HP Orange 3434 — High-Strength Pigment Orange 13 (PO13) for Solvent Inks & Textile Printing | Honor Pigments

Technical Information

What Is PO13

In solvent-based gravure printing, the orange ink film on the substrate is typically 1 to 3 microns thick — thinner than a human hair. At that film weight, every gram of pigment in the formulation must pull its weight coloristically, because there is nowhere to hide weak tinting strength behind a thicker ink layer. Pigment Orange 13 (CAS 3520-72-7, CI 21110), the disazopyrazolone organic pigment that delivers the brightest orange at the most competitive cost across global ink manufacturing, is only as good in gravure as its particle engineering allows it to be. An untreated PO13 powder dropped into a low-viscosity NC/PA gravure vehicle will develop color slowly, consume mill time, and leave tinting strength on the table — the pigment is technically present in the formulation but optically underutilized. HP 3434 solves that by controlling particle size distribution at the manufacturing stage so that the pigment reaches its full color potential in fewer mill passes. It is not a different chemistry. It is the same chemistry, engineered to the demands of ink.

Why Choose HP 3434

HP 3434 is the ink-and-textile specialist in Honor Pigments’ six-grade PO13 family — the grade engineered for formulators whose production economics depend on how much color each gram of pigment delivers, and how fast that color develops in the mill. Where HP ORANGE 3545 serves as the solvent-based gravure and offset benchmark for general-purpose use, HP ORANGE 3632 is the water-based coating specialist, HP 3357 is the plastics-grade with low-warpage optimization for PP and PVC, and EARTH COLOUR ORANGE and Permanent Orange G cover the cost-first and yellow-shade segments — HP 3434 is built for ink makers who push pigment loading as a cost lever. Its controlled particle size distribution yields elevated tinting strength: formulators can reduce Pigment Orange 13 loading by 15-20% versus a standard grade while maintaining equivalent color depth in the finished ink. In solvent-based gravure and flexo vehicles — NC/PA, PVB, PU-based — the narrower particle spread translates into approximately 30% faster dispersion, meaning shorter bead-mill cycles and higher effective throughput on constrained milling capacity. The documented chemical resistance profile — excellent sterilization, butter, paraffin, soap, and clear lacquer fastness — maps directly to the retort packaging ink segment where post-sterilization shade drift is a rejection-level failure. HP 3434 is not a plastics grade: its recommended applications in solvent-based coatings are a secondary capability. For plastics compounders, HP 3357 provides the low-warpage engineering that melt processing demands. For ink and textile pigment printing, HP 3434 is the optimized specification.

Key Features

• High tinting strength enables 15-20% pigment loading reduction versus standard PO13: the controlled particle size distribution maximizes light absorption per gram of pigment, so the ink formulator reaches target shade depth with less pigment in the formulation — directly lowering raw material cost per kilogram of press-ready ink, with savings that scale with annual consumption volume.
• Rapid dispersion in low-viscosity gravure and flexo ink vehicles shortens milling cycles: particle engineering tuned for deagglomeration in thin, fast-moving solvent systems — NC/PA, PVB, PU-based — means approximately 30% shorter grind time to full color development, translating constrained bead-mill capacity into higher daily output without capital investment.
• Documented sterilization resistance for retort packaging ink applications: HP 3434 carries explicit excellent ratings for sterilization (121°C/30 min), butter, paraffin, and soap fastness — the chemical-exposure profile that retort flexible-packaging inks must survive from the press through the sterilizer to the consumer’s pantry, where post-sterilization color shift is not a quality variance but a rejected shipment.
• Broad solvent compatibility across the three dominant gravure binder families: the pigment disperses and develops full chroma in NC/PA (nitrocellulose/polyamide), PVB (polyvinyl butyral), and PU-based gravure vehicles, plus solvent-based NC flexo systems — covering the solvent landscape of packaging ink manufacturing without reformulation for each binder type.
• Textile pigment printing capability with good dry-cleaning fastness: HP 3434 is the only PO13 grade documented for textile applications, performing in acrylic and butadiene-acrylic emulsion binder systems at 1-5% paste loading with good resistance to dry-cleaning solvents — positioning it as a cost-competitive alternative to Clariant Graphtol Orange GP for textile printers seeking supply-chain diversification.

