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 ((N)/(4r))20 nm (N=1, 2 or 3) wherein wavelength 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 m or smaller is 10% by volume or smaller.

A method of providing a configuration of a system of interference filters with a visible color shifting effect, includes: a hue matching step of identifying a configuration of a first interference filter including two first metal layers and a first spacer layer therebetween, and a configuration of a second interference filter including two second metal layers and a second spacer layer therebetween, wherein the first and second filters match in hue at the first viewing angle, and the mismatch in hue at the second angle; and a lightness adjustment step which may include modifying the layer material or the layer thickness of one of the metal layers; wherein a difference in lightness at the first viewing angle between the first and second modified filters is less that a difference in lightness at the first viewing angle between the first and second filters.

A multilayer thin film structure having a reflective core particle, a dielectric layer directly encapsulating the reflective core particle, an absorber layer directly encapsulating the dielectric layer; an outer layer encapsulating the absorber layer. The multilayer thin film structure has a hue shift of less than 30? in the Lab color space when viewed at angles from 0? to 45?.

It has been found that bismuth can be milled into pigment platelets. A metallic pigment comprises bismuth metal and an organic additive. The pigment is platelet shaped. In addition, the platelet shaped pigment comprising bismuth metal can be produced by physical vapor deposition (PVD) methods. In some embodiments, the metallic pigment comprises multiple layers.

A method of providing a configuration of a system of interference filters with a visible color shifting effect, includes: a hue matching step of identifying a configuration of a first interference filter including two first metal layers and a first spacer layer therebetween, and a configuration of a second interference filter including two second metal layers and a second spacer layer therebetween, wherein the first and second filters match in hue at the first viewing angle, and the mismatch in hue at the second angle; and a lightness adjustment step which may include modifying the layer material or the layer thickness of one of the metal layers; wherein a difference in lightness at the first viewing angle between the first and second modified filters is less that a difference in lightness at the first viewing angle between the first and second filters.

The use of an effect pigment (a) comprising an aluminum-based substrate and an iron oxide coating having a red 1.sup.st order interference color in combination with a colored absorption pigment (b) for producing a coating having enhanced coloristic properties, in particular enhanced chroma, lightness and hiding power, is provided. The pigment combination of (a) and (b) is suitable for coloring plastics, a fiber, a film and a coating composition such as a paint, a printing ink, a varnish or a powder coating, preferably an automotive, an architectural or an industrial coating composition.

A thin film structure including a reflector layer; and a hybrid layer including an organic colored material and at least one of an organic filler and an inorganic filler; wherein a concentration of the at least one of an organic filler or an inorganic filler is in a range of from about 3 wt. % to about 30 wt. %. A method of making a thin film structure is also disclosed.

A particle including a core particle; and a vapor deposited colorant including an organic colored material that encapsulates the core particle. The particle can be a special effect pigment or a thin film interference pigment. Methods of making the particle are also disclosed.

A diffractive pigment blend or composition is provided which includes a plurality of groups of all-dielectric diffractive pigment flakes. The pigment flakes of each group each include one or more dielectric layers for providing a background color, at least one of which includes a diffractive structure for providing a diffractive effect. Each group of pigment flakes provides a different diffractive effect, and the diffractive pigment blend or composition provides a combined diffractive effect that is a combination of the different diffractive effects. The combined diffractive effect may be a neutral white diffractive effect or may include a reversal in color travel.

The invention relates to anisotropic, reflective, magnetic flakes. In a liquid carrier and under influence of an external magnetic field, the flakes attract to one another side-by-side and form ribbons which provide higher reflectivity to a coating and may be used as a security feature for authentication of an object.