What Are the Different Types of Effect Pigments?

The main group, pearlescent pigments, are partly translucent powders providing fascinating visual effects in coatings, plastics and printing inks. These are based on natural muscovite mica flakes coated with thin films of different metal oxides (typically titanium dioxide and/or iron oxide) to create the desired color effects. The platelet shape and the combination of transparency, refraction, multiple reflections and particle size enable a very broad range of effects and interference colors.

Depending on the application, these effect pigments can be divided into two more groups: Metal effect pigments and pearl luster pigments. Metal effect pigments consist of metallic particles which, when applied with a parallel alignment in their application, give the paint a metal luster resulting from reflection at the surface of the individual metal platelets. Pearl luster pigments, on the other hand, show additional colors generated by interference of light between adjacent metallic or semi-metallic layer layers.

The basic principle is the same as for any iridescent color, as demonstrated by nature in many beautiful examples of pearls and shells: the bright iridescent colours are based on the interplay of reflective and scattering phenomena between very thin layered structures. The difference between the refractive index of the platelet layers and that of the application system is the reason for these exciting effects.

The use of special effect pigments can add value to products, increase their aesthetic appeal and create new design possibilities. They can also improve the performance of a formula, for example through the reduction of viscosity or by improving the scratch resistance of the paint film.