General Info
General Information
We manufacture a complete range of cadmium pigments from a greenish yellow through orange and red to deep maroon. As well as offering a range of standard pigments on its shade card.
JMB offers a service to match pigments with those customers may already be using. Download a matching request form here (Word format) or here (PDF format).
JMB cadmium pigments are manufactured using very high purity raw materials and all batches undergo special treatment during processing which enables them to comply with special requirements – for instance, those of the Council of Europe for pigments in food-contact plastics. Learn more about JMB cadmium pigments with food contact.
These products also comply with the requirements of the US "TCLP" and are not, therefore, classed as being hazardous for disposal in the USA. Learn more about TCLP compliance.
Cadmium Pigments have undergone EU Risk Assessments and are fully REACH registered. These have concluded no risk to people or the environment and are thus classified as non-hazardous with no requirement for any hazard labelling whatsoever. For more information on specific legislation affecting the use of cadmium pigments in your region/application, please check the regulatory affairs tab. Learn more about cadmium risk assessment.
The manufacture and supply of cadmium pigments by JMB is covered by a formal quality system conforming to ISO 9001 with BSI QA. Learn more about our QA Registration and download a copy of the certificate.
Applications
Applications
Cadmium pigments find application in a wide range of products and market segments, owing to their unique blend of properties with regard to shade, opacity, heat resistance and chemical composition. Typical application areas follow but are not limited to:
Plastics
Cadmium pigments have inherent high temperature resistance because of their method of manufacture and may therefore be used routinely in polymers which are processed at or above 300ºC e.g. polycarbonate, nylons and PTFE. Further, because of this high temperature resistance, all moulding sprues and off-cuts can be recycled whereas an organic may already be starting to undergo decomposition during moulding and be unable to withstand further heating.
Artists' Colours
Cadmium pigments have long been the standard against which other pigments are judged by artists and they continue to be the only choice for top-quality oil and water colours. Learn more about cadmium pigments for artist's colours.
Coil Coatings
Coil coatings often require high performance pigments due to the nature of their application areas; it is difficult to achieve bright yellows, oranges and reds with the appropriate level of shade, opacity and performance. For this reason, Cadmium pigments are used due to their excellent lighfastness for architectural materials and also due to their heat resistance which makes them eminently suitable for the temperatures that can be reached during the application of this type of coating.
Powder Coatings
Cadmium pigments are used in thermoplastic and thermosetting powder coatings due to their high performance and heat resistance.
Ceramic, glass and enamels
The colouration of decorative ceramic, glass and enamel products often depends on the use of cadmium pigments. They are the only pigments available for bright yellows, oranges and reds (which continue to be such popular colours) which are capable of withstanding the firing processes during manufacture and application. So for applications such as on-glaze colours, porcelain enamels for steel and glass colours for both flat glass, tumblers and bottles, JMB cadmium pigments will meet your requirements.
Regulatory Affairs
Regulatory Affairs
JMB Cd pigments in food contact plastics
EU restrictions on the use of cadmium pigments
Packaging waste in the EU (Directive 94/62/EC)
End-of Life legislation (Directive 2000/53/EC)
Technical Information
Technical Information
Cadmium (Cd) pigments are stable, inorganic colouring agents which are produced in a range of rich, vibrant shades of yellow, orange, red, and maroon (as shown in Applications). Modern day JMB pigments are carefully engineered products manufactured in regulated chemical plants with full Health and Safety and Environmental permits under audited Responsible Care management. Current pigments have a carefully defined and engineered particle size, crystal structure, surface area and surface treatment to ensure they are not only correct for colour but also meet extremely low solubility and other property limits.
Our pigments are calcined to a high temperature to convert to a fully crystalline and stable hexagonal form before then undergoing a series of further treatments resulting in highly engineered pigment grade products. The crystallinity, particle size, surface area and surface engineering, as well as the chemistry differentiates JMB pigments.
JMB Cadmium pigments are versatile colouring agents that possess the following features:
- Excellent and unique full and unbroken yellow-orange-red-maroon colour range with complete inter-mixability to give mid tones;
- Excellent light and weather fastness (including UV);
- A good baking/temperature stability;
- High tinting strength;
- Insoluble in water and organic solvents and no bleeding or migration;
- Stronger, more intense and have better hiding power;
- Good resistance to detergents and alkalis and those acids used in testing regimes;
- Easily dispersible and able to be mixed with whiteners to give clean opaque shades
These properties make JMB Cd pigments unique. Being difficult to substitute, they are typically the materials of choice for ceramic, glass and metal decoration, plastic colouration and for the professional artist including restoration work.
JMB cadmium pigment technical information sheet
Light fastness and weather resistance of cadmium pigments
International Cadmium Association paper ‘The Element Cadmium’
International Cadmium Association paper ‘Cadmium Pigments are Green’