Titanium Dioxide

Coatings

Market segments: Architectural, Industrial Coatings, Can Coatings, Coil Coatings, Automotive Coatings, Powder Coatings

Coatings Basics

The RCL TiO₂ products for coatings are developed from the expertise of INEOS Pigments for best in class performance. Our pigments display an optimum balance of properties tailored to your specific application.

Tint Strength: The tint strength of TiO₂ is influenced by the particle size and particle size distribution of the titanium dioxide pigment. Strong tinting strength pigments are defined by narrow particle size distributions and optimized mean particle sizes. INEOS Pigments’ products deliver high tint strength.

Dispersion: In any coating, the full potential of the pigment cannot be realized without optimum dispersion. INEOS Pigments’ TiO₂ are surface treated to create compatibility with a wide range of coating binders facilitating ease of dispersion.

Color: INEOS Pigments TiO₂ delivers a bright and clean tone allowing the coatings formulator maximum flexibility in producing a range of colors.

Durability: The choice of titanium dioxide can significantly influence the durability of a coating system. There are two main ways of producing durable TiO₂ pigments. The first involves encapsulating the TiO₂ particle with a dense layer of silica and alumina,  creating a physical barrier between the TiO₂ and the binder. The second method is application of zirconia and alumina. The zirconia prohibits the formation of free radicals which can degrade the binder system.

INEOS Pigments offers products with both surface treatment approaches providing the coatings formulator the ability to optimize the durability/opacity balance of the coating.

Gloss: The gloss potential of a titanium dioxide pigment is controlled by its primary particle size and the number of oversized particles. Oversized particles are defined as having a diameter greater than 500 nanometers (0.5 microns). A high percentage of oversized particles will reduce the gloss potential. INEOS Pigments’ manufacturing processes ensure that the primary particle size of the pigment is optimized and oversized particles minimized. This ensures high quality gloss finishes.

Undertone: Undertone is defined as the yellow/blue impact of TiO₂ on tinted coatings systems. The undertone of a TiO₂ pigment is directly dependent upon its mean particle size. A TiO₂ pigment with a larger particle size will give a yellower undertone. Smaller particle size pigments will contribute to a blue undertone. INEOS pigments’ TiO₂ is controlled to a particle size that gives a consistent neutral or blue undertone allowing the coatings formulator flexibility in developing a wide range of colors.

Plastics

Market segments: Masterbatch/Color Concentrate, Rigid PVC, Flexible PVC, Engineering Plastics, PVC Plastisols, Liquid Color

Plastics Basics

INEOS TiO₂ pigments offer optimal performance in a range of end-use applications.

Dispersion: In order for titanium dioxide to deliver efficiency in use, the product must be dispersed. Dispersion is the process of breaking up agglomerates of pigment particles into individual particles, wetting the individual particles out and preventing the reagglomeration of the particles. INEOS Pigments’ range of TiO₂ products have been designed for optimum dispersion in a wide range of plastics systems.

Lacing: Lacing is an occurrence in high temperature extrusion processes where imperfections such as holes and lensing develop in the film as it emerges from the die. Moisture or other volatile components in the resin or additives can change to gas under pressure in the extruder or die to form voids in the film. TiO₂ can contribute to lacing. INEOS Pigments has developed pigment technology that can minimize lacing in high temperature extrusion applications.

Melt Flow Properties of Polymers with Titanium Dioxide: Being an inorganic additive, titanium dioxide tends to increase the viscosity of the polymer melt. High viscosity can negatively impact the melt process. INEOS Pigments has developed titanium dioxide pigments with hydrophobic surface treatments that promotes wetting and compatibility with the polymer matrix. These products deliver lower viscosity in plastics systems.

Durability and Weathering: UV light can attack plastics resin systems leading to the degradation of the system. Pigmentary TiO₂ can impart durability in plastics systems by absorbing much of the UV light it comes into contact with. 

Paper

Market segments: Bleached Board, Coated Free-sheet, Coated Groundwood, Coated Paper Board, Paper Laminate, Uncoated Free-sheet

Paper Basics

High quality papers are defined by high brightness and high opacity. TiO₂ is the most effective pigment available to papermakers that provides both.

Dry vs. Slurry Use: Slurry TiO₂ offers the paper maker a TiO₂ that is optimally dispersed in an aqueous version that can be quickly and accurately metered for addition into the paper formulation. Slurry also allows for reduced labor costs and product waste since there are no bags to open or dispose of. Dry TiO₂ offers advantages in that its use can be customized for the formulation, can address production constraints and can deliver end product specificities.

Coating Addition Issues: Proper dispersion in coated fine paper is critical for optimum performance. During coating make-up TiO₂ should be added under good mixing conditions prior to any CaCO₃ utilized in the formulation. Also of note, increasing TiO₂ levels in the coating can result in particle crowding which can diminish or “level off” opacity improvements. One way to address TiO₂ crowding is to split the TiO₂ use between the wet-end and coating.