Recommended Applications

Primary: Solvent-based gravure packaging inks — flexible film, paperboard, and label stock where high tinting strength reduces pigment cost per thousand impressions and documented sterilization resistance qualifies the ink for retort food-packaging applications. Solvent-based flexographic inks — surface-print and reverse-print packaging where rapid dispersion and clean shade support high-speed press operation. Sheet-fed and web offset inks where elevated tinting strength enables pigment loading reduction while maintaining process-color density. Textile pigment printing pastes — acrylic and butadiene-acrylic binder systems cured at 150°C/3min or 130°C/5min, where good dry-cleaning fastness and EN 71-3 compliance support apparel and home-textile applications.

Secondary: Solvent-based industrial coatings — alkyd, acrylic, epoxy systems where HP 3434’s solvent compatibility and tinting strength provide adequate performance, though HP ORANGE 3545 or HP 3357 may be more application-appropriate depending on the coating type. Water-based flexo inks where a solvent-flexo hybrid system is in use — for dedicated water-based ink production, HP ORANGE 3632 provides superior aqueous dispersion.

PO13 Family Product Lineup — Select Your Grade:

Grade	Positioning	Best For	System
Permanent Orange G	Yellow-shade generalist	Warm-tone offset inks, packaging where yellower orange extends process-color gamut	Solvent-based
EARTH COLOUR ORANGE	Cost-first commodity	High-volume commodity ink and coating work, earth-tone packaging	Solvent-based
HP ORANGE 3545	Gravure & offset benchmark	Sheet-fed offset inks, solvent-based industrial coatings, multi-process consolidation	Solvent-based
HP ORANGE 3632	Water-based specialist	Water-based architectural coatings, retort packaging inks, low-VOC formulations	Water-based only
HP 3434	Ink & textile high-strength	Solvent gravure/flexo/offset inks, textile pigment printing, high-tinting-strength formulations	Solvent-based
HP 3357	Plastics low-warpage	PP injection molding, PVC soft compounds, PUR cast elastomers	Plastics melt

Not sure which grade fits your ink system? Contact Honor Pigments technical support with your solvent blend, binder type, and target color specifications for a grade-specific recommendation — including tinting-strength comparison data between HP 3434 and standard PO13 grades in your specific vehicle system.

Technical Data

HP 3434 — Technical Specifications

Property	Value	Notes
CI Number	21110	C.I. Pigment Orange 13
CAS Number	3520-72-7	—
Chemical Class	Disazopyrazolone	Benzidine-derived disazo
Molecular Formula	C₃₂H₂₄Cl₂N₈O₂	—
Molecular Weight	623.49 g/mol	—
Appearance	Bright orange powder	High chroma, standard mid-orange shade
Heat Stability	180°C	Standard PO13 family baseline
Lightfastness	4–5 (Blue Wool Scale 1–8)	Indoor and limited semi-outdoor applications
Migration Resistance (PVC)	6–7	—
Tinting Strength	High — enables 15–20% pigment reduction	Versus standard PO13 for equivalent color depth
Dispersion Advantage	~30% grind time reduction	Versus untreated PO13 in low-viscosity ink vehicles
Acid Resistance	4–5	—
Alkali Resistance	4–5	—
Specific Density	~1.4–1.5 g/cm³	Estimated from PO13 family data
Oil Absorption	Contact manufacturer	Not specified in grade documentation; PO13 family typical range 40–55 g/100g
Chemical Resistance — Soap	Excellent	Documented
Chemical Resistance — Sterilization	Excellent	121°C / 30 min retort conditions
Chemical Resistance — Paraffin	Excellent	Documented
Chemical Resistance — Butter	Excellent	Documented — critical for food packaging inks
Chemical Resistance — Clear Lacquer	Excellent	No bleeding or blooming in overcoated systems
Chemical Resistance — Dry Cleaning	Good	Textile printing application
Solvent Compatibility (Gravure)	NC/PA, PVB, PU-based vehicles	Standard packaging gravure solvent families
Solvent Compatibility (Flexo)	Water-based acrylic, Solvent-based NC	For dedicated water-based flexo, HP ORANGE 3632 is preferred
Textile Binder Compatibility	Acrylic emulsion, Butadiene-acrylic	Cure at 150°C/3min or 130°C/5min
Typical Dosage (Gravure Inks)	4–10%	In finished ink
Typical Dosage (Flexo Inks)	3–8%	In finished ink
Typical Dosage (Textile Printing)	1–5%	In printing paste
Packaging	25 kg/bag	400 kg/pallet standard
Shelf Life	5 years	Cool, dry, ventilated storage

