Coloring media having improved brightness and color characteristics

• US 6,753,044 B2
• Filed: 07/09/1997
• Issued: 06/22/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Reveo, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Reveo, Inc.
• Inventors: Faris, Sadeg M., Li, Le
• Primary Examiner(s): Ahmad, Nasser
• Application Number:
  US08/890,320
• Publication Number:
  US 20020012766A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,540 Days
• Field of Search: 428/1.1, 428/1.3, 428/1.31, 428/1.6, 428/323, 428/327, 252/299.01, 349/115, 349/175, 349/176
• US Class Current: 428/1.1
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 15/00 Nanotechnology for interacting, sensing or actuating, e.g. quantum dots as markers in protein assays or molecular motors
• CPC Class Codes: C09B 67/0098 Organic pigments exhibiting interference colours, e.g. nacrous pigments
• CPC Class Codes: C09D 11/037 characterised by the pigment
• CPC Class Codes: C09D 11/17 characterised by colouring agents
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 19/00 Liquid crystal materials
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 19/52 characterised by components which are not liquid crystals, e.g. additives with special physical aspect: solvents, solid particles
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 2323/00 Functional layers of liquid crystal optical display excluding electroactive liquid crystal layer characterised by chemical composition
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 2323/03 Viewing layer characterised by chemical composition
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 2323/031 Polarizer or dye
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 2323/06 Substrate layer characterised by chemical composition
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 2009/2464 featuring transparency control by applying voltage, e.g. LCD, electrochromic panels
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 9/24 Screens or other constructions affording protection against light, especially against sunshine; Similar screens for privacy or appearance; Slat blindsoperating, guiding or securing devices or arrangements for roll-type closures E06B9/56; free-hanging flexible screens A47H23/00
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 50/80 for controlling collection or absorption of solar radiation
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 11/28 Structurally-combined illuminating devices
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0093 with means for monitoring data relating to the user, e.g. head-tracking, eye-tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/3016 involving passive liquid crystal elements optical properties of liquid crystals G02F1/0063; polarising elements associated with active liquid crystal devices G02F1/133528
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1334 based on polymer dispersed liquid crystals, e.g. microencapsulated liquid crystals
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1335 Structural association of cells with optical devices, e.g. polarisers or reflectors
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133514 Colour filters
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133536 Reflective polarizers G02F1/13362 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133543 : Cholesteric polarisers
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13362 : providing polarized light, e.g. by converting a polarisation component into another one
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133621 : providing coloured light G02F1/133617, G02F1/133533 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/40 : Solar thermal energy, e.g. solar towers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24017 : Hook or barb
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/25 : Web or sheet containing structurally defined element or component and including a second component containing structurally defined particles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/254 : Polymeric or resinous material

Abstract

Disclosed are novel reflective microflakes for use in making “additive-primary” coloring media having improved reflection characteristics over the red, green and blue super-bright color characteristics, and “super-white” coloring media having Magnesium-Oxide like color characteristics. The coloring media of the present invention provides a palette of colors for imparting color characteristics or forming color images upon surfaces of arbitrary surface geometry. In the preferred embodiments of the invention, the microflakes are made from cholesteric liquid crystal (CLC) material, wherein the pitch of the helices of the liquid crystal molecules in each CLC microflake varies along the thickness dimension (i.e. transverse to the surface) thereof. Depending on the final spiral structure of the materials utilized, the CLC circularly polarizing materials reflect either left-handed or right-handed circularly polarized light. In a preferred embodiment, each CLC microflake of additive-primary coloring media has a laminated construction in order that both the upper and lower surfaces thereof have substantially the same reflection characteristics over its tuned reflection band. Also, each CLC microflake of super-white coloring media has a laminated construction in order that both the upper and lower surfaces thereof have substantially the same reflection characteristics over its broadband reflection band. The super-white and additive-primary coloring media of the present invention can be used to produce virtually any color. By virtue of the circularly polarizing reflection characteristics of the CLC microflakes, the resulting coloring media can be used to form polarization-encoded spatially multiplexed images (SMI) on radiation absorbing surfaces, to produce stereoscopic 3-D images when viewed through electrically-passive polarization glasses. The coloring media may also be used in 2-D and 3-D xerographic printing processes.

