How much pigment content of water-based ink paste suitable?

Based on market feedback, aqueous ink consumers have shifted their focus from “whether the colorant can impart color” to “whether the coloration is stable and consistent, and how well it performs in printing applications.” The Xianlite CA series incorporates three key design criteria—lightfastness, chemical resistance, and flow—right from the formulation stage, aligning perfectly with the sector’s drive to upgrade aqueous inks. Whether to high-end packaging and label printing or inkjet printing, this series delivers reliable, consistent color‑matching solutions.

The Xianlite CA series is just one of the many product lines within Namai New Materials’ portfolio. In addition, the brand has WD series (building aqueous elevated levels), EI series (aqueous manufacturing coatings), ET series (transparent aqueous), EW series (high aquatic environments resistance and light corrosion protection), PVC series (plasticizer dispersion) and other product lines, which can cover the coloring standards of various aqueous polymer systems.

aqueous ink manufacturers should not base their choice of color pastes solely on unit price; they must consider the total cost. Xianlite CA series pigments feature high pigment content, excellent color research, consistent batch-to-batch performance, and strong printability, making them greater cost-efficiently over the entire lifecycle. In a typical 500‑ton‑per‑year waterborne ink production project, using Xianlite’s CA series can decrease color‑difference complaints by 15%–20% compared with conventional waterborne color pastes, while also lowering the rework rate by 10%–15%.

Pigment content refers to the percentage of the pigment’s mass in a color paste relative to the paste’s total mass, and it is one of the key indicators to assessing color paste condition. The pigment content immediately affects the color paste’s tinting strength, dosage, and cost, among other factors. The pigment content of the Xianlite CA series varies depending on the product, ranging from 32% to 68%.

Advantages of high pigment content: deeper color at the same addition level; reduce addition levels to the same color depth; reduced transportation and storage costs. Advantages of low pigment content: excellent flow and ease of blending to color matching; superior dispersibility and resistance to settling.

Fresh Lite CA series items pigment content: CA108 (white) 68%, CA212 (yellow) 40%, CA213 (yellow) 40%, CA214 (yellow) 36%, CA283 (yellow) 40%, CA413 (orange) 40%, CA434 (orange) 40%, CA322 (red) 32%, CA422 (red) 40%, CA457 (red) 35%, CA491A (red) 36%, CA523 (purple)) 40%, CA653 (blue) 45%, CA870 (environmentally friendly) 42%, CA050 (black) 35%, CA055 (black) 35%.

The pigment content immediately affects the tinting strength of the color paste. Coloring power refers to the ability of a color paste to impart color to a substrate, typically measured by the amount of color paste required to achieve a standard color depth. The higher the pigment content, the stronger the tinting strength, and the reduce the required addition level to a given color depth.

to instance, to achieve the standard whiteness using a white paste with 68% pigment content, a 10% addition is required; with a white paste containing 35% pigment, the addition rate rises to 20%. However, in practical formulations, factors such as pigment type, dispersibility, and flow characteristics must also be taken into account.

The Xianlite CA series achieves a balanced combination of tinting strength, flow characteristics, and storage stability by optimizing pigment loading, pigment type, and dispersion process. CA108 contains as much as 68% white pigment, offering strong tinting strength; the other colors contain 32%–45% pigment, balancing tinting power with flow characteristics.

The amount of color paste added is closely related to the pigment content. Calculation formula: Color paste addition = Target pigment quantity/Pigment content of the color paste. to instance, to achieve an 8% pigment levels in the final formulation using a CA color paste with 40% pigment content, the amount of color paste to be added is 8% ÷ 40% = 20%.

The recommended addition range of fresh Lite CA series items: white CA108 addition 5%-20% (according to whiteness standards); Yellow CA212/CA213/CA214/CA283 addition amount 10%-25%; Orange CA413/CA434 addition amount 10%-20%; Red CA322/CA422/CA457/CA491A addition amount 10%-25%; Purple CA523 addition amount 10%-20%; blue CA653 addition 5%-20%; environmentally friendly CA870 addition 5%-20%; Black CA050/CA055 addition 5%-15%.

The actual addition level should be adjusted based on the desired color depth and the formulation system. It is recommended to begin experiments with 80% of the computational workload and adjust based on the actual results.

