The present invention provides an interference pigment that develops interference colors even on light-colored bases. An interference pigment 1 of the present invention includes: a flaky inorganic substrate 10; a transparent metal layer 20 that coats the inorganic substrate 10; and a metal oxide layer 30 that coats the metal layer 20.

The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for coating large area solid substrates such as flakes, powder, beads, and fibres with metal-based coatings by heating the substrate with a powder mixture including reducible metal oxides and a reducing agent. The method is particularly suited for production of substrates coated with metals, alloys and compounds based on Ti, Al, Zn, Sn, In, Sb, Ag, Co, V, Ni, Cr, Mn, Fe, Cu, Pt, Pd, Ta, Zr, Nb, Rh, Ru, Mo, Os, Re and W.

A method of forming a titania-coated inorganic particle comprising the steps of: (a) agitating a mixture of inorganic particle and organic solvent; (b) adding titania precursor dropwise into the mixture of step (a) under agitation; and (c) adding catalyst to the mixture of step (b) thereby converting said titania precursor to titania which then forms a coating on said inorganic particle; wherein steps (a) to (c) are performed at neutral pH and ambient temperature.

Provided is an infrared-reflective coating composition that includes: a scale-like infrared-reflective pigment; and a resin component, wherein the pigment includes a layered body that has dielectric layers and a metal thin film layer layered in an alternate fashion with the dielectric layer on the outermost layer; the dielectric layer is formed from one or more materials such as titanium dioxide; the metal thin film layer is formed from a silver compound; a film thickness of the metal thin film layer is 5 to 15 nm; a film thickness of the dielectric layer is ((Nλ)/(4r))±20 nm (N=1, 2 or 3) wherein wavelength λ of incident light is 250 to 980 nm, and r is a refractive index of the dielectric layer; and a proportion of the infrared-reflective pigment having a particle diameter of 1 μm or smaller is 10% by volume or smaller.

Provided is a filler for a metallic paint capable of providing high brightness and radio wave transparency at the same time. The present disclosure relates to a filler for a metallic paint and a method for producing the same. The filler for the metallic paint comprises a plate-shaped substrate formed of an inorganic insulation material; and a plurality of metal particles disposed on a surface of the substrate, wherein the metal particles are disposed at intervals, and an average particle size of the metal particles is 5 nm to 200 nm.

Radar transmissive pigments, coatings, films, articles, method of manufacture thereof, and methods of use thereof are provided. The pigment comprises a non-conductive composite. The non-conductive composite comprises a semiconductor and/or a dielectric, and a metal dispersed in and/or on the semiconductor and/or dielectric. The pigment has an aspect ratio of at least 5 as measured by the Aspect Ratio Test.

An article includes at least one layer including a transparent portion and at least one metal portion; and a color-rendering layer; wherein the at least one metal portion is positioned in the article to provide reflection of incident light; and wherein the transparent portion is dimensioned to allow at least some incident light to pass through. A method of making an article is also disclosed.

The invention provides a plurality of substantially same planar pigment flakes, each formed of one or more thin film layers. Each flake has a face surface and a flake border delimiting the face surface; the flake border undulates in the plane of the flake. The flakes have a pre-selected shape, may have a symbol or a grating thereon. A method of manufacturing of these flakes including the steps of: (a) providing a substrate having a plurality of one-flake regions and a plurality of depressions or protrusions disposed therebetween and not extending into the one-flake regions, (b) coating the substrate with a releasable coating, and (c) removing the releasable coating and breaking it into the flakes; wherein two adjacent of the one-flake regions are separated by at least three of the depressions or protrusions for facilitating the breaking of the releasable coating into the flakes.

A composition including a first color shifting pigment flake population having a first D50 particle size; and a second color shifting pigment flake population having a second D50 particle size that is different from the first D50 particle size, wherein the first color shifting pigment flake population and the second color shifting pigment flake population have a similar face color and color shift is disclosed. An article including the composition is included. A method of making the composition and a method of making the article are also disclosed.

A method for forming a multilayer thin film having a crystalline metal oxide layer, the method including: encapsulating at least one encapsulated layer of the multilayer thin film in a wet chemical composition by wet chemical methods; and crystallizing the wet chemical composition by microwave hydrothermal treatment to form a crystalline metal oxide layer encapsulating the at least one encapsulated layer of the multilayer thin film.