The products and finishes in the decorative industry are becoming more sophisticated &#; polymer-modified toppings, nanotechnology sealers, and sustainable stains and dyes to name a few. These high-end materials and systems are the new &#;buzz&#; in the industry and seemed to dominate the trade-show conversations this past winter season. New technology is great, and I am a big supporter of REAL technological advancements. But at the same time, we all need to remember the old tried-and-true products that still make up a large portion of the industry, and more importantly, refresh ourselves on the fundamentals, the right way to use them.
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As often happens, a recent call started me thinking about this. The person on the other end was asking why their recently poured colored-concrete basement floor was the wrong color, had a white haze over the surface, and was darker on the edges compared to the middle. As I spent the next 10 minutes explaining the cause of each issue, I realized how important the basic products and the fundamentals of their installation are in what we do every day.
When it comes to basic nonglamorous products that still have a huge impact on our industry, you don&#;t have to look much further than iron oxide pigments. The workhorse product that started the decorative concrete industry more than 50 years ago is still the single most-consumed product in our industry today. Also known as integral stain, dye, or just plain color, iron oxide is nothing more than manufactured rust. What makes it such a workhorse and a staple in our industry is that it is the only colorant that can withstand the extreme alkaline environment of concrete without fading or leaching.
Iron oxide particles, as produced for the construction industry, are 10 times finer than cement particles. When added into a concrete mix, the iron oxide particles actually surround and coat the cement particles. This is why integral color is dosed or metered based on the cement content, not on the amount of sand, stone or water. That the average color loading is only 2.5 pounds of pigment per 94 pounds of cement (2.6 percent) demonstrates the coloring power of iron oxide pigments. This coloring power is called tinting strength, and it is important to note that not all iron oxides have the same tinting strengths. Not only do different manufacturing processes affect the tinting strength, but adding inert fillers when blending colors can dilute or reduce the tinting strength of pigments. To ensure you are getting the strongest tinting strength, do your homework and avoid cheap color that contains fillers.
Using excess water will lighten and discolor integrally colored concrete. This is especially true if water is used during the finishing process, which resulted in broom marks and streaks on this concrete slab.In addition to the basics of what iron oxide pigments are, I think knowing the fundamentals of how they are used and understanding common problems associated with their use are even more important. There are five key components that determine the final color when using iron oxide pigments in concrete.
The pigment: As we discussed previously, using a good quality pigment from a reputable manufacturer is important. Proper blending and color consistency is something you as the installer have little to no control over, so trust in your supplier is important.
Water content: Also known as water-to-cement ratio, this is by far the No. 1 cause of colored concrete issues. The amount of water used to make concrete has a dramatic and permanent effect on the final color. The more water used, the lighter the color. This not only holds true for water used in the mix, but also for any water added to the surface during the finishing process. Use as little water as possible, and consider chemical admixtures (plasticizers, water reducers, etc.) to reduce the amount of water needed. No matter what &#; stay consistent.
Cement content: The next-biggest factor that affects the final color is the cement content. The amount of cement used in a mix is critical because it is what the pigment content is based on. Start changing the amount of cement from batch to batch and you WILL get a color change. The place where most installers get in trouble is dosing by &#;sack mix,&#; not by actual cement weight. Five-sack mix can have actual cement content ranging from 460 pounds to 650 pounds.
Cement color: Probably the most misunderstood and misdiagnosed cause of colored concrete issues is the color of the cement and the impact it has on the final color. While most cement manufacturers strive for overall product consistency, they do not test for color. Tests have found that cement coming from the same plant can have dramatic color variances over a period of weeks and months. If you have long time gaps (weeks or months) between colored pours, it might be worth your time and money to keep cement retains to ensure the color has not changed.
Aggregate color: While aggregate color has little to no direct impact on actual color, it can have an indirect impact on the overall mix. A sand mix will not develop the same color as an aggressive stone mix. Also, consider how aggregate will impact the final color if an exposed aggregate finish is performed.
As with most tried-and-true products and processes, success usually comes down to one tried-and-true guideline. In the case of iron oxide pigments used in integral color, the rule of thumb is &#; stay consistent! Control your environment, control your water, and try to keep everything as consistent as possible. Iron oxide pigments are not going anywhere soon, so the more you understand regarding the basics of how they work, the better off you will be.
