Leafing & Non-Leafing Flake
5-40µm aluminum flake pigments, certified leafing value, solvent and waterborne pastes, VMP mirror grades. Effect-matching and compatibility support.
QUICK ANSWER
Aluminum pigment is ball-milled aluminum flake (5-40 µm) with mirror-like surfaces, supplied in leafing grades (flakes float to the coating surface, creating chrome-bright barrier films) and non-leafing grades (flakes distribute through the film for metallic sparkle effects). It is the universal metallic pigment of the coatings, printing ink, and plastics industries — from automotive silver to roof coatings to chrome-effect inks.
Aluminum pigment works by optics: flat, polished flakes align parallel to the substrate and reflect light like tiny mirrors. Leafing grades use stearic acid lubrication that makes flakes rise and overlap at the surface — the chrome-silver of roof coatings, anti-corrosion paints, and radiant barriers. Non-leafing grades use fatty-acid variants that keep flakes suspended in the film — the metallic silver and color-flop effects of automotive and consumer coatings. The industry buys on flake size distribution, brightness (DOI), and leafing stability, in paste form (65% solids in solvent) for safe handling.
MATERIAL DATA
Lot-level controls focus on the chemistry, particle characteristics, and process values that influence manufacturing consistency and finished-part performance.
| Element | Content | Performance Role |
|---|---|---|
| Aluminum (Al) | > 99.5 wt% (flake) | Reflective metal base — mirror-bright flake surfaces |
| Flake thickness | 0.1-0.5 µm | Ultra-thin platelets — the optical working dimension |
| Flake diameter (D50) | 5-40 µm (grade) | Size sets sparkle scale — coarse glittery to fine satin |
| Lubricant | Stearic/oleic acid type | Determines leafing vs non-leafing behavior |
| Solvent paste | 65 wt% solids | Safe-handling form — eliminates dust explosion risk |
Final limits can be aligned with the agreed purchase specification.
APPLICATIONS
Industrial and protective coatings are the tonnage market: leafing aluminum pigment goes into roof coatings, tank and pipeline paints, marine primers, and heat-resistant coatings, where the overlapping flake barrier blocks UV and moisture while reflecting heat — a roof coating's reflectivity and a tank paint's barrier life both come from the pigment's leafing quality. Coatings manufacturers buy on leafing-value certification and flake size consistency, in drum quantities under annual contracts.
Automotive, printing, and plastics form the value market: non-leafing pigments create the metallic silvers and effect colors of car finishes and consumer electronics; chrome-effect printing inks serve packaging and labels; and aluminum pigment masterbatches color plastics from cosmetics caps to automotive trim. Premium vacuum-metallized pigment (VMP) grades deliver true mirror chrome effects. These buyers purchase on brightness metrics, size distribution, and compatibility certification with their resin or ink systems.
SPECIALTY & COMPOSITE POWDERS
CUSTOM SUPPLY
We supply aluminum pigment in leafing and non-leafing grades across the 5-40 µm range, as solvent paste (standard), waterborne paste (low-VOC systems), and powder for masterbatch. VMP mirror grades, custom size distributions for specific effect targets, and resin-compatibility testing support are available. Not export-controlled.
We supply aluminum pigment in leafing and non-leafing grades across the 5-40 µm range, as solvent paste (standard), waterborne paste (low-VOC systems), and powder for masterbatch.
VMP mirror grades, custom size distributions for specific effect targets, and resin-compatibility testing support are available.
MATERIAL COMPARISON
| Comparison Point | This Product | Non-Leafing Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Flake position in film | Floats to surface, overlaps | Distributed through film |
| Visual effect | Uniform chrome-silver | Metallic sparkle, color-flop |
| Barrier function | Excellent — UV/moisture block | Moderate |
| Topcoat compatibility | Poor — leafing layer interferes | Good — clear-coatable |
| Heat reflection | Excellent (roof coatings) | Moderate |
| Best use | Roof, tank, marine, anti-corrosion | Automotive, inks, plastics |
TECHNICAL FAQ
Need a different chemistry, particle range, or processing route? Our material team can review the requirement and supply window.
Dry aluminum flake is a severe dust-explosion hazard; paste (65 percent solids in solvent) eliminates dust in handling and dosing. Waterborne pastes extend the same safety to low-VOC formulations.
The percentage of flake that rises to the wet film surface — the parameter that makes or breaks roof-coating reflectivity. We certify leafing value per lot; drift below specification is the classic cause of dull, non-reflective batches.
Waterborne-pasted non-leafing grades with passivated surfaces — untreated aluminum reacts with water, generating hydrogen and destroying the paint. Our waterborne grades carry stabilization certification.
Yes — send the target panel or the incumbent pigment's size distribution and brightness data; we will produce a matched grade with comparative drawdown panels.
No. Aluminum pigments ship as standard coating raw materials with DG documentation.
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REQUEST THIS GRADE
Share your target chemistry, particle size, process, annual volume, and destination. Our powder specialists will confirm the closest production grade and documentation package.
