Pearl lustre pigments can provide plastics with special effects and a distinctive look. Plastics Additives & Compounding looks at recent developments at one of the companies active in this area, Merck. The company has developed the Iriodin range of products offering new options in product design, as well as in laser marking.
Merck's pearl lustre pigments Iriodin are based on the naturally occurring mineral mica. When coated with a fine layer of titanium dioxide it provides transparent, silver-white pigments with a soft, deep-seated shine, characteristic of mother-of-pearl. The pigment can be used both independently or in combination with other colours to provide a silver-white lustre. By varying the particle size of the pigments, both glittering and silky-matt lustre effects can be created, says the company.
Iron oxide
Merck says that the addition of iron oxide to the titanium dioxide coating can produce a wide palette of brilliant gold shades ranging from pale yellow golds to bright reddish golds. A recent addition is Iriodin 305 Solargold, which is a colour intensive and brilliant gold pigment with a particle size range of 10-60mm.