To provide an infrared-reflective pigment and infrared-reflective coating composition provided with both high infrared-light reflecting properties and high visible-light transparency. Provided is a flake-shaped infrared-reflective pigment, the infrared-reflective pigment 1 characterized by being provided with a layered body 13 having at least one metal thin-film layer 11 and at least two transparent dielectric layers 12, the film thickness of the dielectric layer 12 being (an integer multiple of /4n)10 nm, where is the wavelength of incident light in a visible-light peripheral region and n is the refractive index of the dielectric layer 12. Also provided is an infrared-reflective coating composition containing the infrared-reflective pigment 1.

The present invention relates to a process for colouring surfaces, in particular surfaces of foods, with effect pigments, preferably pearlescent pigments, based on flake-form substrates, where (i) the effect pigment is incorporated into a pasty, transparent, water-based material and (ii) the application medium prepared in step (i) is applied to the surface.

A process for the preparation and colouring of pulverulent foods which is distinguished by the fact that uncoloured pulverulent foods are mixed with effect pigments based on flake-form substrates.

A multi-layered pigment includes a metal core such as AlSiO.sub.2. A high refractive index layer such as TiO.sub.2 is applied by an aqueous organic two-phase process to and surrounding the metal core. The high refractive index layer has a thickness greater than 120 nm wherein the high refractive index layer is uniform and crack-free.

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.

A process of forming a multi-layered pigment includes the steps of: providing a metal core material; dispersing the metal core material in a first solvent and organic binder mixture; depositing a high refractive index material onto the metal core material; drying the deposited high refractive index and metal core material wherein the high refractive index layer is uniform and crack-free.

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.

To provide an infrared-reflective pigment and infrared-reflective coating composition provided with both high infrared-light reflecting properties and high visible-light transparency. Provided is a flake-shaped infrared-reflective pigment, the infrared-reflective pigment 1 characterized by being provided with a layered body 13 having at least one metal thin-film layer 11 and at least two transparent dielectric layers 12, the film thickness of the dielectric layer 12 being (an integer multiple of /4n)10 nm, where is the wavelength of incident light in a visible-light peripheral region and n is the refractive index of the dielectric layer 12. Also provided is an infrared-reflective coating composition containing the infrared-reflective pigment 1.

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.

The present invention relates to five-layered pigments based on multi-coated platelet-shaped substrates which comprise a layer sequence comprising (A) a layer of SnO.sub.2 having a layer thickness of 0.1-50 nm, (B) a high-refractive-index coating consisting of TiO.sub.2 in the rutile modification having a layer thickness of 10-800 nm, (C) a colorless coating having a refractive index n1.8 having a layer thickness of 20-800 nm, (D) a high-refractive-index coating consisting of SnO.sub.2 having a layer thickness of 0.1-50 nm, (E) a layer of TiO.sub.2 in the rutile modification having a layer thickness of 10-800 nm,
and optionally (F) an outer protective layer,
and to the use thereof in paints, coatings, powder coatings, printing inks, security printing inks, plastics, ceramic materials, glasses, as dopants for the laser marking of papers and plastics, in cosmetic formulations and for the preparation of pigment preparations and dry preparations.