chemistry. Other product highlights are Sanduvor disp. XP, a series of light stabilizers, which have been specially developed for aqueous clearcoats; high-performance colorants and waxes for non-impact printing (NIP); and the trailblazing non-halogenated flame retardants of the Exolit® AP series. The experts from Clariant are looking forward to an exchange with fair visitors about the latest developments in paints and coatings.

Based on DPP chemistry: the new Hostaperm® pigments

Bright red is the trademark of the new pigments based on diketopyrrolopyrrole (DPP) chemistry in Colour Index (C.I.) Pigment Red 254. Hostaperm® Red D2G 70 is a high-value red pigment that is particularly suitable for OEM automotive paints and refinishes. The high color strength and opacity make Hostaperm® Red D3G 70 not only an ideal addition to Clariant's range of pigments for industrial coatings, but also a good fit for automotive refinishes.

The two innovative rubine pigments based on DPP chemistry, Hostaperm® Rubine D3B and Hostaperm® Rubine D3B-WD (Colour Index Pigment Red 264) are highly transparent and offer exceptional color strength as well as excellent fastness. A specially modified surface in Hostaperm® Rubine D3B generates very good rheological properties and a significantly improved resistance to flocculation. The main areas of application are in combination with effect pigments, such as aluminum bronzes or mica pigments. These two new products are another step forward in Clariant's concept of twin pigments. While Hostaperm® Rubine D3B is ideally suited for solvent-based coatings, particularly for environmentally friendly finishes with high solids content, the same coloristics can be achieved in aqueous systems with Hostaperm® Rubine D3B-WD. This makes it very easy in both systems to formulate even very precisely defined shades, as required for automotive finishes.

Colanyl® 500: always the right shade

Colanyl® 500 is the name of a comprehensive range of environmentally friendly pigment preparations for many different applications. The preparations are now available in highly defined color shades (gravimetric color strength ±2%). Their excellent flowability and pumpability, as well as their high stability against sedimentation and drying out, and their outstanding high quality with very low tolerance in the specifications create excellent conditions for the hassle-free use of the products in automated dosing and mixing equipment. The main areas of application of the aqueous preparations, which are free of binding agents and solvents and have high pigment content, are aqueous dispersion paints and synthetic resin-bound renderings. The preparations are also suitable for coloring aqueous wood stains and veneers, acrylic and polyester cast resins, as well as for latex staining and waterproof watercolors. It goes without saying that all products of the series fulfill the requirements of the German Low-Emission Paints guideline RAL-UZ 102 and the 2007-2010 EU Decopaint Directive 2004/42/EC. The products are VOC-free and do not contain alkyl phenol ethoxylates (APEO).

Improved processing with the new ED pigments

In coatings production, the dispersion of pigments is a step that requires a lot of effort and has a major impact on the quality of the pigments. This is why Clariant has developed special pigments that can be dispersed in solvent-based coatings systems in a much easier way than conventional pigments. Already during the production of these ED pigments ("easily dispersible"), a highly efficient and widely compatible dispersing additive is added to their surface so that no other dispersing additive is necessary. Dispersion times in bead mills are reduced by 50 to 70%. It is also possible to disperse ED pigments in a dissolver, which produces a finer grind and higher color strength than using conventional pigments. ED pigments can be used in many common solvent-based coatings systems, such as melamine-curing baking enamels, air-drying coatings, and 2-pack reactive systems. Compared to coatings with conventional pigments, coatings with ED pigments also exhibit improved gloss and less haze. The following products are currently available: Hostaperm Violet RL-ED LV 3064 (C.I. Pigment Violet 23), Novoperm Orange HL 70-ED LV 3065 (C.I. Pigment Orange 36), and Novoperm Yellow F2G-ED LV 3066 (C.I. Pigment Yellow 194). Other pigments are under development.

