Surfactant screening techniques for effective dispersion of carbon black pigment

Abstract Effective dispersion of a pigment in a colour concentrate is imperative to its performance. A well dispersed pigment yields the true strength of a colour and becomes stabilised in the long run. To accomplish this, a suitable chemistry of the surfactant is a prerequisite for dispersion and stabilisation of the pigment. A plethora of surfactants are available commercially and it is very difficult to choose the right surfactant that suits the pigment chemistry. Carbon black, being difficult to disperse, was chosen in this study to provide dispersion from an effective surfactant. Simple screening processes, if available for these surfactants, can save a huge amount of time and energy compared with the conventional method of conducting individual experiments. This paper discusses the development of such simple surfactant screening techniques, which could make the selection process simpler and quicker.