Quality Magnetite Can Help Make a Great Paint

Magnetite additives enrich environmentally friendly anticorrosive paints and richer pigments

When it comes to paints and pigments, goals sometimes conflict. Paints need to improve the lifespan and durability of a surface, protecting it from harsh elements, and they also need to beautify surfaces and provide for pleasing aesthetics.

At Quality Magnetite, we’re on the forefront of providing a high-quality magnetite product to paint and pigment producers in order to help them develop richer, deeper colors and stronger, more effective protective surfaces. More importantly, our magnetite can help realize both goals in an environmentally friendly manner than traditional chemical processes.

“Magnetite is a tremendous additive for paints and pigments, and we’re a great source for the quality of product that manufacturers need,” says Bud May, Quality Magnetite VP. “Our customers rely on our products for quality, consistency and speed of delivery, and we’re excited to be exploring the emerging field of magnetite paint and pigments.”

Researchers around the globe are recognizing the benefits of magnetite to the paint and pigment production process. Here are just a few ways Quality Magnetite can help improve the process of making more durable paints and more vibrant pigments.

Particle size drives effectiveness of ‘doping’ elements

Researchers at the University of Antioch in Columbia examined the process of “doping” magnetite-enriched paints and pigments — a technique in which cadmium, copper or other metals are introduced during the manufacturing process to improve both richness of colors and a paint’s anticorrosive properties. As they examined the various techniques, researchers made a discovery.

“The particle size of magnetite pigments depends on the nature and quantity of the doping element,” the researchers reveal. “The synthesis procedure adopted resulted in pigments with particle sizes similar to micronized industrial particle sizes.”

Using a more consistent, smaller-sized magnetite particle like those produced by Quality Magnetite resulted in stronger surfaces, more durable anticorrosive properties and deeper, richer colors. At the same time, other researchers are finding that magnetite-enriched paints and pigments are more environmentally friendly.

An ancient process reduces environmental impacts of paints and pigments

If you’ve ever seen pottery from ancient cultures in North or South America, then you’ve seen a magnetite-based pigment. The process of using magnetite to create vibrant, durable colors is hardly new. What researchers are finding, though, is that magnetite-infused coatings are revolutionizing protective surfacing, especially where it counts — in marine environments.

The Royal Society of Chemistry recently published a report that outlined the power that magnetite-rich epoxy coatings have to protect steel in marine settings. Not only did magnetite help build better, less toxic coatings, but it also led to coatings that were surprisingly resilient and in many instances self-healing when damaged.

“The mechanism of self-healing characteristics of porous nanomaterials was elucidated using different analyses,” researchers stated. “The results suggested the formation of stable thin films on the cracks and holes of epoxy coats.”

The development of more environmentally-friendly self-healing coatings is an innovative and emerging field that Quality Magnetite is excited to play a small part in. As with many industrial applications, the consistency and quality of iron oxide seems to be a key element, and at Quality Magnetite, we specialize in processes and techniques that produce the highest quality most consistently.

Find out more

To learn more about how Quality Magnetite can help you and your company improve paints, pigments and coatings, get in touch with one of our qualified sales experts today. We look forward to hearing from you.