How does color shifting paint work?

Join the discussion
Ask a follow-up here, or get your own question answered by working scientists, mathematicians and engineers — people, not an autocomplete.
Real named experts · corrections over time · the nuance an AI answer skips
2 replies · 14K views
GiTS
Messages
132
Reaction score
0
There's not a whole lot of info that I could find. Something about metallic particles and light wave shifting. I was hoping someone here knew more and could elaborate. Thank you in advance.
 
Engineering news on Phys.org
I found some more info http://truebills.com/Ovi.html . This raises a couple questions.
1. What is the film? Metal powder?
2. How do you pick colors? Is it like the base color is from straight on reflection and the second color can only exist because of an interaction between interfering reflections of that base color as it reflects off the mirror?
 
From the website, http://www.uspaint.com/paints/color-shifting.asp"

Color shifting paints are created by using unique, multi-layer pigment flakes that give paints and coatings the ability to change color when viewed from different angles. Each flake exhibits a wide range of hues depending on the angle at which it is viewed and the angle of incidence of light...

You need a very relfective surface overcoated with one or more other materials. The surface needs to fractured into tiny pigment flakes. I would think the easiest way to accomplish that would be to coat a brittle high dielectric material (not metal) with a reflective metal and then overcoat that with another high dielectric compound as is http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-...or+shifting+paint"&RS="color+shifting+paint""

Coating the reflective platelet on both sides allows the particle to work regardless of how it falls on the surface during the spray process. See http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-...or+shifting+paint"&RS="color+shifting+paint"".
 
Last edited by a moderator: