Coloration of Plastics is a key process which is mainly carried out to improve Plastics’ aesthetics and to enhance Plastics’ performance in use .
From the very beginning of the history of Plastics, inorganic pigments have very well fitted into the coloration of such material due to their excellent general .
- Compatibility with all kinds of polymers
- Easy dispersion
- Maintenance of polymer’s dimensional stability
- Heat fastness
- Light and weather fastness
- Opacity
- Insolubility, avoiding migration tendencies
Moreover, and with a few well-known exceptions, inorganic pigments are generally safe in processing and final use and environmentally friendly too .
| Range of Applications | What ultramarine is used to color | Characteristic(s) of ultramarine which makes it suitable for this purpose |
| PLASTICS and FIBRES | Thermoplastics (eg polyethene) plastic packaging – film and containers, plastic pipes, vinyl and linoleum floor coverings, synthetic fibres (eg nylon), natural and synthetic rubber. | Ultramarine blue does not cause shrinkage, distortion or warping of polymers in which it is incorporated (it gives “dimensional stability”). Ultramarine does not “leak” poisonous effluent in a landfill site in which the plastics or fibres are dumped. |