Pigments are getting smarter, enabling a new generation of coatings, concrete and plastics with greater potential than ever to store heat, fight corrosion, self-clean and stop fungi.
Many of these developments are coming from a research alliance in Spain, as part of the Nanopigmy project, which is harnessing nanotechnology to create multifunctional ceramic pigments.
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IK4-TEKNIKER |
IK4, which is spearheading the intelligent pigment research, is a private and independent alliance of nine research and development centers in the Basque Country.
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Such high-performance pigments could cut costs and improve energy efficiency in construction and the automotive industry, say officials of the European Commission-backed initiative.
Multitasking
In the Spanish project, the Basque Country research alliance called IK4-TEKNIKER is incorporating molecules and nanocoatings into pigments to achieve a variety of functions, including:
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Preventing corrosion;
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Repelling bacteria;
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Stopping the proliferation of fungi;
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Creating self-cleaning properties for façades; and
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Storing heat and functioning as a thermal regulator.
IK4-TEKNIKER is made up of the TEKNIKER technological center and several R&D organizations in the region.
'Very Positive' Results
The Nanopigmy initiative, funded by the EU's Seventh Framework Programme, is supporting the development of a range of innovative products that do not exist on the market, officials say.
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tekniker.es/en / nanopigmy.eu |
The Nanopigmy project has transformed inorganic ceramic pigments into high-performance pigments, thanks to a combination of material absorption techniques and the application of nanocoatings.
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The project has transformed low-cost inorganic ceramic pigments into high-performance pigments, thanks to a combination of material absorption techniques and the application of nanocoatings, researchers say.
The new pigments have been tested across a range of applications in the automotive and construction sectors and can be incorporated into plastics, cements or paints, according to Miren Blanco, an IK4-TEKNIKER researcher.
"We have proven that the use of these pigments with a self-cleaning and heat storage capacity on the façades of buildings leads to significant savings in maintenance and energy consumption that more than offsets the cost of the product," Blanco said.
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nanopigmy.eu |
The new pigments have been tested across a range of applications in the automotive and construction sectors and can be incorporated into plastics, cements or paints, according to one researcher.
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Blanco added that the results of the project have been "very positive."
Project Partners
The project kicked off in 2012 with a budget of €4.6 million ($4.86 million USD) and ended Feb. 28.
The project was led by company Nubiola Pigmentos and has had participation from:
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The Fiat Research Centre;
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Dutch tinting company CPS Color;
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The Polish Adama Mickiewicza University;
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Spanish construction company Acciona Infraestructuras;
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Performance Masterbatches Limited, a developer of plastic concentrates; and
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The BSRIA firm of consultants in the UK.
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