Sun Chemical launches lead-free portfolio

Sun Chemical has launched a full-service package to support the replacement of lead components in coatings formulations with the new lead-free Paliotan VIU portfolio and accompanying technical service offering.

The Paliotan VIU portfolio includes several shades, such as a new lemon yellow, mid-yellow and red. The six newly launched pigments combine improved colour strength and opacity, leading to more cost-efficient formulations in decorative applications.

In addition, special grades with high durability enable formulators to create challenging shades in high-demanding industrial coatings applications while maintaining an attractive cost profile. The attractive value-in-use balance of the Paliotan VIU range is based on the hybrid chemistry of the new pigments, which combines the most beneficial properties of their organic and inorganic components.

Lead chromate has been implicated as a substance that may adversely impact human health and the environment and is therefore considered a substance of concern by many consumers and coatings companies. For this reason, many countries have banned the use of lead chromate in various applications, including architectural coatings and toys. Although the global paint and coatings industry is bound to governmental legislation, lead chromate is still widely used in many applications and regions, such as Latin America and Asia.

When choosing the appropriate lead-free pigment combination, colour and performance requirements vary by application and region. The colorant grades in the Paliotan VIU portfolio have been specially developed for the requirements in Asian and Latin American countries. With experience in global markets and widespread regulatory expertise, Sun Chemical can advise on how to reformulate and meet regional requirements.

Sun Chemical’s technical service support helps customers meet and exceed performance requirements with its new hybrid pigments. By supporting more sustainable alternatives in the paint and coatings industries and placing a focus on cost efficiency, Sun Chemical demonstrates how lead-free formulations improve the performance as well as value-in-use versus former lead-based coatings.