TAGS: Inks Sustainability / Natural Coatings
A research team from Fraunhofer IPA, in collaboration with the University of Paderborn and the industrial partner Siegwerk Druckfarben, succeeds for the first time in producing biogenic pigments from chitin and bio-based dyes.
The innovation can be pioneering for companies in the packaging industry, the cosmetics and textile sectors or pharmaceuticals, which today use synthetically produced petroleum-based pigments due to a lack of alternatives.
Crusty Pigments
Printing inks consist of pigments, binders, additives and solvents. The pigments are responsible for the color and are therefore an essential component of the printing inks. Apart from natural colors, the raw materials for the synthetic-colored pigments available on the market all come from petroleum chemistry.
Scientists from Fraunhofer IPA and the University of Paderborn, together with the industrial partner Siegwerk Druckfarben, have now developed biogenic pigments from chitin as a carrier substance and bio-based dyes on a pilot scale for the first time as part of the ‘Crustacea-Chitin based colored pigments (Crusty Pigments)’ project.
With the biogenic pigments made from chitin and bio dyes, important prerequisites have been developed for formulating printing inks that are harmless to the environment.
The name ‘Crusty Pigments’ comes from the origin of the basic pigment, which is obtained from chitin. Chitin is, among other things, a waste product from crab production that is usually disposed of in large quantities without being recycled. By producing ‘Crusty Pigments’, chitin can not only be reused, but also converted into high-quality raw materials.
‘Crusty Pigments’ are therefore ideal for applications in areas where printing inks must be handled sensitively. For example, in the production of food packaging, it is particularly important that the printing inks used for the packaging do not contaminate the food with migratory and questionable ingredients. This security would be provided with ‘Crusty Pigments’.
To date, no biogenic and biodegradable pigments are available or known as a market-relevant alternative to synthetic, organic-colored pigments in the area of printing inks. By using ‘Crusty Pigments’ in products, printed packaging takes a big step forward.
Source: Fraunhofer IPA