IP Library Granted Patent US 11,773,270
Granted Patent B2
US 11,773,270 · App. 16/921,182 · Granted Oct 3, 2023

Effect pigments

Inventors: Gerhard Pfaff (Muenster, DE); Stephanie Andes (Hanau, DE); Klaus Ambrosius (Dieburg, DE); Ralf Petry (Griesheim, DE); Michael Roesler (Reinheim, DE); Sabine Schoen (Herten, DE)
Assignee: MERCK PATENT GMBH
C09C3/06A23G3/343A23G3/54A23L5/47A61K8/0258A61K8/0266A61Q3/02A61Q19/00A61Q19/10C08K9/02C09C1/0015C09C1/0018C09C1/0024C09C1/0039C09C1/0051C09C1/0063C09C1/0066C09D5/36C09D11/037A61K2800/412A61K2800/43A61K2800/436C01P2004/51C01P2004/61C01P2006/62C01P2006/63C01P2006/64C01P2006/65C09C2200/102C09C2200/1025C09C2200/1033C09C2200/24C09C2200/301C09C2200/302C09C2200/303C09C2200/304C09C2200/306
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,773,270
App. No.
16/921,182
Granted
Oct 3, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present invention relates to effect pigments which are based on flake-form substrates having a circular form factor of 1.2-2 and are coated with at least one high-refractive-index layer, and to the use thereof, inter alia in paints, coatings, printing inks, plastics and in cosmetic formulations.

Claims (95)

1. An effect pigment comprising a roundish flake-form substrate having a circular form factor of circumference 2 /area standardized to a circle of 1.2-2 coated with at least one high-refractive-index layer having a refractive index of n≥1.8,

wherein the flake-form substrate is synthetic mica flakes, natural mica flakes, SiO 2 flakes, Al 2 O 3 flakes, glass flakes, iron oxide flakes, graphite flakes, TiO 2 flakes or mixtures thereof,

wherein the high-refractive-index layer comprises at least one metal oxide, metal sulfide, iron titanate, iron oxide hydrate, titanium suboxide, TiO 2 , BiOCl, Ce 2 O 3 , Cr 2 O 3 , COO, Co 3 O 4 , Fe 2 O 3 , F 3 O 4 , FeOOH, NiO, SnO 2 , VO 2 , V 2 O 3 , ZrO 2 , ZnO, CoAl 2 O 4 , BiVO 4 , Ti 3 O 5 , Ti 2 O 3 , TiO, Ce 2 S 3 , MoS 2 , or mixtures or mixed phases of said compounds with one another; and

wherein the roundish shape results in increased color saturation and hiding power compared with a non-roundish pigment with oblong shape and greater edge roughness.

2. The effect pigment according to claim 1 , wherein the substrate has a circular form factor of 1.2-1.8.

3. The effect pigment according to claim 1 , wherein the substrate has a particle size of 5-60 μm.

4. The effect pigment according to claim 1 , wherein the substrate has a thickness of 0.2-0.6 μm.

5. The effect pigment according to claim 1 , wherein the flake-form substrate is a mica or glass flake.

6. The effect pigment according to claim 1 , wherein the flake-form substrate is a natural mica flake.

7. The effect pigment according to claim 1 , wherein the high-refractive-index layer comprises one or more metal oxides.

8. The effect pigment according to claim 1 , wherein the substrate is coated with at least one high-refractive-index layer having a refractive index n≥1.8 and at least one low-refractive-index layer having an n<1.8.

9. The effect pigment according to claim 8 , wherein the low-refractive-index layer is SiO 2 , Al 2 O 3 , AlO(OH), or MgF 2 .

10. The effect pigment according to claim 1 , having the following layer sequence:

substrate flake+TiO 2 (anatase)

substrate flake+SnO 2 +TiO 2 (rutile)

