Optical brightener FP-127 and Optical Brightener OB-1 both are used for brightening different types of materials. It is essential to understand the details and differences between them before selecting.

What is optical brightener FP-127?

Optical brightener FP-127 is an Optical Brightener with a chemical name of 4,4'-Bis(2-methoxystyryl)-1,1'-biphenyl, a molecular formula of C30H26O2, a molecular weight of 418.53, and a CAS number of 40470-68- 6. It is a light yellow or milky white crystalline powder with good thermal stability and light resistance.

FP-127 is mainly used to improve the whiteness of plastics, especially polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and polystyrene (PS), as well as other thermoplastics such as ABS, TPR, etc. It emits blue-violet fluorescence under visible light to increase the visual brightness of the material, thereby achieving a whitening effect.

In addition, FP-127 also has good compatibility and can be used well with a variety of plastic materials such as PVC, PS, ABS, etc. Its maximum absorption wavelength is 368nm and its maximum emission wavelength is 436nm, which indicates that it has strong fluorescence activity at these two wavelengths.

Generally speaking, Optical brightener FP-127 is an efficient fluorescent whitening agent that is widely used in the plastics industry to improve the whiteness and aesthetics of various plastic products.

What is Optical brightener OB-1?

Optical Brightener OB-1 is a chemical additive mainly used to improve the whiteness of plastic and fiber products. OB-1 is a distyryl bisbenzoxazole compound with strong fluorescence and high temperature resistance.

The physical and chemical properties of OB-1 include: it is a yellow crystalline powder, insoluble in water, with a melting point between 359-362°C, a maximum absorption wavelength of 374nm, and a fluorescence emission wavelength of 434nm. This material is particularly suitable for polyester fibers such as polyester, and various engineering plastics such as ABS, PS, PVC, etc.

OB-1 has a wide range of applications. It can be used not only for traditional fiber and plastic products, but also for the whitening treatment of various materials such as molded parts, films and sheets. In addition, it is also used in varnishes, paints, coatings, printing, inks and synthetic leather.

However, despite its many advantages, OB-1 also has limitations, such as poor weather resistance. Under the same conditions, products using OB-1 may be more susceptible to color migration and precipitation, causing the product to turn yellow or fade. Therefore, these potential issues need to be considered when choosing to use OB-1.

In summary, Optical Brightener OB-1 is an effective whitening agent suitable for a variety of materials and products, but you need to pay attention to its weather resistance limitations when using it.

What’s the difference between Optical brightener OB-1 and FP-127?

Optical brightener OB-1 and FP-127 differ in many aspects, including weather resistance, whitening effect, physical and chemical properties, etc.

1. Physical and chemical properties:

(1) Appearance and Melting point:

OB-1: It is a yellow crystal with a melting point of 359-362°C, insoluble in water, odorless and stable in performance.

FP-127: It is a light yellow-green powder with a melting point of 219-221°C. It is insoluble in water and soluble in a variety of organic solvents such as DMF (dimethylformamide).

(2) Absorption and emission wavelength: 

FP-127 has a maximum absorption wavelength of 368nm and a maximum emission wavelength of 436nm.

OB-1 has a maximum absorption spectrum wavelength of 374nm and a fluorescence emission wavelength of 434nm. These data show that the two differ in optical properties.

2. Weather resistance: 

FP-127 has better weather resistance than OB-1. According to the evidence, FP-127 has better lightfastness and weather resistance, which allows it to provide longer-lasting results when used outdoors. In comparison, OB-1 has poor weather resistance, which may affect its ultimate use in some applications.In addition, FP-127 has no migration problem, while OB-1 is prone to migration and precipitation, which affects its application in high-end products or paint inks.

3. Stability: The stability of the FP-127 is also considered better than that of the OB-1. This means that FP-127 can maintain good performance during long-term use and is not easily degraded by environmental factors.

4. Whitening effect:

FP-127 is also better than OB-1 in whitening effect. Evidence shows that FP-127 not only has high whiteness, but also has good shade and color fastness. Although OB-1 is also an effective whitening agent, its instantaneous whiteness is slightly lower than FP-127.

5. Cost-effectiveness:

Although FP-127 may be more expensive than OB-1, FP-127 may be more cost-effective in certain applications due to its superior performance, especially in weather resistance and whitening effect.

6. Application areas:

OB-1: Suitable for optical whitening of polymers at all stages of processing, especially in PVC, PE, PP and other materials.

FP-127: Mainly used for whitening PVC, PS, ABS, TPR and other plastics. The whitening effect on PVC plastic products is particularly outstanding.

In summary, there are certain differences between OB-1 and FP-127 in chemical structure, physical properties and application fields. OB-1 has higher heat resistance and better cost performance, while FP-127 has obvious advantages in weather resistance and whitening effect, although the cost may be slightly higher. Which product to choose depends on the needs of the specific application and the cost budget.

Welcome to contact us if you have any questions.