Keep cool!

Keep cool!
Products for solar heat management in plastics

Cooler colors for solar heat
management in plastics
NIR-reflecting pigments for solar heat management in plastics
Ultraviolet (UV, 295 – 400 nm)
Recently, with energy prices rising and no end in sight, intelligent
solutions for temperature management have moved into the focus
of designers, architects and consumers. With this brochure, we
would like to give an overview of BASF’s portfolio of pigments for
the heat management of surfaces exposed to infrared radiation.
The solar spectrum
Light energy emitted by the sun spans a wide range of wavelengths.
Part of the total energy is absorbed by our atmosphere
and never reaches the earth's surface. The light that does get
through is commonly classified into three ranges according to its
wavelength. Generally, light with a shorter wavelength (or higher
energy) than the visible range is referred to as ultraviolet (= beyond
violet), while light with a longer wavelength (lower energy) than the
visible range is referred to as infrared (= before red).
The UV region starts at 295 nm where the atmosphere cut-off
occurs and ends at 400 nm where we start to perceive the light
as violet. Even though less than 5 % of the total solar energy
reaching the earth is UV light, it is this part of the sunlight that
causes degradation of polymers by breaking chemical bonds.
UV light leads to phenomena such as chalking and the loss of
mechanical properties of polymers and is also known to destroy
colorants with inferior fastness to light as well as certain fillers.
BASF offers a broad range of UV stabilizers for polymers, tailormade
for the special demand of various polymers and various
applications.
Irradiant energy from the sun
ultraviolet energy
visible energy
infrared (IR) energy
C-C
C C
1
1
1
C
C
C
295 nm – 400 nm / 2.7 % of energy
interaction with chemical bonds
400 nm – 700 nm / 51.2 % of energy
interaction with electrons
700 nm – 2,500 nm / 46.1 % of energy
interaction: vibration and/or rotation

W
m 2 μm
Visible (VIS, 400 – 700 nm)
Infrared (IR, 700 – 2,500 nm)
Roughly 50 % of the solar energy reaching the earth’s surface is
“visible light”. The human eye translates different wavelengths
(energy levels) into various colors. The interaction of this radiation
with electrons in different energy levels of colored compounds
determines the absorption and sometimes re-emission of light of
different wavelengths. Combined with the scattering of light at solid
particles’ surfaces, these phenomena define what we refer to as
the color of an object. If an object reflects light across the complete
wavelength range, then it appears white, black surfaces absorb all
the energy at these wavelengths. If some wavelengths of this light
are absorbed and others reflected, then an object appears to be
colored. BASF offers organic and inorganic pigments for every color
meeting the most stringent requirements with regard to fastness
to light and weathering as well as long-term stability. Besides pigments,
BASF also offers standard and fluorescent dyes which are
soluble in the polymer matrix.
Nearly 45 % of the sun’s energy is in the infrared (IR) range, with
the major part in the near-IR range (NIR, 700 – 1,200 nm). NIR
radiation interacts with chemical bonds, leading to stretching,
bonding and rotating of molecules, finally increasing the material’s
temperature. The higher the absorption in the infrared range, the
higher the material’s temperature when exposed to solar radiation.
The fact that infrared energy is emitted by all objects according to
their surface temperature is utilized in, e.g., IR cameras. However,
as the temperature of most objects is exceedingly low compared to
the sun’s surface, this IR light is found at much longer wavelengths
and the energy transferred is almost negligibly small.
BASF offers pigments with optimized NIR absorbance as well as
NIR-reflecting pigments for indoor and outdoor applications and
cooler colors.
Radiation at sea level
2,500
VIS
NIR radiation
2,000
D e
1,500
1,000
1
2
3
500
2
2
0
0 0.25 0.5 0.75 1.0 1.25 1.5 1.75 2.0 2.25 2.5
μm
4 4
black body radiation 5900 K 1 O 2
extraterrestric sunlight, AM 0
2 H 2
O
terrestric sunlight, AM 1.5
3 O 2
, H 2
O
4 H 2
O, CO 2
02 03

