Orion highlights circular and bio-based carbon blacks for coatings at Western Coatings Show

HOUSTON, TX -- Orion S.A. (NYSE: OEC), a global specialty chemicals company, is spotlighting several new sustainable carbon blacks for coatings at The 36th Western Coatings Symposium and Show (WCS). Orion (booth 115) will showcase three new circular grades – one for high jetness and two for tinting applications – plus PRINTEX® kappa 50 conductive carbon black at WCS Oct. 16-17, 2023, in Las Vegas, Nev.

“Guided by our sustainability strategy, we help coatings manufacturers produce sustainable materials and participate in the circular economy,” said Carlos Hernandez, marketing manager, coatings & printing systems for the Americas at Orion. “We offer circular grades based on pyrolysis oil and bio-based grades based on renewable sources, and they all meet the same application requirements as conventional specialty carbon blacks.”

Circular carbon blacks for high jetness and tinting
Orion’s first circular gas black for coatings systems is XPB 10045. Based on pyrolysis oil to support the transition to a circular economy, XPB 10045 is designed for high-jetness applications and is compatible with all suitable coatings systems.
“XPB 10045 is a proof of principle,” said Jennifer Stroh, PhD, director of sales and marketing – Specialties Americas at Orion. “We have shown that XPB 10045 matches the performance of our current specialty carbon black grades. This new circular grade will enable formulators to create more sustainable coatings with comparable application properties to regular specialty carbon blacks.”

Orion’s first circular furnace blacks are XPB 10042 powder and XPB 10049 powder. These new grades are based on pyrolysis oil and are designed for tinting applications. They offer the same advantages as the high-jetness black, with application properties similar to currently used specialty carbon blacks.

Conductive and clean
PRINTEX kappa 50 beads or powder meets or exceeds performance requirements for conductivity, dispersibility and cleanliness at lower concentrations than conventional conductive carbon blacks. Introduced in 2013 and previously designated XPB 545, PRINTEX kappa 50 achieves the percolation threshold with low carbon black loading and good coloristic properties.
Orion also offers its “Carbon Black Guide.” Featuring 34 of Orion’s most popular carbon blacks used globally for coatings, the “Carbon Black Guide” gives paint formulators a visual sense of the shades they can achieve with different grades. Color chips in the guide show the shades each grade imparts in three coatings types – solid, white blend and alkyd enamel – and details relevant coloristic properties.

For more information about Orion’s specialty carbon blacks for coatings, including the new sustainable grades, contact Carlos Hernandez, marketing manager, coatings & printing systems Americas at carlos.hernandez@orioncarbons.com.

To read Orion’s recently published 2022 Sustainability Report and learn more about its sustainability performance and initiatives, visit Orion Engineered Carbons - Sustainability - Sustainability Roadmap (orioncarbons.com).