PIGMENT RED 122/ HP RED 26120

What Is Pigment Red 122 / HP RED 26120

Pigment Red 122 (CAS 980-26-7, CI 73915) is a gamma crystal form quinacridone that delivers Blue Wool 8 lightfastness and heat stability above 200°C. This specific HP RED 26120 grade is the yellowish, transparent variant, engineered for solvent-based inks, water-based inks, and coatings. Its unique combination of extreme weather resistance and controlled particle size makes it the go-to choice when the application demands both vivid color clarity and long-term durability — a balance that is rare even among high-performance quinacridones.

Why Choose HP RED 26120

Deciding between sibling PR122 grades comes down to your end-use environment and visual target. Choose HP RED 26120 when you need a noticeably yellowish, highly transparent red for solvent-based inks, water-based inks, and coatings — where maximum brilliance and depth are the primary goals. It is the direct opposite of the bluish HP RED 2574, which is preferred when a cooler, more violet red is needed. If your application requires opacity or plastic compatibility, HP RED 23126 is the correct pick, while HP RED 2574J is the finest-particle choice for inkjet formulations. HP RED 26120 truly excels in automotive OEM and industrial coatings where durability is non-negotiable — the gamma crystal structure and insolubility guarantee excellent migration resistance and outdoor performance. When your priority is a warm, transparent red that outperforms standard organics in heat and light exposure, this is the grade to specify.

Key Features

• Gamma quinacridone crystal form ensures Blue Wool 8 lightfastness and >200°C heat stability, critical for automotive and industrial coatings exposed to years of sunlight and thermal cycling.
• Controlled particle size delivers high transparency with vivid color depth — ideal for solvent-based inks and water-based inks requiring metallic or pearlescent effects.
• Near-total insolubility in most solvents and binders provides superior migration resistance, preventing bleed or staining in multi-layer coatings and plastic substrates.
• Excellent weather resistance in both thin film and mass tone makes HP RED 26120 suitable for exterior coil coatings and powder coatings where chalking or fading is unacceptable.
• Yellowish shade with transparency differentiates it from bluish grades, allowing formulators to create warm, bright reds without cross-shade contamination in inkjet or gravure inks.

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C.I.NO.: PR122

Advantage: Yellowish, Transparancy

Main Application Recommended: Solvent based inks, Water based inks, Coatings

Product Description – PR122

HP RED 26120 ( PIGMENT RED 122) shows excellent application properties in high grade printing inks. It offers a very clean bluish shade of red, which is usually referred to as pink or magenta. It possesses excellent fastness to migration and outstanding heat stability. Its main areas of application are in high grade paints, printing inks, and plastics.

Recommended Application：

Coatings: solvent based paints, water based paints, industrial coatings, powder coatings, coil coatings, wood coatings
Plastics: PP, PE, PVC, PS/SAN, ABS, PC, POM, PA, PET, PBT, PMMA, Rubber/ TPV, SBC, TPO, TPU

Printing inks: offset inks, solvent based inks, water based inks

Technical Data:

• Light fastness: Light fastness rating is assessed on 1 to 8 Blue Wool scale where 1 = ‘Poor’ and 8 = ‘Excellent’.
• Heat Stability : Heat stability values given indicate the maximum temperature at which the pigment can be stoved for 10 min. on the full shade and in reductions without undergoing any significant change in shade.
• Oil absorption: The oil absorption is determined on the basis of EN ISO 787-5 and given in g linseed oil per 100 gm. pigment.
• Solvent bleeding: The bleeding in solvents is tested using the powder grades and the visual rating given on 1 to 5 Grey scale
  where 1 = ‘Heavy bleeding’ and 5 = ‘No bleeding”

Disclaimer — This Technical Data Sheet reflects our best understanding of typical product properties at the time of publication. Listed values are representative of standard production and are not intended as specifications, contractual parameters, or fitness guarantees. Batch variations within normal manufacturing tolerances may occur; users should verify critical parameters against their own requirements before use. Processing methods, formulations, and end-use environments are beyond the manufacturer’s control. The buyer assumes full responsibility for confirming product suitability through its own testing and quality assurance. No intellectual property license is granted or implied. All warranties are disclaimed, including merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose. The manufacturer is not liable for incidental, consequential, or special damages. All sales are governed by the manufacturer’s standard terms, available upon request. This product may contain particles below 0.1 μm. Any user of this product is responsible for determining the suitability of Honor Pigments’s products for its particular application & to ensure that any proprietary rights & existing laws & legislation are observed.