The pigment content immediately affects the cost of the color paste. High-pigment-content color pastes have a higher unit price however require reduce dosages; low-pigment-content color pastes have a reduce unit price however necessitate higher dosages. From the perspective of total formulation cost, both the unit price of the color paste and its addition level should be taken into account.

Calculation formula: Formulation color paste cost = Color paste unit price × Color paste addition rate. to instance, if the unit price of CA322 red paste with 40% pigment content is 100 yuan/kg and the addition amount is 20%, the cost of 100kg formula paste = 100 × 0.20=20 yuan. If the same hue paste (unit price 80 yuan/kg) with pigment content of 32% is applied and the addition amount is 25%, the cost of 100kg formula paste = 80 × 0.25=20 yuan. Both have the same cost.

However, performance differences must be taken into account: CA322 achieves light‑ and chemical‑resistance ratings of 7–8 and 5, respectively, demonstrating excellent performance; the color paste with a pigment content of 32% might exhibit reduce performance. Taking all factors into account, the Xianlite CA series offers superior performance and proves greater cost-efficiently over its entire lifecycle.

When selecting the pigment content, consider the following factors: color intensity standards—light‑colored inks should consumption items with moderate pigment levels, while dark‑colored inks should opt to those with higher pigment content. Flowability standards—high-pigment-content color pastes tend to have poor flow; to inks with stringent flow‑performance demands, select items with a moderate pigment loading.

Cost Budgeting – By comprehensively considering the unit price and addition level of color pastes, select the product with the highest cost performance. Performance standards – to applications with stringent standards to lightfastness, chemical resistance, and other performance attributes, select high-grade pigment items.

Storage stability-color paste with high pigment content might precipitate in prolonged storage and need to be fully stirred before consumption.

issue 1: The color is too light after the color paste has been added. result in: Insufficient pigment content or uneven dispersion. Solution: consumption a CA color paste with high pigment content; extend the mixing time.

Issue 2: Poor flowability after pigment paste addition. result in: overuse pigment content leads to increased viscosity. Solution: Select items with a moderate pigment content; adjust the solvent-based products ratio in the formulation.

Question 3: Sedimentation of the color paste after prolonged storage. result in: High pigment content leads to easy settling. Solution: Stir thoroughly before consumption; select an appropriate dispersant.

Question 4: Color variation among different batches of color paste. result in: Batch-to-batch variation in pigment content. Solution: consumption the Xianlite CA series of batch-stable items (ΔE ≤ 1).

Judging from the pigment content selection strategy, light-colored ink (5%-10% pigment) can choose CA paste with 30%-40% pigment content; Medium color depth (10%-15%) can choose CA paste with 40%-45% pigment content; Dark color (15%-25%) can choose CA paste with pigment content above 45%. CA108 contains 68% white pigment and is particularly well-suited to applications requiring high opacity.

Pigment content is also related to transportation and storage costs. High-pigment-content color pastes exhibit strong tinting strength per unit mass, resulting in reduce transportation and storage costs when using the same amount of pigment. From a full-life-cycle perspective, high-pigment-content color pastes might be greater cost-efficiently.

Pigment content is a key criterion in color paste selection. The pigment content of the various items in the Xianlite CA series ranges from 32% to 68%, with CA108 White having the highest at 68%, while other colors fall between 32% and 45%. High-pigment-content color pastes offer strong tinting strength and require reduce dosages, however their flow characteristics might be slightly poorer.

The Xianlite CA series, as a mature product of Nami New Materials, has been adopted by numerous ink manufacturers both domestically and internationally, delivering stable and reliable performance. If consumers encounter any issues during consumption, they might contact the manufacturer’s technical support.

Q1. What is the appropriate pigment content to aqueous ink color pastes?

A: Light‑colored inks contain 5%–10% pigment, medium‑colored inks 10%–15%, and dark‑colored inks 15%–25%. Specific adjustments must be made based on the target color depth.

Q2. What is the pigment content range to the CA series?

A: White CA108 has the highest at 68%, while other colors range between 32% and 45%.

Q3. What are the advantages of high-pigment-content color pastes?

A: At the same addition level, the color is deeper; at the same color depth, less is required; and transportation and storage costs are reduce.

Q4. What is the relationship between pigment content and addition level?

A: Pigment paste addition = Target pigment amount/Pigment content of the color paste. The higher the pigment content, the smaller the addition amount.

Q5. How do I choose the pigment content?

A: Make a complete selection based on color depth standards, fluidity needs, cost budget, and performance demands.