Manufacture of Aluminium Pigments
1. INTRODUCTION SilCote aluminum pigment is manufactured by mixing aluminum paste with Monomer, SR-350 (trimethylolpropane trimethancrylate) and additive, Z-6040 which is an epoxy-functional Silane (3-glycidoxypropyl trimethoxy silane), in a jacketed mixer with the presence of catalyst, ABIN (azo-bis-isobutyronitrile). White spirit, acts as the carrier solvent in the process.
2. PROCESS FLOW
The aluminum paste is first loaded into the jacketed mixer, followed by introducing a pre-determined quantity of White Spirit into the mixer from the new solvent tank, D701. The mixer is agitated at a low speed while dispersion takes place, Supervisor Production/Technician will check if proper dispersion is achieved. A fully dispersed paste is then heated up to 80 deg C gradually through the heating medium in the jacket. When it has reached the pre-determine temperature, Silane is blended with White Spirit and added into the mixer. After which, monomer SR-350 is added with White Spirit blend, followed by catalyst, ABIN is blended with White Spirit and added into the mixer. At this stage the non-volatile content is about 18 %.
Once the mixer content has reached 80 deg C, the mixer content temperature is maintain for at least 2hrs until the mixer content has been fully reacted. After reaction is completed, it will be cooled down to 30 deg C in no less than 2 hours. The reaction is exothermic in nature and the mixer temperature is controlled by the heating fluid Multitherm 503, which circulates through the mixer jacket by motorized circulation pump.
The heat transfer fluid system comprises a hot tank and a cold tank. Hot tank’s HTF is heated by electrical element to 120 deg C while the cold tank’s HTF is chilled by an external chiller to 4 deg C. During the heating stage, the hot HTF is pumped from the hot tank and goes through a 3-way valve to fill up the jacket of the mixer. An electrical pump circulating the HTF around the jacket to facilitate heat transfer
2. PROCESS FLOW
The aluminum paste is first loaded into the jacketed mixer, followed by introducing a pre-determined quantity of White Spirit into the mixer from the new solvent tank, D701. The mixer is agitated at a low speed while dispersion takes place, Supervisor Production/Technician will check if proper dispersion is achieved. A fully dispersed paste is then heated up to 80 deg C gradually through the heating medium in the jacket. When it has reached the pre-determine temperature, Silane is blended with White Spirit and added into the mixer. After which, monomer SR-350 is added with White Spirit blend, followed by catalyst, ABIN is blended with White Spirit and added into the mixer. At this stage the non-volatile content is about 18 %.
Once the mixer content has reached 80 deg C, the mixer content temperature is maintain for at least 2hrs until the mixer content has been fully reacted. After reaction is completed, it will be cooled down to 30 deg C in no less than 2 hours. The reaction is exothermic in nature and the mixer temperature is controlled by the heating fluid Multitherm 503, which circulates through the mixer jacket by motorized circulation pump.
The heat transfer fluid system comprises a hot tank and a cold tank. Hot tank’s HTF is heated by electrical element to 120 deg C while the cold tank’s HTF is chilled by an external chiller to 4 deg C. During the heating stage, the hot HTF is pumped from the hot tank and goes through a 3-way valve to fill up the jacket of the mixer. An electrical pump circulating the HTF around the jacket to facilitate heat transfer