Performance comparison of architectural grade and industrial grade black iron oxide pigments in concrete and coatings
1. Basic feature differences
| Characteristic | Architectural Grade Iron Oxide Black | Industrial Grade Iron Oxide Black |
| Purity | 90%-95% | 98%-99% |
| Particle Size Distribution | Broad (D50 ≈ 5-15μm) | Narrow (D50 ≈ 1-5μm) |
| Chemical Stability | High alkali resistance, but weaker acid/salt spray resistance | Excellent resistance to acid, alkali, and salt spray |
| Tinting Strength | Moderate (requires higher addition amount) | High (low addition amount required to achieve deep black) |
| Price | Lower | Higher (approximately 2-3 times that of architectural grade) |
2. Concrete application performance comparison
| Performance Indicator | Architectural Grade Iron Oxide Black | Industrial Grade Iron Oxide Black |
|---|---|---|
| Color Uniformity | Prone to color spots (due to wide particle size distribution) | Good color consistency (due to uniform particle size) |
| Weather Resistance | 10%-15% color degradation after 1 year of outdoor exposure | <5% color degradation after 1 year of outdoor exposure |
| Impermeability | Minor impact on concrete impermeability | Improves impermeability by 5%-8% (due to fine particle size filling micropores) |
| Cost-Effectiveness | Increases concrete cost by approximately $20-$30 per ton | Increases concrete cost by approximately $50-$80 per ton |
Typical cases:
Architectural grade is commonly used for ordinary floors/walls (such as parking lots, warehouses), and industrial grade is suitable for high-end landscape concrete (such as artistic floors, high-end building facades).
3. Comparison of coating application performance
| Performance Indicator | Architectural Grade Iron Oxide Black | Industrial Grade Iron Oxide Black |
|---|---|---|
| Covering Power | Requires 8%-12% (wt%) addition | Requires only 4%-6% (wt%) addition |
| Corrosion Resistance | Rust spots appear after 480 hours of salt spray test | No change after 1000 hours of salt spray test |
| Dispersibility | Prone to agglomeration, requires high shear force for dispersion | Good dispersibility, can be uniformly dispersed quickly |
| Gloss Effect | May reduce gloss by 10%-15% | Has <5% effect on gloss |
Typical cases:
Architectural grade is used for indoor latex paint (such as ordinary wall paint), and industrial grade is used for high-end fields such as automotive paint and ship coating.
4. Summary of key performance differences
Dispersibility: Industrial grade is easier to disperse evenly in coatings due to its fine particle size and large specific surface area.
Weather resistance: Industrial grade has significantly better UV and salt spray resistance in concrete and coatings than architectural grade.
Cost: Architectural grade is cost-effective and suitable for scenes with low performance requirements; although industrial grade is expensive, it can reduce the amount of addition and improve the overall performance.
5. Selection recommendations
Architectural grade is preferred:
Ordinary concrete products (such as curbstones, ordinary walls)
Indoor coatings (such as interior wall latex paint)
Cost-sensitive projects
Industrial grade is preferred:
High-end concrete products (such as artistic flooring, decorative concrete)
Outdoor coatings (such as automotive paint, ship coatings)
Scenarios with high requirements for weather resistance/corrosion resistance
6. Notes
Compatibility test: Industrial grade pigments may require adjustment of coating formula (such as dispersant dosage).
Environmental protection: Both meet environmental protection standards, but industrial grade may contain lower heavy metal impurities.
Storage conditions: Both need to be moisture-proof and high temperature-proof, and industrial grade has stricter requirements on storage environment.
