A new blue phthalocyanine pigment from BASF claims to eliminate the problem of warping which can occur with this type of product

A new blue phthalocyanine pigment from BASF claims to eliminate the problem of warping which can occur with this type of product

Heliogen® Blue K 7104 LW for polyolefins is said to remain stable during processing, providing a high colour strength with ease of dispersion.

According to BASF, phthalocyanine pigments are characterized by excellent colour-fastness but often cause distortion in the injection moulded parts they are being used to colour. In contrast, the company says its new pigment causes virtually no warping. Usually, this can only be achieved by using inorganic blue pigments, it says. The pigment is not sensitive to changes in injection moulding conditions and shear, and it has been approved for use with food and drug products. Possible applications include coloured bottle crates and bottle caps.

Another BASF product, Univul® 3030 ultraviolet (UV) absorber, recently gained approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which means it can now be used in any plastic application that comes into contact with foodstuffs.

The absorber, which had already been granted approval by the European Union (EU) for food contact, is claimed to offer an unusually high thermal stability and low volatility. BASF says it is ideal for applications such as packaging, storage vessels and kitchen equipment.

Univul 3030 can be used with polycarbonate (PC), polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polyethersulfone (PES), which are processed at high temperatures. Its compatibility with PC is said to make it particularly well suited to high-transparency applications such as panes and atriums.