Phthalocyanine Blue Use for Coatings, Inks, Plastics, Rubber, and Fibers

Product Description

Product Description

Physical Properties

Physical properties directly affect the dispersibility, processability, and appearance performance of phthalocyanine blue in media. The core indicators are as follows:

 

• Density: Approximately 1.50~1.70 g/cm³ (slightly different depending on crystal form and particle size);
• Particle Size: The particle size of conventional products ranges from 0.01 to 0.1 μm, while ultra-fine grades can reach the nanometer level (<0.01 μm). Smaller particle sizes result in stronger tinting strength and transparency;
• Specific Surface Area: 10~80 m²/g (unsubstituted phthalocyanine blue has a lower specific surface area, while modified or ultra-fine grades have a higher one);
• Oil Absorption: 30~80 g/100g (with moderate oil absorption, which can be adjusted through surface treatment to meet the viscosity requirements of different coating and ink systems);
• Crystal Form Characteristics: It exists in multiple crystal forms (α-form, β-form, ε-form, γ-form, etc.), and different crystal forms correspond to different color tones and stability:
  • α-form: Red-shade blue, with poor crystal form stability, which tends to transform into β-form under long-term high temperature or light exposure;
  • β-form: Green-shade blue, with the most stable crystal form, and is the mainstream crystal form of general-purpose phthalocyanine blue;
  • ε-form: Strong red-shade blue, with better stability than α-form, corresponding to high-performance grades such as "Pigment Blue 15:6";
• Hiding Power/Transparency: Coarse-particle products without excessive grinding have strong hiding power, while ultra-fine particle or modified products (e.g., alcohol-soluble phthalocyanine blue) exhibit transparency, suitable for scenarios requiring "transparent blue".

III. Chemical Stability

The molecular structure of phthalocyanine blue (containing a large π-conjugated system and a stable cyclic structure) endows it with excellent chemical resistance, specifically manifested as follows:

 

• Acid and Alkali Resistance: It has excellent stability in conventional concentrations (2%~5%) of hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, sodium hydroxide, and sodium carbonate solutions (acid/alkali resistance grade reaches 4~5), and may only decompose in strong oxidizing acids (e.g., concentrated nitric acid);
• Solvent Resistance: It has good tolerance to most organic solvents (ethanol, xylene, ethyl acetate, gasoline, mineral oil, etc.), is almost insoluble, and only slightly swells in a few strong polar solvents (e.g., concentrated sulfuric acid, chloroform);
• Corrosion Resistance: It does not undergo chemical reactions with common substrates such as metals, resins, and plastics, and can be used in scenarios such as metal anti-corrosion coatings and plastic coloring without affecting the performance of the substrates.

IV. Fastness Properties

Fastness is a key indicator for measuring the "durability" of pigments. Phthalocyanine blue performs outstandingly in this aspect, and is especially suitable for harsh environments such as outdoor and high-temperature conditions:

 

• Light Fastness: Grade 7~8 (with the highest grade being 8). It is not easy to fade when exposed to sunlight for a long time, and is superior to azo and anthraquinone blue pigments;
• Weather Fastness: Grade 5 (with the highest grade being 5). It has strong color retention under outdoor wind, rain, and ultraviolet radiation, and is a core blue pigment for architectural coatings and automotive topcoats;
• Heat Resistance: Conventional grades can withstand temperatures of 200~250ºC, while high-performance modified grades (e.g., phthalocyanine blue for engineering plastics) can tolerate temperatures of 300~350ºC, without decomposition or discoloration at high temperatures;
• Migration Resistance: Grade 4~5. It is not easy to "migrate" (i.e., pigment particles seep out to the surface of the substrate) in polymer materials such as plastics and rubber, avoiding color bleeding or contamination.

V. Safety and Environmental Properties

• Toxicity: It has no acute toxicity, with an oral LD50 (rat) >5000 mg/kg, and no irritation on skin contact; however, dust prevention should be noted for ultra-fine powders (to avoid inhalation into the respiratory tract), and some countries require wearing protective masks during operation;
• Environmental Compliance: It does not contain heavy metals (e.g., lead, cadmium, mercury), and complies with the EU REACH Regulation, RoHS Directive, and US FDA food contact material standards (compliant grades can be used in inks/coatings for some food packaging);
• Biodegradability: Its molecular structure is stable, and it is not easy to biodegrade in the natural environment. It needs to be removed through industrial wastewater treatment (e.g., flocculation, adsorption) to avoid water pollution.

VI. Key Feature Summary

• Excellent Color Performance: It has bright color tones (red-shade/green-shade can be adjusted), strong tinting strength (a small amount of addition can achieve saturated blue), and high color consistency;
• Outstanding Stability: It has good light fastness, weather fastness, heat resistance, and chemical corrosion resistance, and its applicable scenarios cover from normal temperature to high temperature, and from indoor to outdoor;
• Strong Versatility: It is easy to disperse in various media such as coatings, inks, plastics, rubber, and fibers, and has good compatibility with most resins and additives;
• High Cost-Effectiveness: It has a mature production process, large output, and a lower price than high-end blue pigments (e.g., ultramarine blue, indigo), balancing performance and cost

 

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