Embossed Metallic Flakes Process And Product

a technology of embossed metal and process, applied in the field of embossed metal flakes, can solve the problems of not producing the necessary opacity or hiding ability for a highly reflective mirror-like surface, and achieve the effects of high color intensity and brilliance, high color intensity or chromaticity, and high brightness

Inactive Publication Date: 2013-08-01
ECKART AMERICA CORP
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  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0006]Briefly, one embodiment of the present invention comprises a process for making embossed fine particulate thin metallic flakes having high levels of brightness and color intensity. The process comprises providing a release surface on a carrier, embossing the release surface with a diffraction grating pattern having an angular ruling pattern greater than 45°, metalizing the embossed release surface with a thin reflective metal film, removing the metal film from the release surface to form a solvent dispersion of embossed metal flakes that have replicated the diffraction grating pattern, and controlling the particle size of the flakes contained in the dispersion to maintain the embossed flakes contained therein at a D50 average particle size at or above 75 microns.
[0008]The process of this invention controls the color intensity or chromaticity and brightness of embossed flakes and produces flakes of large particle size with high levels of color intensity and brilliance. The embossed flakes of this invention have application to coatings and printing inks that produce extremely high brightness characterized as an optically apparent glitter or sparkle effect in combination with high color intensity or chromaticity. The embossed flakes also can be used to produce similar optical effects when used in the decorative layers of multi-layer laminates, including those subjected to thermoforming.

Problems solved by technology

Larger flakes which may be reflective are usually more spread out when applied as a coating, and therefore, may not produce the necessary opacity or hiding ability for yielding a highly reflective mirror-like surface.

Method used

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  • Embossed Metallic Flakes Process And Product
  • Embossed Metallic Flakes Process And Product
  • Embossed Metallic Flakes Process And Product

Examples

Experimental program
Comparison scheme
Effect test

example 1

[0042]

Large particle size flakes 45°:a* = −6.51b* = 4.54C* = 7.94 75°:a* = 21.94b* = −37.21C* = 43.20110°:a* = 5.53b* = 29.11C* = 29.63

Smaller particle size flakes 45°:a* = −15.14b* = −7.67C* = 16.97 75°:a* = 19.82b* = −33.22C* = 38.68110°:a* = 5.19b* = 15.44C* = 16.29

[0043]These test data showed that the larger flakes had better color intensity, especially at 75° and 110°, than the smaller flakes even though the larger flakes were more spread out with a greater amount of space between particles than the smaller flakes.

example 2

[0044]The larger particle size flakes of Example 1 were decanted by letting the flakes settle to the bottom of a vessel and removing the resin-rich liquid layer from the top of the vessel. The clear liquid was at 2.4% resin solids (when measured by drying and reporting weight difference). The decanted sample contained 4.1% solids by weight. The test data showed that the flakes were brighter with more intense color than the sample that was not decanted.

2.4% solids - no decant 45°:a* = −13.36b* = −1.03C* = 13.40 75°:a* = 31.55b* = −51.69C* = 60.55110°:a* = 5.73b* = 24.64C* = 25.30

4.1% solids - decanted 45°:a* = −28.85b* = 12.59C* = 31.48 75°:a* = 40.72b* = −60.63C* = 73.03110°:a* = 2.34b* = 37.20C* = 37.27

example 3

[0045]The larger particle size flakes of Example 1 were added to the 50 micron flakes (10 parts 50 micron flakes to 2 parts 100 micron flakes) contained in a lacquer and drawndown on a leneta card, both sides. These samples were compared with a similar drawdown of the 50 micron flakes of Example 1. The results showed improved color intensity with the addition of the larger flakes.

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Abstract

A process for preparing embossed fine particulate thin metal flakes having high levels of brightness and color intensity. The process comprises forming a release coat on a flexible polymeric carrier film, embossing the release coat with a diffraction grating pattern that is monoruled at an angle above 45°, vacuum metalizing the embossed release surface with a highly reflective metal such as aluminum, and solubilizing the metalized release coat in a solvent for removing the metal from the carrier to form embossed metal flakes that replicate the embossment pattern. The flakes are recovered from the solution containing the solvent and release coat polymer while avoiding high shear, particle sizing or other application of energy that would excessively break up the flakes, so that the D50 particle size of the flakes is maintained at or above 75 microns. The flakes have application to coatings and printing inks that produce extremely high brightness characterized as an optically apparent glitter or sparkle effect in combination with high color intensity or chromaticity.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0001]This invention relates to a process for producing embossed metal flakes and the use of such of flakes in coatings and printing inks. More particularly, the process involves techniques for producing embossed flakes having high levels of brightness and color intensity when formulated in coatings and printing inks.BACKGROUND[0002]Metallic flakes have been used for many years in decorative coatings to produce different visual effects. Metallic flakes are used in metallic automotive paints, for example. These flakes are typically made by vacuum metalizing the smooth surface of a release coat applied to a flexible temporary carrier film, solubilizing the metalized release surface to remove the metal film from the carrier, and breaking up the metal into flakes.[0003]In addition to automotive paints, metallic flakes have been used in other coating compositions, paints, enamels, lacquers, and the like, including coatings that produce a highly reflective metalized ...

Claims

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Application Information

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Patent Type & Authority Applications(United States)
IPC IPC(8): B22F1/00B22F9/16B22F3/26B22F1/068
CPCB22F1/0055Y10T428/12014C09C1/62C09C1/64C09D5/38C09D11/037C23C4/185C23C26/00B22F1/00B22F3/26B22F9/16Y10T428/256Y10T428/2982Y10T428/24901Y10T428/24917B22F9/04A61K2800/437A61Q3/02A61K8/26A61K8/0258B22F1/068B32B3/26
Inventor RETTKER, JAMES P.ADHIA, BHARAT J.
Owner ECKART AMERICA CORP
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