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Synthetic Iron Oxide is amongst the most crucial components of the Inorganic Pigments family. In addition to that, they are also the highest-selling pigments across the world after Titanium Dioxide.
The iron oxide pigments have been used as colorants for ages with early humans using them to paint on cave walks. While the natural pigments are derived from various iron oxides minerals, the synthetic pigments are produced under controlled conditions get the desired
But what is the reason behind their amazing popularity across the world? Synthetic Iron Oxide pigment are highly stable and possess good strength. Moreover, they are resistant to UV rays, salty weather, and other harsh atmospheric conditions. Also, they are non-hazardous and entirely safe for transport and use.
Also, they are comparatively cheaper than the organic iron oxides pigments due to the low cost of raw material as well as synthetic iron.
The red, yellow, and black colours are primarily used to produce single-component forms. Orange and brown, on the other hand, are made as blends.
Let us have a look at the characteristics and synthetic iron oxide uses.
Synthetic red oxide pigments are the most common ones, and they also contain the highest amount ofiron. Owing to their pure hue, consistent properties, and tinting strength, red oxides are gaining immense popularity in various fields.
Synthetic red oxide pigments have the following characteristics:
In addition to the characteristics mentioned above, they have got pure hue and consistent properties.
Red Iron Oxide is mainly used in paints and coatings, rubber, paper, cement colours, and construction. The building materials industry consumes the highest amount of iron oxide pigment. It is because these pigments possess good dispersibility and tinting strength. They are used for coloring concrete, mortar, paving blocks, chequered tiles, and much more.
At Bansal Trading Company, you will find the following red iron oxide pigments of ultimate quality:
The synthetic yellow iron oxide has an extremely fine particle size (but not as fine as the black or red oxides). The actual ones have around 85% Fe2O3 and about 12% LOI with some impurities. These oxides are used in situations where raw colour or raw properties are crucial for the manufacturing process.
It is comparatively fluffier than the red one but lesser than black iron oxide pigment.
Yellow oxides are widely used in paints, enamels, concrete colorants, plastics, rubber, and also paper (where permanent yellow is needed).
Synthetic Black iron oxide acts as a source of Fe in ceramic applications, particularly at places where raw black colour is crucial. The key difference between the red and black iron oxide pigments is that the red iron oxide is ferromagnetic, and black iron oxide is ferrimagnetic.
The black iron oxide pigment is used as a colorant for a wide array of non-ceramic products as well. Moreover, these black oxides are also used for resisting corrosion on various appliances. They are also a component of anti-corrosion paints (used in many bridges).
The synthetic orange iron oxide pigments are extremely concentrated dry powder having a very fine particle size.
Orange iron oxide pigments are often used in different kinds of cement mortars, including plasters, tile mud, floorings, stamped concrete, blocks, etc. In addition to that, these pigments are also used in various color plastics, water-based and oil-based paints, soaps, fertilizers, and even feed products.
The brown iron oxide pigments are dry colored powder used to colour concrete. These oxides are basically a mixture of red, yellow, and black oxides. This blend gives them a fairly medium brown pigment with slight red tones.
The synthetic brown iron oxides pigments are used for a variety of purposes, such as in decorative cosmetics, including foundations, lipsticks, nail lacquers, eyeliners, lip liners, etc.
However, their use is not just confined to cosmetics only. These pigments are also used in the construction industry for the coloration of concrete.
The synthetic iron oxides industry is growing day by day with the growing demand across various industries. Different iron oxide pigments such as red iron oxide, black iron oxide, brown iron oxide, yellow iron oxide, orange iron oxide, and many others are being produced synthetically at a large scale.
These pigments are comparatively cheaper than the organic ones and superior in quality.
All of these pigments have different uses based on the properties they possess. Moreover, the recent developments in the synthetic iron oxides pigment industry, such as granular forms of iron oxides and enhanced versions of nano-sized materials.
If you have a paint, plastics, or rubber making business, or need Synthetic iron oxide pigment for other industrial purposes, you can contact reputed chemical distributor in India for rates, terms of payment, shipping, and more. Bansal Trading Company is one of the leading and renowned dealers of chemical substances in India. You can us at or call us at 011 for Iron oxide manufacturers in India or any premium quality products for various purposes.
For more information, please visit Iron Oxide Colors for Roofing.