eflectance [%]
NIR-reflecting pigments
NIR Reflectance properties of Sicotan ® pigments
100
80
60
40
20
0
400 600 800 1,000 1,200 1,400 1,600 1,800 2,000 2,200 2,400
wavelength [nm]
Ni-Sb-Ti Cr-Sb-Ti Mn-Sb-Ti
Windows, garage doors, fences, roofing and siding
NIR-reflecting pigments
Rigid PVC is a temperature-sensitive product that degrades as it
gets hotter. Vinyl siding, windows and door profiles will thus warp
and twist out of shape if not manufactured with greatest care.
Other polymers and rubbers used for outdoor applications such as
fences, roofing tiles and balcony elements act similarly, because
regular pigments used for coloration often considerably increase
the tendency to warp by raising the temperature of the surface
upon exposure to sunlight.
BASF’s NIR-reflecting pigments offer an easy way of making colors,
other than white, while reducing, if not eliminating, warping and
twisting of the finished article in use.
Both UV and IR light are invisible to the human eye and have no
direct influence on the color of an object. However, all light, whether
visible or invisible, will increase the temperature of an object
when absorbed by it. The more solar energy the object absorbs, the
greater the heat build-up. Conversely, the greater the reflectivity of
an object, the lower its temperature when exposed to direct sunlight.
Two objects can be identical in visible color, but have very different
characteristics in the IR spectrum. An object that reflects IR light
will remain cooler than an object that absorbs it.

Because IR light comprises 45 % of the incident solar energy,
the IR reflectivity of an object is even slightly more important than
its color when it comes to heat build-up.
In addition to their reflective properties, pigments can differ in their
weatherability, chemical resistance and other durability criteria.
BASF offers a broad range of inorganic pigments with special
performance in IR radiation. BASF's Sicotan ® pigments are based
on titanium dioxide where selected atoms are incorporated in the
crystal lattice of TiO 2 . The colors available cover the range from yellow
(nickel incorporated, Pigment Yellow 53), beige and light brown
(chromium incorporated, Pigment Brown 24) to dark and intense
brown (manganese incorporated, Pigment Brown 164). Their fastness
to light and weathering have been proven in more than three
decades of exposure to the South Florida sun. Thus they are the
pigments of choice for products that offer warranties against fading
for 25 years or more.
BASF's Sicopal ® pigments are hematite-structured metal oxides
with intense brown and deep black colors (chrome-iron oxides,
Pigment Brown 29), spinel-structured metal oxides with light brown
colors (zinc oxide, Pigment Yellow 119) and blue and green shades
(cobalt oxide, Pigment Blue 28 and Pigment Green 50) as well as
intensely yellow bismuth vanadate (Pigment Yellow 184).
04 05

Coextrusion
Multi-layer structures
Intense colors on top of a reflecting base
In order to combine the excellent quality of NIR-reflecting pigments
with intense colors in full shade, multi-layer systems are used, e.g.,
formed by coextrusion. Not only do these organic pigments have to
be transparent (non-absorbant for NIR light which most organic pigments
are), but they must also offer outstanding fastness to light
and weathering. To achieve the effects along with NIR-reflecting
properties to increase the service life of the finished part, TiO 2 or
NIR-reflecting pigments are used for the mass coloration of, e.g.,
PVC as core material and organic pigments are used for the top
layer of, e.g., PMMA or PC.
This NIR-transparent top layer can contain the additives for UV
protection of the complete system and the selected organic pigments
for strong, intense colors.
NIR light unhinderedly passes through the transparent layer, is
reflected by the core material pigmented with TiO 2 - or NIR-reflecting
pigments and again passes the transparent layer unhinderedly
without absorption and consequently without heating the material.
The part stays cool.
Multi-layer profiles
NIR-transparent
colored topcoat
NIR-reflecting pigment
opaque substrate, pigmented with NIR-reflecting pigments
(e.g., PVC window profile with TiO 2 , Sicotan ® Yellow or Brown)

eflectance [%]
Reflectance of typical organic pigments
100
80
60
40
20
0
400 600 800 1,000 1,200 1,400 1,600 1,800 2,000 2,200 2,400 2,600
wavelength [nm]
yellow pigment red pigment purple pigment
Measured in PVC in front of a reflecting white standard
06 07

