To obtain opaque pigment flakes capable of modulating refractive index of a polymeric material, providing an interference color, having an improved color intensity and opacity, and useful as a pigment for lacquers, etc., for an automobile by incorporating a light-absorbing layer between two layers comprising a polymeric material.
This opaque pigment flakes is obtained by incorporating (B) a light-absorbing layer preferably comprising carbon black, etc., having ≤80% reflectivity between (A) two layers comprising a polymeric material, preferably obtained by optically and three-dimensionally cross-linking a cholesteric liquid crystal material {e.g. a liquid crystal polysiloxane having a side chain of the formula [(n*) is 4-6; (x) is 2-8; (w) is 0-4; (y) and (z) are each 1-5; (w)+(y)+(z)=(n*); R1 is cholesteryl or the like; R2 is phenyl or the like]}. The production method comprises, for example, coating components A, B and A on a substrate in order, peeling the obtained coated material from the substrate by using an ultrasonic bath, and pulverizing the obtained coated material by an air-jet pulverizer.
HERREN FRITZ
BROILLET JEAN-FRANCOIS
