Hybrid inorganic/organic color effect materials and production thereof

Abstract

A color effect material is composed of a plurality of encapsulated substrate platelets in which each platelet is encapsulated with a first layer which acts as a reflector to light directed thereon, a visibly transparent second organic layer encapsulating the first layer in which the second layer provides an optically variable reflection of light impinging thereon and a third layer encapsulating the second layer and being selectively transparent to light directed thereon.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method of making a hybrid inorganic/organic color effect material comprising: 
 (a) coating a platelet-shaped substrate with a first layer highly reflective to light directed thereon; and    (b) encapsulating the first layer with a visibly transparent second organic layer providing a variable pathlength for light dependent on the angle of incidence of light impinging thereon;    (c) encapsulating the second layer with a selective transparent third layer to light directed thereon.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the substrate is selected from the group consisting of mica, aluminum oxide, bismuth oxychloride, boron nitride, glass flake, iron oxide-coated mica, iron oxide coated glass, silicon dioxide, titanium dioxide coated mica, titanium dioxide coated glass, copper flakes, zinc flakes, alloy of copper flakes, and alloy of zinc flakes.  
     
     
         3 . The method  claim 1 , wherein the first layer is selected from the group consisting of aluminum, copper, gold, palladium, platinum, silver, zinc, an alloy of aluminum, an alloy of copper, and an alloy of zinc.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the first layer is an alloy of copper and zinc.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the first layer is an alloy of aluminum and copper.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the first layer is an alloy of aluminum and zinc.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the first layer is copper.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the first layer is zinc.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the first layer is silver.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the first layer is gold.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the first layer is platinum or palladium.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first layer is selected from the group consisting of silver, gold, platinum, palladium, rhodium, ruthenium, osmium, iridium and alloys thereof.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second layer is an organic polymer.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second encapsulating layer is selected from the group consisting of parylene, polytetrafluoroethylene, polyvinylacetate, polydivinylbenzene), ethylcellulose, polymethylmethacrylate, polyvinylalcohol, polyurethanes and polyureas.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second layer is polydivinylbenzene or parylene.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the third encapsulating layer is selected from the group consisting of silver, gold, platinum, palladium, rhodium, ruthenium, osmium, iridium and alloys thereof.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the third layer is selected from the group consisting of aluminum, copper, silicon, titanium dioxide, iron oxide, chromium oxide, a mixed metal oxide, aluminum, and alloys thereof.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the substrate is selected from the group consisting of mica, aluminum oxide, bismuth oxychloride, boron nitride, glass flake, iron oxide-coated mica, iron oxide coated glass, silicon dioxide, titanium dioxide coated mica, titanium dioxide coated glass, copper flakes, zinc flakes, alloy of copper flakes, and alloy of zinc flakes; the first layer is selected from the group consisting of aluminum, copper, gold, palladium, platinum, silver, zinc, an alloy of aluminum, an alloy of copper, and an alloy of zinc; the second layer is an organic polymer; and the third layer is selected from the group consisting of aluminum, copper, silicon, titanium dioxide, iron oxide, chromium oxide, a mixed metal oxide, aluminum, and alloys thereof.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the substrate is platelet-shaped glass flake, the highly reflective first encapsulating layer is silver, the second encapsulating layer is polydivinylbenzene and the third encapsulating layer is a selectively transparent layer of silver.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the substrate is platelet-shaped glass flake, the highly reflective first encapsulating layer is silver, the second encapsulating layer is parylene and the third encapsulating layer is a selectively transparent layer of silver.