Claims

1. Coloring media for application to the surface of a substrate and producing a spectrum of additive-primary color effects within the vision system of a human viewer, said coloring media comprising:

an optically transparent carrier medium capable of being applied to a surface having radiation absorption characteristics over the visible band of the electromagnetic spectrum; and

a distribution of reflective microflakes suspended within said optically transparent carrier medium,

wherein each said reflective microflake in said distribution comprises first and second layers of CLC material laminated together and has an upper surface physically associated with said first layer and a lower surface physically associated with said second layer, and that the reflection characteristics of said upper surface is substantially the same as the reflection characteristics of said lower surface over the visible band of said electromagnetic spectrum.

2. The coloring media of claim 1, wherein said reflective microflakes are made from cholesteric liquid crystal (CLC) material having spectrally-tuned reflection characteristics over the visible band of the electromagnetic spectrum so as to reflect in a specular manner circularly polarized light within said visible band falling incident upon a coating of said coloring media so as to produce a spectrum of additive-primary color effects within the vision system of a human viewer.

3. The coloring media of claim 1, wherein each said reflective microflake is made from film material having cholesterically ordered liquid crystal molecules having a pitch which varies in a non-linear manner across the thickness of each said CLC microflake.

4. The coloring media of claim 1, wherein each said reflective microflake is made from film material having cholesterically ordered liquid crystal molecules having a pitch which varies in an exponential manner across the thickness of each said CLC microflake.

5. The coloring media of claim 1, wherein said optically transparent carrier medium is an optically transparent varnish or an optically transparent wax.

6. The coloring media of claim 1, wherein said optically transparent carrier medium is a thermally curable carrier, a photon curable carrier, or air-dryable carrier.

92. The coloring media of claim 1, wherein each said reflective microflake is made from materials having cholesterically ordered liquid crystal molecules having a constant or substantially constant pitch.

7. Coloring media for application to the surface of a substrate and producing a super-white color effect within the vision system of a human viewer, said coloring media comprising:

an optically transparent carrier medium capable of being applied to a surface having radiation absorption characteristics over the visible band of the electromagnetic spectrum; and

reflective microflakes suspended within said optically transparent carrier medium, and having broadband reflection characteristics over the visible band of the electromagnetic spectrum so as to reflect light within said visible band falling incident upon a coating of said coloring media so as to produce super-white color effects,

each said reflective microflake comprises first and second layers of CLC material laminated together having an upper surface physically associated with said first layer and a lower surface physically associated with said second layer, and the reflection characteristics of said upper surface being substantially the same as the reflection characteristics of said lower surface over the visible band of said electromagnetic spectrum.

8. The coloring media of claim 7, wherein said reflective microflakes reflect, in a non-specular manner, light within said visible band falling incident upon a coating of said coloring media so as to produce super-white color effects independent of viewing angle.

9. The coloring media of claim 7, wherein said reflective microflakes reflect light within said visible band falling incident upon a coating of said coloring media so as to produce super-white color effects similar to that produced by conventional Magnesium Oxide (MO) white paint.

10. The coloring media of claim 7, wherein each said reflective microflake is made from film material having cholesterically ordered liquid crystal molecules having a pitch which varies in a non-linear manner across the thickness of each said reflective microflake.

11. The coloring media of claim 7, wherein each said reflective microflake is made from film material having cholesterically ordered liquid crystal molecules having a pitch which varies in an exponential manner across the thickness of each said reflective microflake.

12. The coloring media of claim 7, wherein said carrier medium is selected from the group consisting of an optically transparent varnish or an optically transparent wax.

