Vanadium Phosphate enables low-cost pearlescent dye synthesis

One thing that never falls out of style is the class and elegance of pearls. To replicate the unusual beauty of pearls, low-cost alternatives are needed to meet consumer demand

Thanks to their special rainbow colour and unparalleled beauty, pearls have been highly sought after throughout history. Because of its rarity and demand, the development of pearlescent pigments to mimic the natural beauty of true pearls was inevitable. Here, researchers use plate-like particles to create substrate-free pearly pigments. This is a low-cost, simple solution to the complex and expensive substrate-based pigment problems.

The researchers published their results in the Journal of Alloys and Compounds in November 2024.

Traditional mica-based nacre pigments are expensive and require the involvement of specialized equipment to synthesize and complex chemical reactions that are difficult to control.

Pearl Cent pigments are used in a variety of applications, including cosmetics, automotive paints, and decorations. Their popularity and demand are calling for a simpler and easier process to take over traditional methods to achieve pearlescent and satin finish appearances using substrate-based methods using MICA.

“Since ancient times, natural pearls have been cherished for their rich colour and gorgeous sheen. Their unique optical properties arise from the layered structure of calcium carbonate (CACO3) and the protein layer.”

Trying to match the unique properties of pearls is not an easy task, but researchers have found ways to streamline the substrate-free process, making the entire process more accessible and cheaper .

To achieve a low-cost, simple solution to the expensive and complex methods currently in use, the researchers have shown that the layered crystal structure of vanadium phosphate (VOPS) produces stable, rich dyes in organic solvents. It has been extremely successful in the company and found them to be excellent. Candidates for products such as paints, cosmetics and even glass replacement plastics.

This process is environmentally friendly and runs at around 120°C. The resulting product is a substrate-free process using a single crystalline layer of vanadium phosphate with the ultimate nacre dye, achieving the ultimate nacre pigment.

Some additives are required to achieve the desired effect of VOP to VOP dyes to create larger particle sizes. The addition of this hydrogen peroxide gave the single crystal plate-like particles needed for the desired effect of the dye.

The larger the platelet size, the more pearly finish, and the smaller the platelet size, the more satin-like finish will be created. Researchers have found that this process gives a substantial amount of control over pigment synthesis, further reducing wasted time, energy and materials when it comes to the final product.

There are still ways to improve this process, such as expanding the range of colours and improving pigment stability. Furthermore, the ability of these dyes to function well in mixable solutions indicates dyes suitable for dyeates.

There is also hope that some twists can be resolved, such as improving surface smoothness and giving the pigment a real effect when applied. Finally, researchers want to replace mica-based pearlescent dyes to expand the application of this substrate-free process.