Controlling Coating Color Quality with Dispersants

By Cynthia Challener

Dispersant and pigment manufacturers discuss recent trends and issues affecting this sector.

CRITICAL COMPONENTS:

Dispersants, although accounting for only a few percent of the total material in paint and coating formu­lations, play a critical role in their performance. Dispersants provide color stability and help maximize pigment opacity by increasing the exposed surface area of the pigment particles, thus increasing coverage while reducing costs.

Because their products are a key component of paints, dispersant manufacturers work closely with coating and pig­ment producers to stay abreast of new technology developments. They also face the current challenges of higher raw material and energy costs and increasing regulations.