Metallic pigments incorporation process

When incorporating metallic pigments into plastics care needs to be taken as not to damage the flake during the dispersing process which would result in reduced brilliance. Since aluminum and bronze pigments disperse very easy, this represents no problem. 

Studies of the metal-exchange process of P.R.49 (Na) to P.R.49 1 (Ba) [1] revealed that the process, apart from the temperature, is not only influenced by the crystal structure and the concentration of the barium ions but also by the amount of rosin soap. Colophony-based rosin which is assumed to act as a surfactant, is converted during the laking process into colorless insoluble rosinate salts. These salts are incorporated in the pigment til up to 30% by weight without a loss of tinctorial strength. Very often the color strength is even increased, accompanied by a color shift to more bluish reds. 

A number of resinated grades are produced in order to provide higher transparency and to optimize other aspects of pigment properties in application. For reasons connected with process engineering, the resin is typically incorporated as a metal (calcium) resinate. In the past, types of P.R.57 1 additionally contained certain amounts of barium sulfate. 

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