Performance characteristics of pigments/dyes

Pigments typically possess the following properties:

Color. Colored pigments are pigments that selectively absorb and scatter visible light energy, and can present colors such as yellow, red, blue, and green under natural light conditions.

Coloring power. The ability of colored pigments to absorb incident light. It can be expressed as a relative percentage of the coloring power of a standard pigment sample.

Covering power. The ability to cover the surface color of the substrate in film-forming materials. The grams of pigment contained in a commonly used paint covering an area of 1 square meter are expressed.

Light resistance. The ability of pigments to maintain their original color under certain lighting conditions. Generally, an eight level system is used for representation, with eight levels being the best.

Weather resistance. The ability of pigments to maintain their original properties under certain natural or artificial climatic conditions. Generally, a five level system is used for representation, with five levels being the best.

Volatiles. Mainly referring to moisture, generally not exceeding 1%.

Oil absorption capacity. The amount of refined flaxseed oil required to form a uniform clump of 100 grams of pigment, with the smaller oil absorption being preferred. The oil absorption is related to the specific surface area and structure of the pigment particles.

Water soluble substances. The water-soluble substance contained in pigments, expressed as a percentage by mass of the pigment. The water-soluble content of pigments used in paint production is often controlled below 1%.