Pearlescent and Special Effect Pigment
Range Overview
The Kromapearl range represents a complete portfolio of high performance pearlescent pigments offering unlimited design possibilities for printed and coated materials and plastics. Products include subtle sheens and shimmers with gentle colour gradations, bright lustres and sparkles with brilliant depth and colour shift. The range enables the creation of uniquely beautiful and eye-catching effects.
The optical effects which can be created with Kromapearl depend largely on particle size, pigment type and substrate. Fine grades offer silky lustre effects with the highest opacity whereas coarser grades are less opaque and exhibit stronger glitter. Since pearlescent pigments are generally semi-transparent a wide variety of colour effects can be achieved by varying the background colour or by combining Kromapearl with transparent pigments. Smooth substrates (or reverse print) will yield better pearlescent effects than irregular or highly absorbent ones.
Kromapearl is suitable for use in almost any application and system including water-based, solvent-based and UV-curing. Temperature resistance is usually excellent with some grades being able to withstand temperatures of up to 8000C.
Weather Resistant Grades (WR)
Kromachem also offer a full range of Kromapearl WR Series pearlescent pigments which have a cerium oxide coating for enhanced weathering performance. This makes them particularly suitable for exterior applications which demand excellent resistance properties, especially paints for automotive refinish. Most of the products in this catalogue are available as WR grades. Please ask your representative for further information.
Kromapearl for Coating
Most Kromapearl grades are suitable for coatings applications as particle size is not generally of concern. Grades from below 15 microns up to 1000 microns are available. Kromapearl WR grades with enhanced resistance properties are particularly suitable for exterior applications.
Kromapearl for Printing
Screen printing lends itself very well to the use of Kromapearl pigments to create a wide range of inks suitable for printing on a variety of substrates. Commonly the upper limit for particles in this application is around 200 microns but this can be exceeded with suitable screen technology.
A range of Kromapearl types are suitable for Gravure printing where typically particle sizes of up to 70 microns are acceptable. This encompasses the standard ‘medium’ particle size range for pearlescent pigments of 10-60 microns. Suitable cylinder configurations are 60 – 80 l/cm (160 – 200 l/inch) with a cell depth of 24 – 50 μm.
There is a limited range of Kromapearl pigments with a maximum particle size of 25 microns which are normally suitable for these Flexo printing applications. Occasionally pigments with particle sizes up to 50 microns may be acceptable for Flexo printing where anilox sizes of 80-120 l/cm are usually recommended.
Kromapearl for Plastics
Most Kromapearl grades are suitable for plastics applications. Of particular interest are some of the gold and earth-tone synthetic pigments which exhibit great strength and pearlescent effect in plastics, particularly when used in combination with low levels of carbon black and other pigments.
Kromapearl for Powder Coating
The Kromapearl range includes a number of WR grades which are pre-selected for purity and additionally treated with cerium oxide for enhanced weathering resistance making them particularly suitable for powder coating applications.
Kromapearl Pastes
Many Kromapearl grades can be supplied in damped or paste form suitable for use in most of the above applications. Please contact your technical representative for details.
Particle Shape and Surfaces
All the particles are flat platelets which will require gentle dispersion. Generally, they are easier to wet than Aluminium pigments – but still benefit from similar guidelines – i.e. a degree of soaking in co-solvent and addition of carefully chosen wetting agents. Most of the pigments will work in either aqueous, solvent or UV systems – but tests should be carried out as some of the surfaces are more hydrophilic than others.
Range Overview
The Kromapearl range represents a complete portfolio of high performance pearlescent pigments offering unlimited design possibilities for printed and coated materials and plastics. Products include subtle sheens and shimmers with gentle colour gradations, bright lustres and sparkles with brilliant depth and colour shift. The range enables the creation of uniquely beautiful and eye-catching effects.
The optical effects which can be created with Kromapearl depend largely on particle size, pigment type and substrate. Fine grades offer silky lustre effects with the highest opacity whereas coarser grades are less opaque and exhibit stronger glitter. Since pearlescent pigments are generally semi-transparent a wide variety of colour effects can be achieved by varying the background colour or by combining Kromapearl with transparent pigments. Smooth substrates (or reverse print) will yield better pearlescent effects than irregular or highly absorbent ones.
Kromapearl is suitable for use in almost any application and system including water-based, solvent-based and UV-curing. Temperature resistance is usually excellent with some grades being able to withstand temperatures of up to 8000C.
Weather Resistant Grades (WR)
Kromachem also offer a full range of Kromapearl WR Series pearlescent pigments which have a cerium oxide coating for enhanced weathering performance. This makes them particularly suitable for exterior applications which demand excellent resistance properties, especially paints for automotive refinish. Most of the products in this catalogue are available as WR grades. Please ask your representative for further information.
Kromapearl for Coating
Most Kromapearl grades are suitable for coatings applications as particle size is not generally of concern. Grades from below 15 microns up to 1000 microns are available. Kromapearl WR grades with enhanced resistance properties are particularly suitable for exterior applications.
Kromapearl for Printing
Screen printing lends itself very well to the use of Kromapearl pigments to create a wide range of inks suitable for printing on a variety of substrates. Commonly the upper limit for particles in this application is around 200 microns but this can be exceeded with suitable screen technology.
A range of Kromapearl types are suitable for Gravure printing where typically particle sizes of up to 70 microns are acceptable. This encompasses the standard ‘medium’ particle size range for pearlescent pigments of 10-60 microns. Suitable cylinder configurations are 60 – 80 l/cm (160 – 200 l/inch) with a cell depth of 24 – 50 μm.
There is a limited range of Kromapearl pigments with a maximum particle size of 25 microns which are normally suitable for these Flexo printing applications. Occasionally pigments with particle sizes up to 50 microns may be acceptable for Flexo printing where anilox sizes of 80-120 l/cm are usually recommended.
Kromapearl for Plastics
Most Kromapearl grades are suitable for plastics applications. Of particular interest are some of the gold and earth-tone synthetic pigments which exhibit great strength and pearlescent effect in plastics, particularly when used in combination with low levels of carbon black and other pigments.
Kromapearl for Powder Coating
The Kromapearl range includes a number of WR grades which are pre-selected for purity and additionally treated with cerium oxide for enhanced weathering resistance making them particularly suitable for powder coating applications.
Kromapearl Pastes
Many Kromapearl grades can be supplied in damped or paste form suitable for use in most of the above applications. Please contact your technical representative for details.
Particle Shape and Surfaces
All the particles are flat platelets which will require gentle dispersion. Generally, they are easier to wet than Aluminium pigments – but still benefit from similar guidelines – i.e. a degree of soaking in co-solvent and addition of carefully chosen wetting agents. Most of the pigments will work in either aqueous, solvent or UV systems – but tests should be carried out as some of the surfaces are more hydrophilic than others.
Most of the product range which are coloured – in particular solid colours, interference and 3D shift contain a second layer of material which is responsible for the colour. Bead milling will destroy the surfaces – and the pigments themselves. Gentle agitation is recommended.
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