Liquid crystal effect pigments
Unlike commonly known inorganic-effect pigment technologies such as interference and metallics, Helicone HC is based on a purely organic polymer. It is made from customized fine chemicals that are then transferred into a liquid-crystal polymer film, and subsequently milled into an effect pigment flake.
Helicone HC effect pigments are transparent platelets that exhibit no color on their own, but when used over, or in combination with, other more common colorants, exhibit a novel color transition effect. They also provide extreme visual depth and a deep metallic-like sparkle, resulting in a truly exceptional three-dimensional appearance.
The polymeric platelets are highly versatile and show a superior dispersability in either water- or solvent-based coatings. Their low specific gravity leads to minimal settling. Furthermore, their elasticity and exceptional shear force resistance allow the Helicone HC effect pigments to be easily formulated into the melt mix in powder coatings, or extruded into plastics. They are nontoxic and contain no heavy metals.
Contact: LCP Technology GmbH, Burghausen, Germany.
For more information, see Transmaterial 3: A Catalog of Materials that Redefine our Physical Environment
