Merck Launches with Meoxal®: A New Generation of Effect Pigments

After Iriodin® in the 1980s and Xirallic® in the 1990s, Merck has now added another innovative family of effect pigments to its portfolio. The new Meoxal® effect pigments captivate with their brilliant color saturation and exceptional performance thanks to their innovative layer technology and the use of aluminum flakes as substrate. Meoxal® is highly suitable for a multitude of high performance applications, especially for automotive and plastic coatings. Meoxal® Wahiba Orange – the first pigment under the new brand name – was officially launched at the end of May.

“With Meoxal® we are setting a further milestone in pigment technology globally. For the first time we are combining the properties of an aluminum substrate with those of pearlescent pigments, producing effect pigments with unique effects and very good processing properties,” states Inese Lowenstein, Head of the Pigments business unit.“Meoxal® enables us to continue to support our customers in the development of new, innovative coatings.”

“Developing innovative products will continue to be one of our top priorities,” adds Walter Galinat, Head of the Performance Materials division at Merck. “After all, we are the market and innovation leader in effect pigments and want to maintain this leadership position in the future as well.”
Inspired by the timeless beauty of the Wahiba Desert

“Desert Colors” is the first product line in the new family of Meoxal® effect pigments. The first effect pigment within this product line is Meoxal® Wahiba Orange – named after the famous Wahiba Sands, a one-of-a-kind desert region in the sultanate of Oman. Inspired by the timeless, fascinating beauty of this desert, it adds saturated red, orange and brown tones to the styling spectrum.

For high-performance applications
Like all pigments in the new product series, Meoxal® Wahiba Orange has a specially treated surface. Thanks to this special CWT (“Carbitol and Weather Treatment”) surface treatment, Meoxal® Wahiba Orange is highly suitable for innumerable high performance applications – especially for automotive and plastic coatings as well as for other demanding exterior applications. Using the new pigment in waterborne coating systems is particularly straightforward because no additional passivation is needed.

Innovative, patented intermediate layer
Meoxal® is the result of continuous research to develop new pigment technologies at Merck. The effect pigments are a combination of well-known substrate layering with metal oxides, new flake technology and innovative, patented intermediate layering know-how. This structure gives Meoxal® especially striking saturation and brilliance combined with excellent performance.

Meoxal®– its properties at a glance
• Enormous brilliance with outstanding color saturation
• Elegant sparkle effects of individual particles
• Optimized particle size distribution for coating applications
• Outstanding performance, particularly in waterborne coating systems
• Easy to use – no additional passivation necessary in waterborne coating systems
• Good shelf life