Lumogen ® Black –
a black that stays cool
Transparent black – the missing link in coextrusion
As many organic pigments are transparent for NIR light, a wide
range of colors is possible using the coextrusion method. But if darker
shades are looked for, until now, basically the only option for
long-term stable shading has been carbon black. However, Carbon
black as a highly efficient broadband absorber absorbs the complete
range of wavelengths of incident sunlight at the earth’s surface,
including UV and IR. This is why our experience tells us that in
summer a black surface is also a hot surface. Even at very low
concentrations, carbon black can thus decisively change the solar
heat absorption behavior of a surface.
NIR-reflecting black pigments have been available for some time
now, but all of them are designed for the mass coloration of the
opaque core, not for the transparent top coat. For these highperformance
applications, BASF now offers two new black pigments,
which offer superb temperature stability, excellent fastness
to light and fastness to weathering and high color strength while
exhibiting outstanding transparency in the NIR range.
Lumogen ® Black FK 4280 and Lumogen ® Black FK 4281 make it
possible not only to generate cool black, but also to create dark
shades of other colors as well as all shades of cool grays for many
different polymers including polyolefins, PMMA, SAN, PA and PVC,
even PVC-p.
Fastness to weathering and fastness to light in different polymers after 2000 h
Fastness to weathering
Fastness to light
Lumogen ® Black Lumogen ® Black Lumogen ® Black Lumogen ® Black
FK 4280 FK 4281 FK 4280 FK 4281
PMMA Plexiglas ®1 7 N 5 5 8 8
SAN Luran ® 378 P 5 5 8 8
PA Ultramid ® B 3 S 5 5 8 8
five-step-scale: 5 = best value
eight-step-scale: 8 = best value

transmission [%]
Transmission properties of Lumogen ® and carbon black
100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
UV visible NIR
300 500 700 900 1,100 1,300
wavelength [nm]
Lumogen ® Black FK 4280
Lumogen ® Black FK 4281
carbon black
08 09

eflectance [%]
reflectance [%]
reflectance [%]
transmission
transmission
transmission
Sicotan ® Yellow and
Sicotan ® Brown
Sicotan ® Yellow K 1010 FG / 2.0 % in PVC-u
Sicotan ® Yellow K 1010 FG / 2.0 % in PVC-u
100
100
80
80
60
PVC
PVC
60
40
40
20
PVC
20
0
400 600 800 1,000 1,200 1,400 1,600 1,800 2,000 2,200 2,400
wavelength [nm]
0
400 600 800 1,000 1,200 1,400 1,600 1,800 2,000 2,200 2,400
wavelength [nm]
PVC
100
Sicotan ® Yellow K 2001 FG / 1.0 % in PVC-u
100
Sicotan ® Yellow K 2001 FG / 1.0 % in PVC-u
80
80
60
PVC
PVC
60
40
40
20
PVC
20
PVC
0
400 600 800 1,000 1,200 1,400 1,600 1,800 2,000 2,200 2,400
wavelength [nm]
0
400 600 800 1,000 1,200 1,400 1,600 1,800 2,000 2,200 2,400
wavelength [nm]
100
Sicotan ® Brown K 2611 / 1.0 % in PVC-u
100
Sicotan ® Brown K 2611 / 1.0 % in PVC-u
80
80
60
PVC
PVC
60
40
40
20
PVC
20
PVC
0
400 600 800 1,000 1,200 1,400 1,600 1,800 2,000 2,200 2,400
wavelength [nm]
0
400 600 800 1,000 1,200 1,400 1,600 1,800 2,000 2,200 2,400
wavelength [nm]
all reflectance data determined on PVC in front of a white reflecting standard