Sanduvor® disp. XP: perfect UV protection for water-based coatings

The Sanduvor® disp. XP range was developed for the special requirements of water-based coatings. It stands out by easy incorporation, high compatibility, and excellent effectiveness. In addition to the broad range of applications, additional benefits are that the additives are recognized as toxicologically and environmentally safe. Due to their conditioning with biocides and humectants, the products have a significantly longer shelf life than other light stabilizer dispersions. A selected product from the range is Sanduvor® 3330 disp. XP. With its superior properties, it is recommended even for sophisticated applications, such as aqueous automotive clearcoats.

Colorants, preparations, waxes, and control charge agents for digital printing

Clariant is also a world-leading manufacturer of colorants for non-impact printing (NIP) and toner applications. The broad product portfolio includes special pigments for NIP and toner applications, water- and solvent-based pigment preparations, colorants (in powder form, liquid, or soluble in water or solvents), toner waxes, and charge control agents for toner. Additional information about individual product groups is available from the Clariant experts at the Eurocoat trade fair booth.

Protecting safely with Exolit® AP

A flame retardant with foaming effect is Exolit® AP. Because is forms a foam in case of a fire, it is also called "intumescent." The system is based on ammonium polyphosphate (AP), is nonhalogenated and easy to process. Exolit® AP has very low water solubility and meets all current requirements for environmentally friendly and highly effective fire protection. In case of a fire, the white powdery product decomposes. The Exolit® AP grades have low smoke density, and no build-up of additional corrosive gases occurs in case of a fire. Exolit® AP not only significantly reduces emissions in case of a fire; it also does not migrate but remains permanently in the system. Many different modifications, mixtures of synergists, and special formulations are available, so the Exolit® AP system covers a wide range of applications. A preferred area of application are various intumescent coatings.

Licocene® for adhesives: tailored viscosity, improved cohesion

The innovative Licocene® products from the Pigments & Additives Division are highperformance polymers based on polyolefines and manufactured with the aid of metallocene catalysts. The Licocene® family ranges from isotactic to completely amorphous polyolefines whose property profile can be determined precisely by a worldwide unique production process developed by Clariant. Especially for hot-melt applications in adhesives, numerous grades such as TP Licocene® PP 1502, 1602, 2602, 4202, or PE 4201 have been developed. With these products, the viscosity of hot-melt adhesives can be determined with great precision. Some types also significantly improve the cohesion. Compared to conventional formulations, Licocene® can considerably improve the thermal properties of holt-melt adhesives. Grafted modifications also become more and more popular for hot-melt applications. These include TP Licocene® PP SI 3262, a trimethoxyvinylsilane grafted polypropylene, or Licocene® PP MA 1452, a polypropylene wax grafted with maleic anhydride. This grade, which is currently under development, is an emulsifiable variant especially designed for aqueous applications. Generally the new products feature low viscosity, are colorless and odor-free, and feature outstanding thermal stability.

Clariant is a global leader in the field of specialty chemicals. Strong business relationships, commitment to outstanding service and wide-ranging application know-how make Clariant a preferred partner for its customers. Clariant is committed to sustainable growth springing from its own innovative strength. Clariant's innovative products play a key role in its customers' manufacturing and treatment processes or else add value to their end products. The company's success is based on the know-how of its people and their ability to identify new customer needs at an early stage and to work together with customers to develop innovative, efficient solutions.

Clariant, which is represented on five continents with over 100 group companies, employs about 23,000 people. Headquartered in Muttenz near Basel, it generated sales of around CHF 8.2 billion in 2005. Clariant's businesses are organized in five divisions: Textile, Leather & Paper Chemicals, Pigments & Additives, Functional Chemicals, Life Science Chemicals and Masterbatches.

The Pigments & Additives Division offers a wide range of high-quality organic pigments, pigment preparations, dyes, and additives for industrial and automotive coatings, paints, printing inks, plastics, and specialized applications, such as cosmetics, detergents, and agro.

Source: Clariant