MICA PEARL PIGMENT

Pearl pigments are special kind of pigments belonging to the group of phosphorescent and fluorescent pigments. Pearl pigments are also known as pearlescent pigments. Pearl pigments have a transparent appearance because of smooth and highly reflective planes. These pigments have a pearly shine when coated with a layer of metallic oxide, in presence of mica. Hence the name ‘pearl’ pigments. Pearl pigments coating provide a vibrant visual impact and enhances special effects. Generally titanium dioxide coating is used in present of fine mica flake for the manufacturing of pearl pigment coatings. Carbon black powder is added to enhance the shinning effect of pearl pigments.

Pearl pigments are bad conductor of heat and electricity; can withstand temperature as high as 800 degree C. Pearlescent pigments has high acid and alkali resistance capacity. These properties make them a preferable choice for coating pigments; they are widely used for automobile coating. The pearly gloss of the pearl pigments provides a new color quality to the automobiles. They are extensively used in the manufacture of luxurious cars and other sport vehicles. The artificial luster of the pearl pigments also finds application in the toy making industry. Pearl pigments are mixed with other monochromatic coating mixtures to prepare pearl light coating. Pearl light coating is used in the building and construction industry. Pearl light coatings are also being used to manufacture semi-transparent and transparent plastic materials. Printing industry is also a key end user industry of pearlescent pigments. The different colored and lustrous inks used for printing purposes use pearl pigments. Pearl pigments are safe and non toxic for edible purposes so they are widely used for food packaging.

Pearl pigment was innovated in the later part of the twentieth century. In the initial stages it was extracted from fish scales. However with the development of technology, titanium dioxide and mica flakes replaced fish scales in the manufacturing process of pearl pigments. The largest consumer of pearl pigments is the paint and coating industry. The paint and coating industry accounts for more than half of the market share of pearl pigments by volume. The printing industry is the next largest consumer of pearl pigments. Although North America is the largest market for pearlescent pigments, Asia Pacific is the fastest growing market for pearl pigments.

Pearl Pigments are very fine particle pigments in metallic, interference, pearlescent, halo and hi-lite colors. It can be added to any art medium or used dry and over glazed making them a very useful basic color range for your tool kit. A single jar of gold pigment can be used with white glue, acrylic mediums and gels, fabric paints, clear stamp ink, watercolor and plain acrylic paints and varnishes, even wax, enamel paints and nail varnish or dusted on tacky hot melt glue to make all kinds of finishing materials for indoor and outdoor applications on anything from plastic and metal to polymer clay or paper.

Pearl Pigments are very fine powdered mica pigments that are non-toxic, inert, and can be mixed into virtually any viscous, transparent medium and applied to any surface, Since they are not metals, they will never rust or tarnish. The variety of finishes Pearl can produce is nearly endless—from metallic sheens to pearlescent shimmers to all manner of faux finishes.

Since Pearl effect pigments are semitransparent; the use of different colored primers makes it possible to achieve individual colors. The appearance depends on the viewing angle, resulting in a continually changing impression.

Increase in the automobile manufacturing activities in countries such as Japan, South Korean, China and India has fuelled up the demand for pearl pigments in the Asia Pacific region. The demand for this pigment decreased drastically in Europe due to the economic slowdown in most of the European countries. However the economic condition is improving in Europe so the demand for pearl pigments can be estimated to rise. Germany and Italy are the largest pearl pigment markets in Europe owing to their large automobile market. Pearl pigments are more preferred over other pigments such as chromium and cadmium containing pigments. Pigments containing heavy metals such as chromium, cadmium, lead and mercury are highly toxic and hazardous. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency banned the use of heavy metal containing pigments as they are harmful to human and the environment. This elevated the demand for pearl pigments, as they are non-toxic and eco-friendly. The popularity of green building in the world has further increased the usage of pearl pigments for manufacturing of paints and coatings for buildings. Some of the key manufacturers of pearl pigments are Millennium Chemicals, Inc., BASF SE, Heubach GmbH, L’Arca Srl and The Dow Chemical Company.

• Pearl Pigments are a pigment manufactured by coating a metal oxide on to a laminar substrate. The resulting pigment is semitransparent, and has some unique optical properties. This coating process is usually a Sol-gel process, meaning salt solutions are used for the precipitation.

• Pearl Pigments can be broken down it two categories:

 Natural Substrates: Mica, Kaolin, or Phlogopite

 Synthetic Substrates: Alumina, Silica, Borosilicate or Synthetic Mica.

• When coating Alumina or Silicates with TiO2, the TiO2 will always be anatase unless a rutile modifier is use. Examples are; Antimony, Tin, Iron, or Chromium.