Sicotan ® Yellow K 1010 FG
1:4
Sicotan ® Yellow K 1010 and Yellow K 1011 are rutile-structured
pigments in yellow shades (Pigment Yellow 53), available in powder
form and as fine granules (FG).
Sicotan ® pigments have excellent fastness to light, fastness to
weathering and stability against chemicals; their high heat stability
makes them suitable in most resins even in extreme reductions.
Sicotan ® Yellow K 1010 FG
2.0 %
Sicotan ® pigments are suitable for use in blends with organic
pigments for brilliant shades with high opacity.
The high reflectance ratio for NIR light makes the Sicotan ® pigments
the ideal pigments for outdoor application which offer warranties
against fading for lots of years.
Sicotan ® Yellow K 2001 FG
1:4
Sicotan ® Yellow K 2001, Yellow K 2007 and Yellow K 2011 are
pigments of light beige color, Sicotan ® Yellow K 2111 and Yellow
K 2112 are light brown and more reddish (all are Pigment Brown 24).
They are available both in powder form and as fine granules (FG).
Sicotan ® pigments have excellent fastness to light, fastness to
weathering and stability against chemicals; their high heat stability
makes them suitable in most resins even in extreme reductions.
Sicotan ® Yellow K 2001 FG
1.0 %
Sicotan ® pigments are suitable for use in blends with organic
pigments for brilliant shades with high opacity.
The high reflectance ratio for NIR light makes the Sicotan ® pigments
the ideal pigments for outdoor application which offer warranties
against fading for many years, especially for window profiles and
sidings applications.
Sicotan ® Brown K 2611
1:4
Sicotan ® Brown K 2611 and Brown K 2711 are pigments in brown
shades (Pigment Brown 164), available in powder form.
Sicotan ® pigments have excellent fastness to light, fastness to
weathering and stability against chemicals; their high heat stability
makes them suitable in most resins even in extreme reductions.
Sicotan ® Brown K 2611
1.0 %
The high reflectance ratio for NIR light makes the Sicotan ® pigments
the ideal pigments for outdoor application which offer warranties
against fading for many years, especially in brown PVC profiles
(free from Fe ions) and in reddish gray shades at high tinting rates
in sidings and roofing.
10 11

eflectance [%]
reflectance [%]
reflectance [%]
transmission
transmission
transmission
Sicopal ® Brown and
Sicotrans ® Red
Sicopal ® Brown K 2595 / 0.5 % in PVC-u
Sicopal ® Brown K 2595 / 0.5 % in PVC-u
100
100
80
80
60
PVC
PVC
60
PVC
PVC
40
40
PVC
20
PVC
20
0
400 600 800 1,000 1,200 1,400 1,600 1,800 2,000 2,200 2,400
wavelength [nm]
0
400 600 800 1,000 1,200 1,400 1,600 1,800 2,000 2,200 2,400
wavelength [nm]
100
Sicopal ® Brown K 2795 FG / 0.5 % in PVC-u
100
Sicopal ® Brown K 2795 FG / 0.5 % in PVC-u
80
80
60
PVC
PVC
60
PVC
PVC
40
40
PVC
20
PVC
20
0
400 600 800 1,000 1,200 1,400 1,600 1,800 2,000 2,200 2,400
wavelength [nm]
0
400 600 800 1,000 1,200 1,400 1,600 1,800 2,000 2,200 2,400
wavelength [nm]
100
Sicotrans ® Red K 2915 / 0.5 % in PVC-u
100
Sicotrans ® Red K 2915 / 0.5 % in PVC-u
80
60
PVC
PVC
80
60
PVC
PVC
PVC
40
40
20
PVC
20
0
400 600 800 1,000 1,200 1,400 1,600 1,800 2,000 2,200 2,400
wavelength [nm]
0
400 600 800 1,000 1,200 1,400 1,600 1,800 2,000 2,200 2,400
wavelength [nm]
all reflectance data determined on PVC in front of a white reflecting standard

