About me
Short Course Abstract
Pigment Selection for Architectural Coatings
Competition and environmental regulations require the architectural coatings manufacturers to develop innovative formulations to improve traditional colorant systems. This includes improved hiding, reduced VOC (almost zero), increased durability, and optimum cost of use. Single coat hiding requires specific organic pigments in blends with heavy metal free highly chromatic inorganic pigments. Very low VOC free colorants require unique composition to achieve properties similar to those of regular types. Highly durable colorants require pigments that do not show any significant color change for at least after five years exposure in Florida, which are also resistant to the effect of lime burn with minimum or no efflorescence. Powder and coil coatings are also commonly used for architectural applications. The pigments for these systems require relatively high heat stability and weather fastens as such coatings are guaranteed for long term performance, i.e. minimum color change over 10-20 years. Only a few organic and inorganic pigments meet the requirements necessary for this part of architectural coatings.
Biography
Romesh Kumar is new business development manager at Heubach Colorants. His expertise includes colorants & applications, color measurement and other related subjects. He began his currier with American Hoechst Corporation and has been affiliated with pigment industry for over 44 years. He has made over 150 presentations including those at every organization related to Paint & Coatings and Societies of Plastics Engineers (SPE) in North America.
Educated at Laurentian University (Sudbury, Ontario), and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (Troy, NY), his current job functions include training colleagues and promoting innovative technologies. He teaches “Pigments for Coatings” educational programs for business professionals at University of Southern Mississippi (Hattiesburg), and North Dakota State University (Fargo).
His hobbies include hiking, biking, playing pickle ball and cheering his grandsons (Reed & Wyatt) at their hockey games in Massachusetts. He enjoys talking to strangers to learn new things.
