ChromaFlair
ChromaFlair is the
registered trademark for a
pigment created by
JDS Uniphase Flex Products Group in Santa Rosa, California. It is used in
paint systems, for example those of
Du Pont and
PPG, and when the paint is applied, it changes
colour depending on the
light source and viewing angle.
The paint system (and competing versions made by other companies) are known by a vast variety of proprietary names, including
Chameleon Colors,
ChromaLusion,
ChromaPremier,
ColourShift,
Exclusive Line,
Extreme Colors,
Harlequin Color,
IllusionColor,
Kameleon Kolors,
Maziora,
MultiTones,
MystiChrome and
Paradis Spectrashine.
The effect is achieved by interfering with the
reflection and
refraction of light from the painted object's surface. The paint contains tiny synthetic flakes about one
micrometre thick. The flakes are constructed of
aluminium coated with
glass-like
magnesium fluoride embedded in semi-translucent
chrome. The aluminium and chrome gives the paint a vibrant metallic sparkle, while the glass-like coating acts like a
refracting prism, changing the apparent colour of the surface as the observer moves around. Interestingly, ChromaFlair paints contain no conventional absorbing
pigments, rather it is a "light interference pigment": the colour we observe is created entirely by the refractive properties of the flakes (analogous to how we perceive rainbow colours in
oil slicks).
The ChromaFlair pigment is available in thousands of different colour variations. It is usually applied to items whose visual appeal is considered important — such as
motor vehicles,
electric guitars and computer
case mods.
In addition to paint, it can applied as a coating (for example on synthetic polyurethane leather), or dispersed in a resin for injection molding.
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Luminous paint*
ChromaFlair Light Interference Pigments — Page with information and examples
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Case Study: Mystichrome appearance package adds colorful flair to Ford's 2004 Cobra — Example of a ChromaFlair paint application from DuPont.