Rating Scale Notes

• Lightfastness (Blue Wool Scale): 1 = very poor, 8 = outstanding. 4–5 is suitable for indoor and limited semi-outdoor applications.
• Heat Stability: Temperature at which the pigment maintains shade and color strength after 10 minutes at temperature.
• Migration Resistance: 1 = severe bleeding, 8 = no migration. Tested in PVC with standard plasticizer systems.
• Chemical Resistance: 1 = severe attack, 5 = no visible change. “Excellent” ratings indicate documented performance in the specified medium.

Packaging

Standard packaging: 25 kg per bag, 400 kg per pallet. Custom packaging available upon request for high-volume contract customers. Sample quantities available for first-time evaluation — contact the Honor Pigments sales team with your target ink system and solvent blend for a tailored recommendation.

Storage & Shelf Life

Store in a cool, dry, well-ventilated area away from direct sunlight and moisture. Keep containers sealed when not in use. Shelf life: 5 years from date of manufacture when stored under recommended conditions. Note: PO13 pigments in low-viscosity solvent ink systems may exhibit recrystallization during extended storage — HP 3434’s optimized particle size distribution minimizes but does not eliminate this PO13 family characteristic. Monitor ink shade stability in long-stored press-ready formulations.

Transportation

Non-hazardous for transport under UN, IMDG, and IATA regulations. Not classified as dangerous goods. Standard freight options: sea freight (FCL/LCL), air freight for urgent orders, and rail freight to Central Asia and Europe. All shipments include batch-specific Certificate of Analysis (COA), Technical Data Sheet (TDS), and Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS/SDS).

Frequently Asked Questions About PO13

HP 3434 tinting strength advantage — how much pigment loading reduction in gravure inks?

HP 3434’s elevated tinting strength enables a 15-20% reduction in Pigment Orange 13 (CAS 3520-72-7, CI 21110) loading compared to a standard PO13 grade while maintaining equivalent color depth in the finished gravure ink film. The mechanism is particle engineering: a controlled, narrower particle size distribution increases the specific surface area available for light absorption per gram of pigment, so each gram of HP 3434 contributes more tinting power than a gram of broader-distribution PO13. For the gravure ink manufacturer consuming multiple tons of orange pigment annually, a 15% loading reduction translates directly to lower raw material cost per kilogram of press-ready ink — savings that scale with production volume and drop through to margin. The formulator can apply the freed formulation budget to higher binder solids, improved adhesion promoters for demanding lamination constructions, or simply a more competitive ink price. HP 3434 is the ink-grade PO13 for manufacturers who compete on color value per kilogram of finished ink delivered to the printer.

HP 3434 dispersion speed in solvent-based gravure and flexo vehicles?

HP 3434’s particle size distribution is engineered for rapid deagglomeration in the thin, fast-evaporating solvent vehicles that characterize gravure and flexographic ink manufacturing — systems where pigment dispersion depends more on particle characteristics than on the mechanical shear intensity the mill can deliver. Honor Pigments’ processing documentation indicates approximately 30% shorter grind time versus untreated PO13 to reach full color development at equivalent Hegman fineness. For the ink manufacturer running multiple shifts on constrained bead-mill or attritor capacity, this dispersion speed gain converts directly to higher daily throughput: same equipment footprint, same labor hours, more kilograms of press-ready ink shipped per week. Compatible solvent families include NC/PA (nitrocellulose/polyamide), PVB (polyvinyl butyral), and PU-based gravure vehicles, plus solvent-based NC flexo formulations. HP 3434’s dispersion profile is purpose-built for ink milling — for plastics compounding, HP 3357 is the correct specification; for water-based systems, HP ORANGE 3632 provides optimized aqueous dispersion.

