The invention relates to coated effect pigments, wherein the coating comprises a binder which is suitable for powder paints. They comprise a crystalline and an amorphous fraction which is determined by C.sup.13 NMR MAS relaxation measurements, the relaxation of the .sup.13C cores being fitted as a biexponential relaxation according to the formula (II) and the degree of crystallinity c being in a range between 40 to 85%, and relaxation having a short average relaxation time T.sub.1.sup.S and a long average relaxation time T.sub.1.sup.l, and T.sub.1.sup.l being in a range of from 65 to 130 s. The effect pigments coated according to the invention have at least one endothermic peak with a maximum from a range of T.sub.max=100 to 150° C. and an enthalpy ΔH associated with said peak from a range of 15 J/g to 80 J/g in DSC at a feed speed of 5° C./min, the enthalpy being calculated relative to the amount of the binder. The binders are applied to the effect pigment by way of spontaneous precipitation.

Provided is a VMP aluminum slurry that can satisfy metallic texture achieving high designability and demand characteristics of adhesion level with a base material. It has been found that when a coating material formed using a VMP aluminum slurry containing a specific dicarboxylic acid is made into a coating film, the adhesion with a base material is particularly excellent, and the VMP aluminum slurry of the present invention has been completed. The VMP aluminum slurry contains a dicarboxylic acid having an octanol/water partition coefficient (log Pow) of −1 to 1 and a carbon chain of 2 to 5 carbon atoms between two carboxy groups, a VMP (vacuum metallized pigment) aluminum pigment, and a solvent.

The invention relates to a nail varnish composition comprising: a) an embossed effect pigment comprising a metallic substrate in platelet form with embossed structure having a periodic pattern with diffractive elements, said substrate having been produced by PVD methods, and optionally at least one coating applied to the substrate, 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, b) at least one hydrocarbon resin as binder, c) at least one solvent or solvent mixture and d) optionally further auxiliaries. The invention further relates to a process for producing the nail varnish composition.

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.

Provided is a complex material that includes a first metal deposition layer, a first thermosetting resin layer positioned on one side of the first metal deposition layer, and a second thermosetting resin layer positioned on the other side of the first metal deposition layer.

An multi-layer coating film 12 includes: a luster coat 15 containing a luster material; a color coat 16 applied on the luster coat 15, containing a pigment 21, and having translucency; and a coloring flake 22 included in the luster coat 15 and acting as the luster material to color a surface of a luster flake with a coloring material in the same type of color as a color type of the color coat 16.

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 Δh 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 Δh=100×(h.sub.90−h.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.

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.

A black aluminum pigment comprises a flaky aluminum particle; and a coating film that covers the aluminum particle, the coating film comprises a titanium oxide layer and an amorphous silicon compound layer, the titanium oxide layer has a composition that satisfies TiO.sub.x (0.50≤x≤1.90), and the amorphous silicon compound layer is composed of at least one of silicon oxide, silicon hydroxide, and silicon hydrate.

A coating composition includes first composite particles including an effect pigment adhered to polymeric powder and second particles distinct from the first composite particles and not adhered to the first composite particles. The second particles include a colorant including a pigment. A method for imparting an anodized appearance to a substrate and a kit for applying a coating composition to a substrate to impart an anodized appearance to the substrate are also disclosed.