Embossed Metallic Flakes Diffraction Grating Brightness

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for producing metallic flakes for coatings and printing inks struggle to achieve high brightness and color intensity, particularly with larger flake sizes that are necessary for achieving mirror-like reflective surfaces and optical effects, as smaller flakes do not provide sufficient opacity or hiding ability.

Innovation Solution

A process involving embossing a release surface with a diffraction grating pattern greater than 45°, metalizing, and controlling the particle size of the flakes to maintain an average D50 size at or above 75 microns, which replicates the embossed pattern and enhances reflectivity and color intensity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Illumination intensity

If smaller metal flakes (below 50 microns) are used to achieve good reflectivity, then reflectivity is improved, but opacity and hiding ability deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovereflectivityVSAvoidopacity

Core Design Contradiction:

Illumination intensityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the particle size parameter from below 50 microns to above 75 microns, and simultaneously changes the surface structure parameter by embossing diffraction grating patterns. This combination of parameter changes allows larger particles to maintain high reflectivity while providing sufficient opacity and hiding ability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Quantity of substance

If larger metal flakes are used to achieve sufficient opacity, then opacity is improved, but reflectivity and mirror-like effects deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveopacityVSAvoidreflectivity

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSIllumination intensity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent embosses diffraction grating patterns with angular rulings greater than 45° on the surface of larger metal flakes. This surface structure modification enables larger particles to maintain high reflectivity and mirror-like effects while providing sufficient opacity and hiding ability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Manufacturing precision

If high speed mixing or ultrasonic mixing is applied to break up metal particles into desired size, then particle size control is improved, but reflectivity may be destroyed

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveparticle size controlVSAvoidreflectivity

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSIllumination intensity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs embossing and metalizing before particle size reduction. By pre-forming the diffraction grating patterns on the metalized surface, the reflective structure is established before any size reduction operations, minimizing damage to reflectivity during subsequent particle size control steps.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

4Adaptability or versatility

If embossed patterns are added to metal flakes to produce iridescent effects, then visual effects are improved, but manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevisual effectsVSAvoidmanufacturing process

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the embossing and metalizing steps into a integrated process where the diffraction grating pattern is embossed on the release surface before metal deposition. This merging of steps creates the embossed metal flakes with iridescent effects while maintaining manufacturing efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The process produces embossed metal flakes with high brightness and color intensity, achieving an optically apparent glitter or sparkle effect in coatings and printing inks, with improved reflectivity and color shift across the color spectrum, suitable for decorative and thermoformable applications.

Implementation Method 1

The embossed flakes have a diffraction grating pattern having an angular ruling pattern greater than 45°

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectDiffraction: Diffraction

Implementation Method 2

metalizing the embossed release surface with a thin reflective metal film

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectReflection: Reflection

Data Source

PatentUS20080274354A1Embossed Metallic Flakes Process and Product

Publication Date: 2008.11.06 ECKART AMERICA CORP

AI summary

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.