substrate flake+TiO 2 +alkaline-earth metal titanate

substrate flake+SnO 2 +TiO 2 +alkaline-earth metal titanate

substrate flake+TiO 2 +Fe 2 O 3

substrate flake+SnO 2 +TiO 2 +Fe 2 O 3

substrate flake+TiO 2 +Fe 3 O 4

substrate flake+SnO 2 +TiO 2 +Fe 3 O 4

substrate flake+TiO 2 +Cr 2 O 3

substrate flake+SnO 2 +TiO 2 +Cr 2 O 3

substrate flake+TiO 2 +Carmine Red

substrate flake+SnO 2 +TiO 2 +Carmine Red

substrate flake+TiO 2 +Berlin Blue

substrate flake+SnO 2 +TiO 2 +Berlin Blue

substrate flake+TiO 2 /Fe 2 O 3

substrate flake+SnO 2 +TiO 2 /Fe 2 O 3

substrate flake+TiO 2 +SiO 2 +TiO 2

substrate flake+SnO 2 +TiO 2 +SiO 2 +SnO 2 +TiO 2

substrate flake+Fe 2 O 3

substrate flake+Fe 3 O 4

substrate flake+TiO 2 +SiO 2 +TiO 2 /Fe 2 O 3

substrate flake+SnO 2 +TiO 2 +SiO 2 +TiO 2 /Fe 2 O 3

substrate flake+TiO 2 +SiO 2 +TiO 2 +TiO 2 /Fe 2 O 3

substrate flake+SnO 2 +TiO 2 +SiO 2 +TiO 2 +TiO 2 /Fe 2 O 3

substrate flake+SnO 2 +TiO 2 +SiO 2 +SnO 2 +TiO 2 +TiO 2 /Fe 2 O 3

substrate flake+TiO 2 /Fe 2 O 3 +SiO 2 +TiO 2 +TiO 2 /Fe 2 O 3

substrate flake+TiO 2 /Fe 2 O 3 +SiO 2 +SnO 2 +TiO 2 +TiO 2 /Fe 2 O 3

substrate flake+TiO 2 /Fe 2 O 3 +SiO 2 +TiO 2

substrate flake+TiO 2 /Fe 2 O 3 +SiO 2 +SnO 2 +TiO 2

substrate flake+TiO 2 /Fe 2 O 3 +SiO 2 +TiO 2 /Fe 2 O 3

substrate flake+TiO 2 +SiO 2 +Fe 3 O 4

substrate flake+TiO 2 +SiO 2 +Cr 2 O 3

substrate flake+Cr 2 O 3

substrate flake+Fe 2 O 3 +SiO 2 +TiO 2 /Fe 2 O 3

substrate flake+SiO 2 +TiO 2 (anatase)

substrate flake+SiO 2 +SnO 2 +TiO 2 (rutile)

substrate flake+SiO 2 +TiO 2 +alkaline-earth metal titanate

substrate flake+SiO 2 +SnO 2 +TiO 2 +alkaline-earth metal titanate

substrate flake+SiO 2 +TiO 2 +Fe 2 O 3

substrate flake+SiO 2 +SnO 2 +TiO 2 +Fe 2 O 3

substrate flake+SiO 2 +TiO 2 +Fe 3 O 4

substrate flake+SiO 2 +SnO 2 +TiO 2 +Fe 3 O 4

substrate flake+SiO 2 +TiO 2 +Cr 2 O 3

substrate flake+SiO 2 +SnO 2 +TiO 2 +Cr 2 O 3

substrate flake+SiO 2 +TiO 2 +Carmine Red

substrate flake+SiO 2 +SnO 2 +TiO 2 +Carmine Red

substrate flake+SiO 2 +TiO 2 +Berlin Blue

substrate flake+SiO 2 +SnO 2 +TiO 2 +Berlin Blue

substrate flake+SiO 2 +TiO 2 /Fe 2 O 3

substrate flake+SiO 2 +SnO 2 +TiO 2 /Fe 2 O 3

substrate flake+SiO 2 +TiO 2 +SiO 2 +TiO 2

substrate flake+SiO 2 +SnO 2 +TiO 2 +SiO 2 +SnO 2 +TiO 2

substrate flake+SiO 2 +Fe 2 O 3

substrate flake+SiO 2 +Fe 3 O 4

substrate flake+SiO 2 +TiO 2 +SiO 2 +TiO 2 /Fe 2 O 3

substrate flake+SiO 2 +SnO 2 +TiO 2 +SiO 2 +TiO 2 /Fe 2 O 3

substrate flake+SiO 2 +TiO 2 +SiO 2 +TiO 2 +TiO 2 /Fe 2 O 3

substrate flake+SiO 2 +SnO 2 +TiO 2 +SiO 2 +TiO 2 +TiO 2 /Fe 2 O 3

substrate flake+SiO 2 +SnO 2 +TiO 2 +SiO 2 +SnO 2 +TiO 2 +TiO 2 /Fe 2 O 3

substrate flake+SiO 2 +TiO 2 /Fe 2 O 3 +SiO 2 +TiO 2 +TiO 2 /Fe 2 O 3

substrate flake+SiO 2 +TiO 2 /Fe 2 O 3 +SiO 2 +SnO 2 +TiO 2 +TiO 2 /Fe 2 O 3

substrate flake+SiO 2 +TiO 2 /Fe 2 O 3 +SiO 2 +TiO 2

substrate flake+SiO 2 +TiO 2 /Fe 2 O 3 +SiO 2 +SnO 2 +TiO 2

substrate flake+SiO 2 +TiO 2 /Fe 2 O 3 +SiO 2 +TiO 2 /Fe 2 O 3

substrate flake+SiO 2 +TiO 2 +SiO 2 +TiO 2 /Fe 2 O 3

substrate flake+SiO 2 +TiO 2 +SiO 2 +Fe 3 O 4

substrate flake+SiO 2 +TiO 2 +SiO 2 +Cr 2 O 3

substrate flake+SiO 2 +Cr 2 O 3

substrate flake+SiO 2 +Fe 2 O 3 +SiO 2 +TiO 2 /Fe 2 O 3

substrate flake+TiO 2 (anatase)+SiO 2 or

substrate flake+SnO 2 +TiO 2 (rutile)+SiO 2 .