13. The coloring media of claim 7, wherein said carrier medium is a photon curable carrier.

14. The coloring media of claim 7, wherein said carrier medium is a thermally curable carrier.

15. The coloring media of claim 8, wherein said carrier medium is an air-curable carrier curable by evaporation.

16. The coloring media of claim 7, wherein said reflective microflakes reflect incident circularly polarized electromagnetic radiation in the ultraviolet portion of the electromagnetic spectrum and/or the infrared portion thereof.

17. The coloring media of claim 7, wherein said reflective microflakes reflect, in a specular manner, circularly polarized light within said visible band falling incident upon a coating of said coloring media so as to produce super-white color effects dependent of viewing angle.

18. The coloring media of claim 7, wherein said reflective microflakes reflect incident circularly polarized electromagnetic radiation in the infrared portion of the electromagnetic spectrum.

19. The coloring media of claim 7, wherein said reflective microflakes reflect incident circularly polarized electromagnetic radiation in the ultraviolet portion of the electromagnetic spectrum.

20. The coloring media of claim 7, wherein said reflective microflakes reflect incident left-handed circularly polarized (LHCP) electromagnetic radiation.

21. The coloring media of claim 7, wherein said reflective microflakes reflect incident un-polarized electromagnetic radiation.

93. The coloring media of claim 7, wherein said reflective microflakes reflect incident right-handed circularly polarized (RHCP) electromagnetic radiation.

22. Cholesteric liquid crystal (CLC) coloring media for application to the surface of a substrate and producing an super white color effect within the vision system of a human viewer, said CLC coloring media comprising:

an optically transparent carrier medium capable of being applied to a surface having radiation absorption characteristics over the visible band of the electromagnetic spectrum; and

CLC microflakes suspended within said optically transparent carrier medium, said CLC microflakes being made from CLC material having a broadband reflection characteristics over the visible band of the electromagnetic spectrum so as to reflect circularly polarized light within said visible band falling incident upon a coating of said CLC coloring media so as to produce super-white color effects; and

wherein each said CLC micro flake comprises first and second layers of CLC material laminated together and has an upper surface physically associated with said first layer and a lower surface physically associated with said second layer, and that the reflection characteristics of said upper surface is substantially the same as the reflection characteristics of said lower surface over the visible hand of said electromagnetic spectrum.

23. The CLC coloring media of claim 22, wherein said CLC microflakes reflect, in a non-specular manner, circularly polarized light within said visible band falling incident upon a coating of said CLC coloring media so as to produce super-white color effects independent of viewing angle.

24. The CLC coloring media of claim 22, wherein said CLC microflakes reflect circularly polarized light within said visible band falling incident upon a coating of said CLC coloring media so as to produce super-white color effects similar to that produced by conventional Magnesium Oxide (MO) white paint.

25. The CLC coloring media of claim 22, wherein each said microflake is made from film material having cholesterically ordered liquid crystal molecules having a pitch which varies in a non-linear manner across the thickness of each said CLC microflake.

26. The CLC coloring media of claim 22, wherein each said CLC microflake is made from film material having cholesterically ordered liquid crystal molecules having a pitch which varies in an exponential manner across the thickness of each said CLC microflake.

27. The CLC coloring media of claim 22, wherein said carrier medium is selected from the group consisting of an optically transparent varnish or an optically transparent wax.

28. The CLC coloring media of claim 22, wherein said carrier medium is a photon curable carrier.

29. The CLC coloring media of claim 22, wherein said carrier medium is a thermally curable carrier.

30. The CLC coloring media of claim 22, wherein said carrier medium is an air-curable carrier curable by evaporation.

31. The CLC coloring media of claim 22, wherein said CLC microflakes reflect incident circularly polarized electromagnetic radiation in the ultraviolet portion of the electromagnetic spectrum and/or the infrared portion thereof.

32. The CLC coloring media of claim 22, wherein said CLC microflakes reflect, in a specular manner, circularly polarized light within said visible band falling incident upon a coating of said CLC coloring media so as to produce super-white color effects dependent of viewing angle.

