Effect pigments-past, present and future

Pearlescent pigments have been reviewed in a number of publications [L.M. Greenstein, in: P.R. Lewis (Ed.), Pigment Handbook, vol. I, second ed., John Wiley & Sons, New York, 1998, p. 829; R. Maisch, M. Weigand, Pearl Luster Pigments, Verlag Moderne Industrie, Landsberg/Lech, Germany, 1991; R. Glausch, M. Kieser, R. Maisch, G. Pfaff, J. Weitzel, in: U. Zorll (Ed.), Special Effect Pigments, Vincentz Verlag, Hannover, Germany, 1998; G. Pfaff, P. Reynders, Chem. Rev. 99 (1999) 1963; G. Pfaff, Chem. unserer Zeit 31 (1997) 6]. This paper provides additional information on the latest developments related to effect pigments and their production technology, the orientation behavior of effect pigment particles and the analytical methods used for the investigation of inorganic layers in effect pigments.