Sicopal ® Brown K 2595
1:4
Sicopal ® Brown K 2595
0.5 %
Sicopal ® Brown K 2595 is a spinel-structured metal oxide of
medium brown color (Pigment Brown 119). The very good heat
resistance makes it suitable for the coloration of nearly all plastics,
Sicopal ® Brown K 2595 causes no warpage in injection-molded or
extruded parts – not even large ones.
Sicopal ® Brown K 2595 is outstandingly fast to weathering in
outdoor applications. Due to the many established PVC stabilization
systems based on calcium/zinc or certain tin compounds, we
recommend suitability tests under customer-specific processing
parameters for PVC-u and PVC-p.
Sicopal ® Brown K 2795 FG
1:4
Sicopal ® Brown K 2795 FG
0.5 %
Sicopal ® Brown K 2795 is a hematite-structured metal oxide of
intense dark brown color (Pigment Brown 29). The very good heat
resistance makes it suitable for the coloration of nearly all plastics,
Sicopal ® Brown K 2795 causes no warpage in injection-molded or
extruded parts – not even large ones.
Sicopal ® Brown K 2795 is outstandingly fast to weathering in
outdoor applications. Due to the many established PVC stabilization
systems based on calcium/zinc or certain tin compounds, we
recommend suitability tests under customer-specific processing
parameters for PVC.
Sicotrans ® Red K 2915
1:4
Sicotrans ® Red K 2915 is a semi-transparent, Sicotrans ® Red K 2819
a transparent iron oxide, both are iron oxide (Pigment Red 101) with
an extremely small particle size.
Sicotrans ® Red K 2819 yields highly transparent colorations with
UV-absorbing properties. Sicotrans ® Red K 2915 allows semitransparent
full-shade colorations with high chroma to be achieved.
Sicotrans ® Red K 2915
0.5 %
Iron ions can cause degradation especially in some PVC
applications, so we recommend suitability tests under customerspecific
processing parameters.
The outstanding transparency of these pigments is particularly
advantageous in the coloration of polyolefin fibers or polymers
for bottles.
12 13

eflectance [%]
reflectance [%]
reflectance [%]
transmission
transmission
transmission
Sicopal ® Yellow, Sicopal ® Blue
and Sicopal ® Green
Sicopal ® Yellow K 1160 FG / 1.0 % in PVC-u
Sicopal ® Yellow K 1160 FG / 1.0 % in PVC-u
100
100
80
80
PVC
PVC
60
60
PVC
PVC
40
40
PVC
20
PVC
20
0
400 600 800 1,000 1,200 1,400 1,600 1,800 2,000 2,200 2,400
wavelength [nm]
0
400 600 800 1,000 1,200 1,400 1,600 1,800 2,000 2,200 2,400
wavelength [nm]
100
Sicopal ® Blue K 6310 / 1.0 % in PVC-u
100
Sicopal ® Blue K 6310 / 1.0 % in PVC-u
80
80
60
60
PVC
40
40
20
PVC
PVC
PVC
20
0
400 600 800 1,000 1,200 1,400 1,600 1,800 2,000 2,200 2,400
wavelength [nm]
0
400 600 800 1,000 1,200 1,400 1,600 1,800 2,000 2,200 2,400
wavelength [nm]
100
Sicopal ® Green K 9710 / 1.0 % in PVC-u
100
Sicopal ® Green K 9710 / 1.0 % in PVC-u
80
80
60
60
40
40
20
PVC
20
PVC
0
400 600 800 1,000 1,200 1,400 1,600 1,800 2,000 2,200 2,400
wavelength [nm]
0
400 600 800 1,000 1,200 1,400 1,600 1,800 2,000 2,200 2,400
wavelength [nm]
all reflectance data determined on PVC in front of a white reflecting standard