33. The CLC coloring media of claim 22, wherein said microflakes reflect incident circularly polarized electromagnetic radiation in the infrared portion of the electromagnetic spectrum.

34. The CLC coloring media of claim 22, wherein said microflakes reflect incident circularly polarized electromagnetic radiation in the ultraviolet portion of the electromagnetic spectrum.

35. The CLC coloring media of claim 22, wherein said microflakes reflect incident left-handed circularly polarized (LHCP) electromagnetic radiation.

36. The CLC coloring media of claim 22, wherein said microflakes reflect incident right-handed circularly polarized (RHCP) electromagnetic radiation.

37. The CLC coloring media of claim 22, wherein said microflakes reflect incident un-polarized electromagnetic radiation.

38. Cholesteric liquid crystal (CLC) coloring media for application to the surface of a substrate and producing a prespecified additive-primary color effect independent of viewing angle, said CLC coloring media comprising:

an optically transparent carrier medium capable of being applied to a surface having radiation absorption characteristics over the visible band of the electromagnetic spectrum; and

CLC microflakes suspended within said optically transparent carrier medium,

said CLC microflakes being made from CLC material having a spectrally-tuned reflection characteristics over the visible band of the electromagnetic spectrum so as to reflect in a non-specular manner circularly polarized light within said visible band falling incident upon a coating of said CLC coloring media so as to produce a prespecified additive-primary color effect within the vision system of a human viewer independent of viewing angle; and

wherein each said CLC microflake comprises first and second layers of CLC material laminated together, and has an upper surface physically associated with said first layer and a lower surface physically associated with said second layer, and that the reflection characteristics of said upper surface is substantially the same as the reflection characteristics of said lower surface over the visible band of said electromagnetic spectrum.

39. The CLC coloring media of claim 38, wherein each said CLC microflake is made from film material having cholesterically ordered liquid crystal molecules having a pitch which varies in a non-linear manner across the thickness of each said CLC microflake.

40. The CLC coloring media of claim 39, wherein each said CLC microflake is made from film material having cholesterically ordered liquid crystal molecules having a pitch which varies in an exponential manner across the thickness of each said CLC microflake.

41. The CLC coloring media of claim 38, wherein each said CLC microflake is made from materials having cholesterically ordered liquid crystal molecules having a constant or substantially constant pitch.

42. The CLC coloring media of claim 38, wherein said carrier medium is an optically transparent varnish or an optically transparent wax.

43. The CLC coloring media of claim 38, wherein said carrier medium is a thermally curable carrier, a photon curable carrier, or an air-dryable carrier medium.

44. The CLC coloring media of claim 38, wherein said prespecified additive-primary color effect is either the color red, green or blue.

45. The CLC coloring media of claim 38, wherein said prespecified additive-primary color effect is any arbitrary color composed from any combination the additive-primary colors red, green and blue.

46. Cholesteric liquid crystal (CLC) coloring media for application to the surface of a substrate and producing a spectrum of additive-primary color effects dependent upon viewing angle, said CLC coloring media comprising:

an optically transparent carrier medium capable of being applied to a surface having radiation absorption characteristics over the visible band of the electromagnetic spectrum; and

a distribution of CLC microflakes suspended within said optically transparent carrier medium,

wherein each said CLC microflake comprises first and second layers of CLC material laminated together and has an upper surface physically associated with said first layer and a lower surface physically associated with said second layer, and that the reflection characteristics of said upper surface is substantially the same as the reflection characteristics of said lower surface over the visible band of said electromagnetic spectrum, and

wherein each said CLC microflake is made from CLC material having a spectrally-tuned reflection characteristics over the visible band of the electromagnetic spectrum so as to reflect, in a specular manner, circularly polarized light within said visible band falling incident upon a coating of said CLC coloring media so as to produce a spectrum of additive-primary color effects within the vision system of a human viewer.

47. The CLC coloring media of claim 46, wherein each said CLC microflake is made from film material having cholesterically ordered liquid crystal molecules having a pitch which varies in a non-linear manner across the thickness of each said CLC microflake.

