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.

The instant disclosure relates to a composition for topical application to the skin comprising a first pearlescent uncoated pigment having an average particle size of 25 um or less; a second pearlescent pigment having an average particle size of 25 um or less, completely or partially coated with one or more layers of metal oxides; a first mica having an average size of 42 um or less, completely or partially coated with one or more layers of red iron oxide; and a second mica having an average size of 25 um or less, completely or partially coated with one or more layers of titanium dioxide. It also relates to methods of using said compositions.

An object of the present invention is to provide a high-aspect-ratio plate-like alumina particle having low aggregability and high dispersibility and a method for producing the particle. The above problem is solved by providing a plate-like alumina particle including a step of firing an aluminum compound in the presence of a shape-controlling agent and a molybdenum compound serving as a fluxing agent. The above problem is solved also by providing a method for producing a plate-like alumina particle, the method including a step in which the aluminum compound and the molybdenum compound react with each other to form aluminum molybdate and a step in which the aluminum molybdate is decomposed to obtain the plate-like alumina particle.

Effect pigments based on Al.sub.2O.sub.3 flakes with high weather resistance and less photoactivity and to their use thereof in paints, industrial coatings, automotive coatings, printing inks, cosmetic formulations. The effect pigments have a ratio of the amount by weight of Al.sub.2O.sub.3 of the Al.sub.2O.sub.3 flake and the amount by weight of the metal oxide(s) of the coating layer(s) in the range of from 27:73 to 83:17 based on the total weight of the effect pigment.

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.

Nanoplatelet forms of metal hydroxide and metal oxide are provided, as well as methods for preparing same. The nanoplatelets are suitable for use as fire retardants and as agents for chemical or biological decontamination.

Glass flakes of the present invention include glass flake substrates and a coating covering at least a portion of the surface of each of the glass flake substrates and composed of a binder. The binder includes a lubricant other than silicone, or a lubricant and an aminosilane. The proportion of the lubricant in the binder is 30 mass % or less.

In order to provide pigment particles and coating compositions comprising them that are suitable for demanding industrial protective coatings and coatings in the automobile sector, a proposal is made for pigment particles having a surface coating for use in a stratifying coating composition, where the surface coating of the pigment particles is formed using an organic, amino-functional component, which in particular has two or more amino groups, and a reactive, silane-functional component different from the aforesaid component.

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.

The present invention relates to a process for preparing a colored effect pigment, comprising: (i) coating aluminum-based substrate particles in an aqueous coating medium with at least one metal oxide layer, wherein the metal oxide is selected from a titanium oxide, an iron oxide, or any mixture thereof, (ii) providing a mixture of the coated aluminum-based substrate particles and a particulate inorganic non-metallic material in the aqueous coating medium by adding the particulate inorganic non-metallic material to the aqueous coating medium, and (iii) separating the mixture of the coated aluminum-based substrate particles and the particulate inorganic non-metallic material from the aqueous coating medium and subjecting the separated mixture to a thermal drying step so as to obtain a dry colored effect pigment material.