Sicopal ® Yellow K 1160 FG
1:4
Sicopal ® Yellow K 1160 FG and Sicopal ® K 1120 FG are low-dusting
fine-granule bismuth vanadate pigments (C.I. 184).
The heat resistance of Sicopal ® Yellow K 1160 FG is excellent: 260 –
280 °C (500 – 536 °F) in polyolefins and ABS as well as 280 – 300 °C
(536 – 572 °F) in PA.
Sicopal ® Yellow K 1120 FG is especially designed for polyolefins.
Sicopal ® Yellow K 1160 FG
1.0 %
Their outstanding fastness to weathering makes them particularly suitable
for outdoor applications (garden furniture, garbage cans)
as a substitute to lead- or cadmium-based pigments.
Both bismuth vanadate pigments can show low alkaline stability in
some applications.
Sicopal ® Blue K 6310
1:4
Sicopal ® Blue K 6310
1.0 %
Sicopal ® Blue K 6210, Blue K 6310, Blue K 7210 and Blue K 7310 are
spinel-structured metal oxides with transparent intense blue shades
(Pigment Blue 28).
Their very good heat resistance makes them suitable for the
coloration of nearly all plastics. Sicopal ® pigments do not cause
warpage in injection-molded or extruded parts – not even large
ones. This and their outstanding fastness to weathering make them
perfectly suitable for special applications such as, e.g., bottle crates.
Sicopal ® Green K 9710
1:4
Sicopal ® Green K 9710 is a spinel-structured metal oxide with a dark
green color (Pigment Green 50).
Their very good heat resistance makes them suitable for the
coloration of nearly all plastics. Sicopal ® pigments do not cause
warpage in injection-molded or extruded parts – not even large
ones. This and their outstanding fastness to weathering make them
perfectly suitable for special applications in technical polymers.
Sicopal ® Green K 9710
1.0 %
14 15

Contact worldwide
Asia
BASF East Asia Regional Headquarters Ltd.
45/F, Jardine House
No. 1 Connaught Place
Central
Hong Kong
Tel.: +852 2731 4312
Fax: +852 2734 9670
Europe
BASF Aktiengesellschaft
Performance Chemicals for
Coatings, Plastics and Specialties
E-EVP/EP – J 550
67056 Ludwigshafen
Germany
Tel.: +49 621 60-72736
Fax: +49 621 60-58320
Eastern Europe, Africa, West Asia
BASF Aktiengesellschaft
Regional Business Management
Performance Chemicals
EUM/SE – Benckiserplatz 1
67056 Ludwigshafen
Germany
Tel.: +49 621 60-76246
Fax: +49 621 60-6676246
South America
BASF S.A.
Estrada Samuel Aizemberg
1707-Bloco C-3°
09851-550 São Bernardo do Campo – SP
Brazil
Tel.: +55 11 4343-3637
Fax: +55 11 4343-2040
North America
BASF Corporation
100 Campus Drive
Florham Park, NJ 07932
USA
Tel.: +1-973-245-6131
Fax: +1-973-245-6733
The data contained in this publication are based on our current knowledge and experience. In view of
the many factors that may affect processing and application of our product, these data do not relieve
processors from carrying out their own investigations and tests; neither do these data imply any guarantee
of certain properties, nor the suitability of the product for a specific purpose. Any descriptions,
drawings, photographs, data, proportions, weights etc. given herein may change without prior information
and do not constitute the agreed contractual quality of the product. It is the responsibility of the
recipient of our products to ensure that any proprietary rights and existing laws and legislation are
observed. When handling these products, advice and information given in the safety data sheet must be
complied with. Further, protective and workplace hygiene measures adequate for handling chemicals
must be observed.
® = registered trademark of BASF Aktiengesellschaft
®1 = registered trademark of Röhm GmbH & Co. KG
www.basf.com/pigment
BASF Aktiengesellschaft
Performance Chemicals for
Coatings, Plastics and Specialties
67056 Ludwigshafen
Germany
EVP 2506 e