48. The CLC coloring media of claim 46, wherein each said CLC microflake is made from film material having cholesterically ordered liquid crystal molecules having a pitch which varies in an exponential manner across the thickness of each said CLC microflake.

49. The CLC coloring media of claim 46, wherein each said CLC microflake is made from materials having cholesterically ordered liquid crystal molecules having a constant or substantially constant pitch.

50. The CLC coloring media of claim 46, wherein said carrier medium is an optically transparent varnish or an optically transparent wax.

51. The CLC coloring media of claim 46, wherein said carrier medium is a thermally curable carrier, a photon curable carrier, or an air-dryable carrier curable by evaporation.

52. Cholesteric liquid crystal (CLC) coloring media for application to the surface of a substrate and producing color effects within the vision system of a human viewer, said CLC coloring media comprising:

an optically transparent carrier medium capable of being applied to a surface having radiation absorption characteristics over the visible band of the electromagnetic spectrum; and

a distribution of CLC microflakes suspended within said optically transparent carrier medium,

wherein each said CLC microflake in said distribution comprises a first and second layers of CLC material laminated together and has an upper surface physically associated with said first layer and a lower surface physically associated with said second layer, and that the reflection characteristics of said upper surface is substantially the same as the reflection characteristics of said lower surface over the visible band of said electromagnetic spectrum.

53. The CLC coloring media of claim 52, wherein said CLC microflakes are made from CLC material having a spectrally-tuned reflection characteristics over the visible band of the electromagnetic spectrum so as to reflect in a specular manner circularly polarized light within said visible band falling incident upon a coating of said CLC coloring media so as to produce a spectrum of additive-primary color effects within the vision system of a human viewer.

54. The CLC coloring media of claim 52, wherein each said CLC microflake is made from film material having cholesterically ordered liquid crystal molecules having a pitch which varies in a non-linear manner across the thickness of each said CLC microflake.

55. The CLC coloring media of claim 52, wherein each said CLC microflake is made from film material having cholesterically ordered liquid crystal molecules having a pitch which varies in an exponential manner across the thickness of each said CLC microflake.

56. The CLC coloring media of claim 52, wherein each said CLC microflake is made from materials having cholesterically ordered liquid crystal molecules having a constant or substantially constant pitch.

57. The CLC coloring media of claim 52, wherein said optically transparent carrier medium is a thermally curable carrier, a photon curable carrier or an air-dryable carrier.

58. The CLC coloring media of claim 52, wherein said CLC microflakes are made from CLC material having a broadband reflection characteristics over the visible band of the electromagnetic spectrum so as to reflect in a specular manner circularly polarized light within said visible band falling incident upon a coating of said CLC coloring media so as to produce super-white color effects independent of viewing angle within the vision system of a human viewer.

59. The CLC coloring media of claim 52, wherein said optically transparent carrier medium is an optically transparent varnish or an optically transparent wax.

60. Cholesteric liquid crystal (CLC) coloring media system for producing a palette of color effects, including super-white and/or additive-primary color effects, on a radiation absorbing substrate, said CLC coloring media comprising:

(A) a layer of super-white CLC coloring media including

an optically transparent carrier medium capable of being applied to a surface having radiation absorption characteristics over the visible band of the electromagnetic spectrum, and

CLC microflakes suspended within said optically transparent carrier medium,

said CLC microflakes being made from CLC material having a broadband reflection characteristics over the visible band of the electromagnetic spectrum so as to reflect circularly polarized light within said visible band falling incident upon a coating of said CLC coloring media so as to produce super-white color effects within the vision system of a human viewer; and

(B) a plurality of layers of additive-primary CLC coloring media, each said layers of additive-primary CLC coloring media for application to the surface of a substrate and producing a prespecified additive-primary color effect, and each said layer of additive-primary CLC coloring media CLC coloring media including

an optically transparent carrier medium capable of being applied to said surface, and

