News

2019-07-02

Black pigment from LANXESS extends the service life of plastic components

  • Up to 20 percent better reflectivity
  • Reduces urban heat generation

Cologne – Specialty chemicals company LANXESS has developed a black pigment that reflects 20 percent more of the sun’s near-infrared radiation (NIR) than conventional products. Plastic roofs and façade elements that are colored with Bayferrox 303 T heat up much less due to solar radiation, meaning that the building's inside temperature can be reduced. “The temperature in a polymer matrix colored with Bayferrox 303 T is as much as 8°C lower than when a conventional black pigment is used,” said Stefano Bartolucci, global market segment manager for Plastics at the Inorganic Pigments (IPG) business unit at LANXESS. This improves the indoor climate and reduces energy consumption for air conditioning.

IR reflection lengthens service life of black plastics

Using the Bayferrox 303 T black pigment can also extend the service life of a plastic component considerably as the thermal decomposition of a polymer matrix is reduced due to lower heat absorption. In addition, the difference between daytime and night-time temperatures is much lower. Plastic components are therefore less exposed to thermomechanical stresses that can lead to crack formation or even bursting.

“In addition to outdoor applications, Bayferrox 303 T’s characteristics make it suitable for use in the automotive industry, e.g. to color the dashboard, which is exposed to high and sustained solar radiation. Our pigment makes an effective contribution to reducing heat development in the passenger compartment,” said Bartolucci.

You can find more detailed information about LANXESS products for coloring plastics on the website at www.bayferrox.de.

Forward-Looking Statements
This company release contains certain forward-looking statements, including assumptions, opinions, expectations and views of the company or cited from third party sources. Various known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors could cause the actual results, financial position, development or performance of LANXESS AG to differ materially from the estimations expressed or implied herein. LANXESS AG does not guarantee that the assumptions underlying such forward-looking statements are free from errors nor does it accept any responsibility for the future accuracy of the opinions expressed in this presentation or the actual occurrence of the forecast developments. No representation or warranty (expressed or implied) is made as to, and no reliance should be placed on, any information, estimates, targets and opinions, contained herein, and no liability whatsoever is accepted as to any errors, omissions or misstatements contained herein, and accordingly, no representative of LANXESS AG or any of its affiliated companies or any of such person's officers, directors or employees accept any liability whatsoever arising directly or indirectly from the use of this document.

LANXESS is a leading specialty chemicals company with sales of EUR 7.2 billion in 2018. The company currently has about 15,500 employees in 33 countries and is represented at 60 production sites worldwide. The core business of LANXESS is the development, manufacturing and marketing of chemical intermediates, additives, specialty chemicals and plastics. LANXESS is listed in the leading sustainability indices Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI World and Europe) and FTSE4Good.