1.1 Introduction
Paint is a mixture composed basically of solid colouring matter (the pigment) and liquid (the vehicle). It is applied as a coating to various types of surfaces, including dwellings, public buildings, factories, bridges, ships, and storage tanks. The purpose of coating may be decorative, as in beautifying of objects and provision of aesthetics; protective, as in preservation against weather, moisture, solar radiation, chemicals, and mechanical damage; or functional, as in communication of an impression. By obliterating the surface over which it is applied paint serves the purpose of its use. It may be a water-based paint (emulsion) or an oil-based paint (gloss).
As a prelude to other parts of this study, this chapter will discuss the background upon which this study was initiated, the statement of problems that led to this study, the Aim and Objectives of the study. Others are Significance of the study, Scope of work, Research hypothesis and questions, Limitations of the Study and Definition of technical terms.
1.2 Background of Study
Paint Factory or plant is an industrial site, usually consisting of buildings and machinery, or more commonly a complex having several buildings, where workers process raw materials into paint. Factories arose with the introduction of machinery during the industrial revolution when the capital and space requirements became too great for cottage industry and workshops.
Paint is a subdivision of surface coating. It is a relatively opaque solid coating applied as thin layer whose films are usually formed by polymerization of polyunsaturated oil. However, other subdivisions of surface coating include: varnishes (clear coating), enamels (pigmented varnishes), lacquers (film formed by evaporation only), printing inks and polishes. Paints generally have very low thermal conductivity, electrically inert and can be washed and cleaned. The various raw materials for making paints include pigments, vehicle, alkyd resins, surfactants, solvents (thinners) and colouring matters.
Classically, emulsion is a suspension of one phase in another. Latex paints have as their major film forming constituent synthetic resin latex with or without other film forming constituents added in an oil-water emulsion type system. The continuous phase consists of an alkali – dispersed hydropholic colloid in water and contains two more different types of particles in suspension, styrene – butadeux (SBR) copolymer which was the original quality film former in emulsion paint. Polyvinyl acetate (PVA), acrylic and PVA acrylics copolymers have largely replaced SBR as film former.
From these, resins and latex are made objects with a wide range of colours and texture found in household wares, building materials, electrical and electronic appliances, automobile and aeronautics, clothing, building structures etc. in short it s difficult to imagine contemporary society without painting (colours).
Paints are the material employed as finishing for other materials. They are used to protect metals, timber and plastered surface from the effect of weather, heat, moisture, gases etc., thereby improving their appearance. Paints are classified into oil, water and cement and bituminom paints. There are also special paints used for special purpose e.g. heat resisting, fire proofing, chlorinated rubber paint etc.
Therefore, in Nigeria where the research was carried out, the activities that was conducted is to know the Paint Production Process.
1.3 Statement of Problems
Investigation revealed that areas of the paint colour solid are not well represented with this limited number of primaries. For example, mixtures of blue and red give grayish red-blue shades rather than true violets and purples. Another problem where matching or harmonization with the environment is concerned is metamerism, but this is a problem common to any colour-matching system. A pair of colours may match each other under one source of illumination, but fail to do so under another; e.g. light from artificial sources and that from the sky in daylight. This phenomenon is known as metamerism and is generally caused by a difference in chemical components between the two pigment mixtures.
1.4 Aim and Objectives of Study
The aim of the study is to identify the Paint Production Process. In achieving this aim, the following specific objectives were laid out as follows:
- To assess the formulation and production of emulsion paint with the use of local pigments and extenders as raw materials,
- To determine the production processes involved in manufacturing paints,
- To determine the locally sourced materials from our local environment that could play the same role with imported raw materials.
1.5 Research Questions
The study came up with research questions so as to be able to ascertain the above stated objectives. The specific research questions for the study are stated below as follows:
- What is paint formulated and produced with the use of local pigments and extenders as raw materials?
- What are the production processes involved in manufacturing paints?
- What are the locally sourced materials from our local environment that could play the same role with imported raw materials?
1.6 Significance of Study
This research work will be of more importance to the paint manufacturers in the country, who spend lots of money for importations of raw material, while they are blessed with many raw materials as pigments and extenders for emulsion paint production in their country, it will also be of help to students researchers, and also reveals the importance of research among producers for future betterment and economy improvement.
This study will be of immense benefit to researchers who intend to know more on this study and can also be used by non-researchers to build more on their research work. This study contributes to knowledge and could serve as a guide for other study.
1.7 Scope of the Study
The scope of this research project work is organized to cover all vital aspects of paint formulation and production processes using local pigment and extenders as raw materials from our local environment, which will reduce the cost of emulsion paint production.
1.8 Limitations of the Study
During the course of this study, many things militated against its completion, some of which are:
- Time Constraint: The time frame given to accomplish this project was very short due to school academic calendar and it was carried out under pressure which made the researcher not to implement some necessary features.
- Research material: availability of research material is a major setback to the scope of the study.
- Frequent power failure: This made the researcher append more money on fuel to ensure sustainable power.
- Financial Constraint: Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet, questionnaire and interview).
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