Pigment composition and pigment flake
A diffractive pigment blend or composition is provided which includes a plurality of groups of all-dielectric diffractive pigment flakes. The pigment flakes of each group each include one or more dielectric layers for providing a background color, at least one of which includes a diffractive structure for providing a diffractive effect. Each group of pigment flakes provides a different diffractive effect, and the diffractive pigment blend or composition provides a combined diffractive effect that is a combination of the different diffractive effects. The combined diffractive effect may be a neutral white diffractive effect or may include a reversal in color travel.
1. A pigment composition comprising:
a first plurality of pigment flakes that include a first pigment flake,
the first pigment flake comprising:
a first core layer, and
a first encapsulating layer that surrounds the first core layer; and
a second plurality of pigment flakes that include a second pigment flake,
the second pigment flake comprising:
a second core layer, and
a second encapsulating layer that surrounds the second core layer, and
a first thickness of the first core layer being different from a second thickness of the second core layer.
2. The pigment composition of claim 1 , where the first pigment flake further comprises:
a third encapsulating layer that surrounds the first encapsulating layer.
3. The pigment composition of claim 2 , where the first pigment flake further comprises:
a fourth encapsulating layer that surrounds the third encapsulating layer.
4. The pigment composition of claim 1 , where the first encapsulating layer and the second encapsulating layer have a substantially same thickness.
5. The pigment composition of claim 1 , where the first core layer includes titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ).
6. The pigment composition of claim 1 , where the first encapsulating layer includes silicon dioxide (SiO 2 ).
7. The pigment composition of claim 1 , where the first pigment flake further comprises:
a first additional layer that is made from same material as the first core layer, and
a second additional layer that is made from same material as the first encapsulating layer.
8. The pigment composition of claim 1 , where the first thickness is between 50 nm and 300 nm.
9. The pigment composition of claim 1 , where a thickness of the first encapsulating layer is about 60 nm.
10. The pigment composition of claim 1 , where each of the first core layer and the second core layer includes a diffraction grating.
11. The pigment composition of claim 1 , where a first diffraction grating associated with the first plurality of pigment flakes has a substantially same line frequency as a second diffraction grating associated with the second plurality of pigment flakes.
12. The pigment composition of claim 1 , where a diffraction grating associated with the first plurality of pigment flakes is substantially 1440 lines/mm.
13. The pigment composition of claim 1 , where a first diffraction grating associated with the first plurality of pigment flakes is different from a second diffraction grating associated with the second plurality of pigment flakes.
14. The pigment composition of claim 1 , where a diffraction grating associated with the second plurality of pigment flakes is about 2200 lines/mm.
15. A pigment composition comprising:
a first pigment flake that includes:
a first core layer, and
a first encapsulating layer that surrounds the first core layer,
a second encapsulating layer that surrounds the first encapsulating layer, and
a third encapsulating layer that surrounds the first encapsulating layer; and
a second pigment flake that includes a second core layer,
a first thickness of the first core layer being different from a second thickness of the second core layer.
16. The pigment composition of claim 15 , where the second pigment flake further includes a fourth encapsulating layer that surrounds the second core layer.
17. The pigment composition of claim 16 , where the first encapsulating layer and the second encapsulating layer have a substantially same thickness.
18. The pigment composition of claim 15 ,
where the first core layer and the second encapsulating layer are composed of a first material, and
where the first encapsulating layer and the third encapsulating layer are composed of a second material, and
where the second material is different from the first material.
19. The pigment composition of claim 15 , where each of the first core layer, the first encapsulating layer, the second encapsulating layer, and the third encapsulating layer includes a diffraction grating.
20. A first pigment flake comprising:
a first core layer, and
a first encapsulating layer that surrounds the first core layer,
a first thickness of the first core layer being different from a second thickness of a second core layer of a second pigment flake that is in a same composition as the first pigment flake, and
the first encapsulating layer and a second encapsulating layer of the second pigment flake have a substantially same thickness.