Calculating Pigment Volume Concentration (PVC)

The Pigment Volume Concentration (PVC) measures the ratio of pigment volume to the total volume of solid material in a paint formulation. It is crucial for determining paint properties like hiding power, scrub resistance, and gloss.

Understanding the Formula

The formula for PVC is:

$ PVC = \left( \frac{\text{Volume of Pigment}}{\text{Volume of Total Solids}} \right) \times 100 $

Where:

• Volume of Pigment is the volume occupied by the solid pigment particles.
• Volume of Total Solids is the sum of the pigment volume and the non-volatile binder volume.

Step-by-Step Calculation

1. Identify the given values:

   • Volume of solid pigment = 400 cc
   • Volume of non-volatile binder = 600 cc
   • Total paint volume = 1 litre = 1000 cc

2. Calculate the total volume of solids in the paint:

   $ \text{Volume of Total Solids} = \text{Volume of Pigment} + \text{Volume of Non-volatile Binder} $

   $ \text{Volume of Total Solids} = 400 \text{ cc} + 600 \text{ cc} = 1000 \text{ cc} $

3. Apply the PVC formula:

   $ PVC = \left( \frac{400 \text{ cc}}{1000 \text{ cc}} \right) \times 100 $

4. Calculate the final PVC percentage:

   $ PVC = 0.4 \times 100 = 40\% $

Therefore, the Pigment Volume Concentration (PVC) number of the paint is 40%.