11. The effect pigment according to claim 1 , that is aftertreated with an organic and/or inorganic layer in order to increase light, water and weather stability.

12. A pigment composition comprising an effect pigment according to claim 1 and at least one absorbent, astringent, antimicrobial substance, antioxidant, antiperspirant, antifoaming agent, antidandruff active ingredient, antistatic, binder, biological additive, bleaching agent, chelating agent, deodorant, emollient, emulsifier, emulsion stabiliser, dye, humectant, film former, filler, odor substance, flavor substance, insect repellent, preservative, anticorrosion agent, cosmetic oil, solvent, oxidant, vegetable constituent, buffer substance, reducing agent, surfactant, propellant gas, opacifier, UV filter and UV absorber, denaturing agent, viscosity regulator, perfume or vitamin.

13. A pigment composition comprising one or more binders, optionally one or more additives and at least one effect pigment according to claim 1 .

14. A dry preparation comprising at least one effect pigment according to claim 1 .

15. In paints, automotive paints, industrial coatings, coatings, powder coatings, printing inks, plastics, button pastes, ceramic materials, glasses, colored seed, absorbers in the laser marking of plastics, glasses, cardboard, paper, absorbers in the laser welding of plastics, colored food or pharmaceutical products, colored coatings on food or pharmaceutical products, cosmetic formulations, or anti-counterfeiting-elements in documents of value comprising an effect pigment, the improvement wherein the effect pigment is one according to claim 1 .

16. An effect pigment having a roundish flake-form substrate obtained by a process comprising grinding substrates in the form of flakes to form ground substrate flakes having a diameter of 50-200 μm, subsequently introducing ground substrate flakes into a comminution machine, adding water and/or an organic solvent, and a suspension formed in this way is treated mechanically in the comminution machine, during which the surface of the flakes is polished smooth and the mechanical loading of the substrate flakes is selected so that a permanent shear results in further gentle delamination of flakes and in smoothing of edges and surfaces and a particular-size distribution of 5-60 μm is achieved by a subsequent classification step in the form of a plurality of sedimentation steps, said effect pigment having a circular form factor of 1.2-2,

wherein the flake-form substrate is synthetic mica flakes, natural mica flakes, SiO 2 flakes, Al 2 O 3 flakes, glass flakes, iron oxide flakes, graphite flakes, TiO 2 flakes or mixtures thereof,

wherein the high-refractive-index layer comprises at least one metal oxide, metal sulfide, iron titanate, iron oxide hydrate, titanium suboxide, TiO 2 , BiOCl, Ce 2 O 3 , Cr 2 O 3 , COO, Co 3 O 4 , Fe 2 O 3 , Fe 3 O 4 , FeOOH, NiO, SnO 2 , VO 2 , V 2 O 3 , ZrO 2 , ZnO, CoAl 2 O 4 , BiVO 4 , Ti 3 O 5 , Ti 2 O 3 , TiO, Ce 2 S 3 , MoS 2 or mixtures or mixed phases of said compounds with one another; and

wherein the roundish shape results in increased color saturation and hiding power compared with a non-roundish pigment with oblong shape and greater edge roughness.

17. A process for the preparation of an effect pigment according to claim 1 , comprising grinding substrates in the form of lumps or coarse flakes to form substrate flakes having a diameter of 50-200 μm, subsequently introducing said flakes into a comminution machine, and adding water and/or an organic solvent, and treating a suspension thus formed mechanically for a number of hours in the comminution machine, during which the surface of the flakes is polished, maintaining mechanical loading of the substrate particles during comminution so that a permanent shear results in further gentle delamination of particles and in smoothing of the edges and surfaces and a narrowed particle-size distribution is achieved by a subsequent classification in the form of a plurality of sedimentations.

18. The process according to claim 17 , wherein the narrowed particle-size distribution is 5-60 μm.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 28, 2025
From: MERCK PATENT GMBH
To: SUSONITY COMMERCIAL GMBH
Reel/Frame 072287/0400 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 13, 2020
From: PFAFF, GERHARD; ANDES, STEPHANIE; AMBROSIUS, KLAUS; PETRY, RALF; ROESLER, MICHAEL; SCHOEN, SABIENE
To: MERCK PATENT GMBH
Reel/Frame 053188/0885 →
Priority Claims (2)
DE 10 2011 121 804.5 · Dec 21, 2011 · national
DE 10 2012 000 887.2 · Jan 19, 2012 · national
Continuity (3)
Continuation 14847726 · Sep 8, 2015
Continuation 13721212 · Dec 20, 2012
Related Publication 20200339820A1 · Oct 29, 2020