- BASF delivers all key components for automotive coating formulations from one single source
- The chemical company provides tailor-made solutions in the fields of pigments, resins, performance additives and formulation additives
Between 19 and 21 March, BASF will be presenting its broad portfolio of state-of-the-art products for the automotive coating industry at the European Coatings Show 2013 (ECS) in Nuremberg. At stand 523 and 525 in hall 7A, experts from BASF will provide details of BASF’s range of pigments, resins, performance additives and formulation additives.
Among other features, coatings for automotive and transport applications need to be easy to apply, quick to dry, withstand the weather, be low in odor and resistant to scratches and scrapes. But manufacturers also want a wide variety of shades, effects and finishes to produce impressive and attractive car bodywork. Fortunately, BASF has the expertise and experience to be able to provide and further develop raw materials for automotive coating products that fulfill all these requirements.
Brighter, bolder and more brilliant than ever
BASF has recently added several new colored pigments to its range, as well as pigments that will allow manufacturers to create distinctive special effects and the ultimate shine in car bodies. Deep vibrant colors and luxurious brightness are now possible for manufacturers looking to produce cars that will turn heads.
One highlight is BASF’s Lumina® Royal family of effect pigments, which offers some of the most intense brilliance and maximum reflectivity available, especially in the blue, aqua, violet and copper color spectrums. Therefore reduced amounts of these pigments can be used in standard effect shades, improving the physical properties of the coating without sacrificing the overall interference effect.
Cu-phthalocyanine pigments represent one of the main classes of organic pigments used in the automotive coatings industry; whilst they give car designers a range of blue hues to work with, dispersing these pigments can prove challenging. BASF now presents two new dispersing agents, Efka® PX 4350 and Efka® PX 4751, for Cu-phthalocyanine pigments in solvent-based and high-solids applications. Benefiting from BASF’s Controlled Free Radical Polymerization (CFRP) technology, which allows a high level of control over the polymer structure, the dispersing agents are highly efficient and reduce the need to use a pigment synergist.
Blacker than black
BASF developers have also used CFRP technology to design just the right polymer structure for a versatile dispersing agent that helps to produce the blackest of all jet blacks in carbon black coatings. Dispex® Ultra PX 4585 is able to stabilize carbon black as well as organic pigments that are difficult to disperse and can be used with different water-based resins and pigments. The product offers an ideal solution for customers wanting VOC- and APEO-free formulations.
New possibilities for dramatic designs are possible thanks to a new product from BASF for light protection of carbon fiber substrates. These substrates need to be shielded from daylight, as radiation from UV and near-UV visible light can damage them. BASF’s Tinuvin® Carboprotect ensures protection of such materials in the presence of UV light, allowing them to be visibly displayed and thus producing an attractive surface that can be utilized for design purposes.