Frequently Asked Questions About Pigment Red 122

What makes HP RED 26120 suitable for both solvent-based and water-based ink and coating systems?

HP RED 26120 is specifically surface-treated to balance hydrophilicity and organophilicity, enabling stable dispersion in polar and non-polar resin systems. In solvent-based inks, it delivers low viscosity and high gloss with minimal re-agglomeration. For water-based formulations, the pigment’s proprietary coating prevents flocculation and maintains color strength even at high pH. Unlike generic PR122, this grade avoids common issues like poor rheology in acrylic-urethane blends or bronzing in nitrocellulose systems. Always pre-disperse in compatible wetting resins for optimal transparency. HP RED 26120 provides versatile, high-flow performance across both solvent and water media without sacrificing jetness or chemical resistance.

How does the lightfastness and weather resistance of HP RED 26120 compare in coatings vs. inks?

In exterior coatings, HP RED 26120 exhibits excellent 7-8 blue wool scale lightfastness and >90% gloss retention after 500 hours QUV, outperforming standard PR122 due to its optimized crystal morphology. For solvent-based industrial inks, it resists fading under UV-curing cycles and adheres well on treated polyolefin. In water-based architectural paints, however, prolonged high-heat curing (above 80°C) may slightly shift hue—testing in your specific binder is advised. Migration resistance is superior to PR122 in plasticized PVC but moderate in acrylic emulsions. HP RED 26120 delivers robust durability in demanding coating and ink environments, but verify binder compatibility for extreme heat/solvent exposure.

What is the exact shade difference between HP RED 26120 (yellowish/transparent) and the sibling grade 2574 (bluish/solvent)?

HP RED 26120 is engineered for a yellowish masstone and clean, transparent undertone—ideal for overlays and high-gloss metallic effects. Its dominant wavelength centers around 610–615 nm, yielding a bright, warm scarlet. In contrast, grade 2574 (bluish/solvent) has a side-packing modification that produces a deeper, violet-shifted red (dominant wavelength ~590–595 nm), suitable for bluish-red solvent inks. This is not a generic variation but a distinct crystal lattice: 26120 remains prone to shear-induced color shift toward yellow if over-milled, while 2574 resists such changes. For transparent reds, HP RED 26120 is the correct choice. HP RED 26120 offers a specific yellowish, high-transparency identity sharply different from the bluish 2574 series.

What dispersion techniques are recommended for HP RED 26120 to avoid common processing issues?

HP RED 26120 requires staged, moderate-energy milling. Start with 15–20% pigment loading in a compatible resin solution (e.g., ketone/ester blend for solvent, or acrylic salt for water) using a high-speed dissolver at <50°C. Avoid aggressive bead milling with 0.8–1.0 mm zirconia beads at tip speeds above 12 m/s, as over-shear can break the treated surface and increase oil absorption by 15%. For water-based systems, a pre-wetting step with ethoxylated nonionic surfactants prevents dust and improves grind fineness. In solvent systems, avoid excessive letdown with strong solvents (e.g. MEK) that can extract surface additives. Monitor grind temperature; sudden exotherm indicates over-dispersion. HP RED 26120 responds best to controlled, staged dispersion—gentle enough to preserve its surface chemistry, aggressive enough for full color development.

Can HP RED 26120 directly substitute generic PR122, or the plastic grade 23126, in existing formulations?

Direct substitution is not recommended without reformulation. Generic PR122 lacks the surface optimization for solvent/water compatibility, often causing viscosity spikes or gloss loss. The plastic grade 23126 is designed for high-temperature melt processing (up to 280°C) and will flocculate in liquid inks and coatings due to its unmodified hydrophobic surface. HP RED 26120’s engineered surface chemistry ensures rheological stability in low-VOC solvents and waterborne binders, but its heat resistance is limited to ~200°C. For inkjet-grade (2574J), the particle size distribution is narrower—do not substitute. If you require transparency and high jetness without switching formulations, test HP RED 26120 at 0.8–1.2x pigment loading of your current PR122. HP RED 26120 is not a drop-in for generic PR122 or plastic grades—it is purpose-built for liquid ink and coating systems with specific surface and rheology advantages.

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