How to use silicone pigments
Determine the mixing ratio: Determine the ratio of silicone color paste to silicone according to the depth of the required color and the specific requirements of the silicone products. Generally speaking, the amount of color paste added accounts for about 1% - 10% of the total amount of silicone. For example, if you want to dye a lighter color, the amount can be controlled at 1% - 3%. If you need bright and strong colors, you can increase it to 5% - 10%. However, the specific ratio is best determined accurately through a small sample test.
Mixing: Add the silicone color paste weighed in proportion to the silicone, and then use professional mixing equipment (such as planetary mixers, double-shaft mixers, etc.) to fully mix so that the color paste is evenly dispersed in the silicone. The mixing time usually takes about 10 - 20 minutes, depending on the amount and viscosity of the silicone. During the mixing process, be careful to avoid mixing too much air to form bubbles, which will affect the quality of the silicone products.
Degassing: After the mixing is completed, since bubbles are easily generated when mixed with air, the silicone mixed with the color paste needs to be degassed. A common degassing method is vacuum degassing, which is to put the silicone into a vacuum box and evacuate it to a certain degree (such as -0.08MPa to -0.1MPa), and keep it for a few minutes to more than ten minutes to allow the bubbles to escape under the negative pressure environment, ensuring that the silicone has a uniform texture and is free of bubbles for subsequent processing and molding.
