Key Takeaways from this newsletter:

• Vibrantz Technologies is introducing a solid colorant technology, Pearls, along with appropriate dispensers to allow volumetric point of sale paint tinting of waterborne architectural and industrial maintenance coatings.  Pearls is described as a  sustainable, performance enhancing, accurate, and low maintenance tinting solution and has the potential to change the way paints are tinted in the near future.
• Pearls are manufactured by a freeze drying process.
• Pearls colorants have many advantages over their liquid counterparts.
• The dispensers have advantages over liquid dispensers.
• The technology is being used in Europe and will be launched in the U.S. in 2026.

How are the Pearls colorants manufactured?

The Pearls colorants are in the form of uniform, spherical, solid masses.  So how are these spheres formed?  The process starts by first dispersing the solid pigment in water. The pigment dispersion is fed through a nozzle head that generates droplets of dispersion which are then frozen with liquid nitrogen, sieved, freeze dried and then filled.

What are the advantages of the Pearls colorants?

Current liquid colorants have issues with in-canister mold growth, sedimentation, thickening and dispenser tip drying.  Liquid colorants also detract from paint dry film properties as they contain significant amounts of water soluble species such as surfactants, dispersants and humectants. As Pearls are solid spherical colorants, they are biocide free and will have an extended shelf life.  The packaging is recyclable which adds to the sustainability story.  The Pearls contain neither humectants nor rheological modifiers and so will lead to improved scrub, surfactant leaching resistance , block resistance, film hardness and viscosity drop.  The lack of water in the solid colorants leads to reduced shipping costs further supporting the sustainability story.

What are the advantages of the dispensers?

Vibrantz is working with partners for the manufacture of the dispensers.  The dispensers will require reduced maintenance, be easier to use and simpler to service, and will be cleaner than the current liquid dispensers.  Also, waste will be minimized as there will be no need for a daily purge cycle.

What’s next?

The Vibrantz technology is currently being used in Europe.  Vibrantz is working with numerous partners and is planning on launching the technology in the U.S. in 2026.

The Vibrantz Pearls technology is very innovative and has the potential to change how waterborne architectural and industrial maintenance coatings are tinted in the very near future. 

(photo credit: Neosiam 2024+, pexels.com )