PO13 sterilization resistance for retort packaging — does HP 3434 survive 121°C?

HP 3434 carries documented excellent resistance to sterilization at 121°C for 30 minutes — the standard retort packaging cycle — with no shade drift or color strength loss. The pigment’s disazopyrazolone chromophore is chemically stable under saturated steam conditions, and HP 3434’s particle optimization for ink dispersion does not compromise this inherent thermal and hydrolytic stability. The complete documented chemical resistance profile — excellent ratings for sterilization, butter, paraffin, soap, and clear lacquer — maps directly to the multi-stress environment of retort food packaging: the printed orange ink must survive not only the 121°C sterilization cycle but also prolonged contact with fatty, oily, and soapy food contents throughout a shelf life measured in months. For the ink formulator supplying flexible-packaging converters serving the retort-pouch market, HP 3434 provides the sterilization documentation that supports converter qualification and brand-owner food-safety audit compliance — a critical differentiator when the alternative is a post-sterilization ΔE > 3.5 and a rejected production batch.

HP 3434 for textile pigment printing — dry cleaning and Oeko-Tex compatibility?

HP 3434 is the recommended Pigment Orange 13 (CI 21110) grade for textile pigment printing pastes, with good dry-cleaning fastness documented in combination with acrylic emulsion and butadiene-acrylic emulsion binder systems. Typical dosage is 1-5% in the printing paste, cured at 150°C for 3 minutes or 130°C for 5 minutes — cure conditions that are standard for pigment-printed cotton, polyester-cotton blends, and home-textile fabrics. The dry-cleaning fastness depends on binder quality as much as pigment performance: HP 3434 provides the stable, high-tinting-strength coloristic base, and the binder system locks the pigment particles to the fiber surface. For Oeko-Tex Class I (infant textile) certification, contact Honor Pigments to verify the specific certification status — HP 3434’s textile-grade market positioning and full EN 71-3 heavy-metal compliance support the certification pathway, but the finished printed textile must be tested as a complete system. For textile pigment printers seeking a cost-competitive alternative to Clariant Graphtol Orange GP, HP 3434 offers equivalent performance at a 35-40% price advantage with supply from a stable, diversified manufacturing base.

HP 3434 vs HP 3357 vs HP ORANGE 3632 — which PO13 for solvent ink manufacturing?

For solvent-based ink manufacturing, HP 3434 is the correct specification in the Pigment Orange 13 (CAS 3520-72-7) family — it is the grade engineered for this application domain with documented high tinting strength and rapid solvent dispersion. HP 3357 is the plastics specialist with low-warpage surface treatment for PP injection molding and PVC compounding; its particle engineering is tuned for polymer melt processing, not low-viscosity ink vehicles, and its v3 documentation rates printing inks as ‘Limited — use 3434 or 3545.’ HP ORANGE 3632 is the water-based coating specialist with hydrophilic surface treatment — incompatible with solvent-based ink systems. HP ORANGE 3545 is the solvent-based benchmark for general-purpose gravure and offset applications. The selection between HP 3434 and HP ORANGE 3545 for solvent ink production: choose HP 3434 when tinting strength maximization and pigment loading reduction (15-20%) are the primary economic levers — the grade’s higher color value per kilogram pays back fastest at high consumption volumes. Choose HP ORANGE 3545 when the production environment spans both ink and coating lines and a single qualified grade simplifies purchasing and QC. For dedicated, high-volume solvent gravure, flexo, and offset ink manufacturing, HP 3434 is the optimized specification that delivers more color per gram, faster.

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Disclaimer: The technical data and application recommendations provided on this page are based on Honor Pigments’ internal testing and industry-standard evaluation methods. Actual performance may vary depending on specific solvent blends, binder systems, pigment loading levels, processing parameters, and end-use conditions. Always conduct application-specific testing before full-scale production. Contact Honor Pigments technical support for the most current batch-specific Certificate of Analysis, regulatory documentation, and formulation guidance for your target ink system.