A metallic pigment preparation that is composed of a metallic pigment, and a passivating agent and a neutralizing agent. The preparation can be provided in a non-dusting form, particularly in the shape of the pellet. The preparation can be easily stirred into aqueous or solvent-based liquid formulations. The preparation can also be used in natural rubber or synthetic latex.

A resin-coated metal powder according to the present invention is obtained by covering at least a part of the surface of a metal powder with a hydrolyzable resin that has an average composition of general formula (1) and a number average molecular weight of from 500 to 100,000; and this resin-coated metal powder exhibits sufficient dispersibility in an aqueous solution, while being stable for a relatively long period of time even in the coexistence of water in an aqueous coating material.

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(In the formula, R.sup.1 represents a linear or branched monovalent hydrocarbon group having from 1 to 10 carbon atoms, said group optionally having a specific substituent such as a hydroxyalkyl group; each of R.sup.3, R.sup.4 and R.sup.5 independently represents a linear or branched monovalent hydrocarbon group having from 1 to 10 carbon atoms; each of R.sup.2 and R.sup.6 independently represents a hydrogen atom or a linear or branched monovalent hydrocarbon group having from 1 to 10 carbon atoms; and a and b represent numbers that satisfy 0a<1, 0<b1 and (a+b)=1.)

Provided is a vapor-deposited aluminum pigment dispersion which achieves both of specular gloss and water resistance which allows usage as an waterborne paint. The pigment dispersion includes: a vapor-deposited aluminum pigment; an organic phosphoric acid compound having a straight chain alkyl group having eight or more carbon atoms; and a solvent, the vapor-deposited aluminum pigment is coated at least partially with at least a part of the organic phosphoric acid compound, and the vapor-deposited aluminum pigment dispersion has a viscosity of less than one Pas when the viscosity is measured by Brookfield RVT DV2T HB-type Viscometer (at 20? C., CPA-40Z cone spindle, and 20 rpm).

In the present application, we report a pigment preparation comprised of an aluminum pigment, a dispersing additive and a solvent, that can either 1) reach high, >10% solids with favorable rheology; 2) be formulated into high alcohol systems; or 3) both. The pigment preparation of the present application has better formulation flexibility than other VMP aluminum pigment slurries currently available on the market.

The invention relates to aluminum pigments which are at least partially coated with lubricant, wherein the aluminum pigments have a relative breadth of thickness distribution h of from 30% to less than 70%, as determined by a scanning electron microscope thickness count and as calculated on the basis of the corresponding cumulative breakthrough curve of the relative frequencies of occurrence, according to the formula h=100(h.sub.90h.sub.10)/h.sub.50, and an X-ray diffractogram, measured on pigments in substantially plane-parallel orientation, having one or two main peaks which do not correspond to the [111] reflexes. The invention further relates to a method for the production of said aluminum pigments and to uses thereof and also to nail varnishes and printing inks containing said aluminum pigments of the invention.

The present invention is a method for producing an aluminum flake paste including a first step of flaking a raw material aluminum powder in an organic solvent containing an aromatic hydrocarbon as a main ingredient to give aluminum flakes, and a second step of treating the aluminum flakes obtained in the first step with an organic compound having a polar group, and forming the treated flakes into a paste.

A resin coated inorganic or metallic pigment includes inorganic or metallic particles (A) and an acrylic copolymer (B) formed on the inorganic or metallic particles (A) by subjecting a radically polymerizable unsaturated carboxylic acid or radically polymerizable phosphate monomer (B1) and a monomer (B2) containing 3 to 6 (meth)acryloyloxy groups per molecule to radical polymerization reaction using a polymerization initiator (C) containing a nitrile group, wherein the inorganic or metallic particles (A) are coated with a coating resin including the acrylic copolymer (B), and the acrylic copolymer (B) has at a tail thereof a structure which is derived from the polymerization initiator (C) and which is represented by the following general formula (1):

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wherein R.sup.1 represents a methyl group, and R.sup.2 represents an alkyl group having 2 to 5 carbon atoms, or the like.

An embossed effect pigment includes a metallic substrate in platelet form with embossed structure having a periodic pattern with diffractive elements, said substrate having been produced by PVD methods, wherein the substrate has an elemental metal content of 80% to 100% by weight, based on the substrate, and wherein the effect pigment has been treated with a leafing additive for surface modification. A method of manufacture of an embossed effect pigment includes suspending a metallic substrate in in at least one solvent, adding a leafing additive to the suspension including the metallic substrate in the at least one solvent and stirring the suspension including the leafing additive, and separating the embossed effect pigment from the at least one solvent.

The invention relates to a surface-modified effect pigment comprising particular additives and to the production thereof. The present invention further provides a nail varnish composition comprising a) at least one effect pigiment that has been surface-modified with a starting material (additive), where the effect pigment comprises a substrate in platelet form and optionally at least one coating applied to the substrate, b) at least one hydrocarbon resin as binder, and c) at least one solvent or solvent mixture, where the starting material (additive) for surface modification of the effect pigment is at least one compound taken from the group consisting of phosphoric ester-containing, phosphonic ester-containing, phosphonic acid-containing, fatty acid-containing and/or silane-containing compounds or mixtures thereof.

Provided is a hydrophilization treatment agent for an aluminum-containing metal material, for forming a film that can provide excellent hydrophilicity and hydrophilic sustainability, as well as odor property to an aluminum-containing metal material for use in a heat exchanger or the like. The hydrophilization treatment agent for an aluminum-containing metal material contains: organic-inorganic composite particles obtained by combining a water-soluble resin (A) having a hydroxyl group, a poorly water-soluble inorganic oxide (B), an organoalkoxysilane (C), and a surfactant (D) at specific ratios; and water, and the organic-inorganic composite particles are 40 to 100 mass % based on total solid content by mass.