CLC microflakes suspended within said optically transparent carrier medium,

said CLC microflakes being made from CLC material having a spectrally-tuned reflection characteristics over the visible band of the electromagnetic spectrum so as to reflect circularly polarized light within said visible band falling incident upon a coating of said CLC coloring media so as to produce a prespecified additive-primary color effect within the vision system of a human viewer; and

wherein each said CLC microflake in said layer of super-white CLC coloring media comprises a first and second CLC layer laminated together and has an upper surface physically associated with said first layer and a lower surface physically associated with said second layer, and that the reflection characteristics of said lower surface over the visible band of said electromagnetic spectrum.

61. The CLC coloring media system of claim 60, wherein said CLC microflakes in said layer of super-white CLC coloring media reflect, in a non-specular manner, circularly polarized light within said visible band falling incident upon a coating of said CLC coloring media so as to produce super-white color effects comparable to that produced by conventional Magnesium Oxide (MO) white paint.

62. The CLC coloring media system of claim 60, wherein each said CLC microflake in said layer of super-white CLC coloring media is made from film material having cholesterically ordered liquid crystal molecules having a pitch which varies in a non-linear manner across the thickness of each said CLC microflake.

63. The CLC coloring media system of claim 60, wherein each said CLC microflake in said supply of super-white CLC coloring media is made from film material having cholesterically ordered liquid crystal molecules having a pitch which varies in an exponential manner across the thickness of each said CLC microflake.

64. The CLC coloring media system of claim 60, wherein said carrier medium of said supply of super-white CLC coloring media is an optically transparent varnish or an optically transparent wax.

65. The CLC coloring media system of claim 60, wherein said carrier medium of said layer of super-white CLC coloring media is a thermally curable carrier, a photon curable carrier or an air-dryable carrier.

66. The CLC coloring media system of claim 60, wherein said 130 microflakes reflect incident circularly polarized electromagnetic radiation in the infrared portion of the electromagnetic spectrum.

67. The CLC coloring media system of claim 60, wherein said microflakes reflect incident circularly polarized electromagnetic radiation in the ultraviolet portion of the electromagnetic spectrum.

68. The CLC coloring media of claim 60, wherein each said CLC microflake is made from materials having cholesterically ordered liquid crystal molecules having a constant or substantially constant pitch.

69. The CLC coloring media system of claim 60, wherein said prespecified additive-primary color effect produced from each said supply of additive-primary CLC coloring media is either the color red, green or blue.

70. The CLC coloring media system of claim 69, wherein said super-white color effect produced from said supply of super-white CLC coloring media is comparable to that produced by conventional Magnesium Oxide (MO) white paint.

71. Coloring media for application to the surface of a substrate and producing color effects within the vision system of a human viewer, said coloring media comprising:

an optically transparent carrier medium capable of being applied to a surface having radiation absorption characteristics over the visible band of the electromagnetic spectrum; and

a distribution of reflective microflakes suspended within said optically transparent carrier medium,

wherein each said reflective microflake in said distribution comprises first and second layers of material laminated together and has an upper surface physically associated with said first layer and a lower surface physically associated with said second layer, and that the reflection characteristics of said upper surface is substantially the same as the reflection characteristics of said lower surface over the visible band of said electromagnetic spectrum.

72. The coloring media of claim 71, wherein said reflective microflakes are made from material having a spectrally-tuned reflection characteristics over the visible band of the electromagnetic spectrum so as to reflect in a specular manner light within said visible band falling incident upon a coating of said coloring media so as to produce a spectrum of additive-primary color effects within the vision system of a human viewer.

73. The coloring media of claim 71, wherein each said reflective microflake is made from film material having cholesterically ordered liquid crystal molecules having a pitch which varies in a non-linear manner across the thickness of each said reflective microflake.

74. The coloring media of claim 71, wherein each said reflective microflake is made from film material having cholesterically ordered liquid crystal molecules having a pitch which varies in an exponential manner across the thickness of each said reflective microflake.

75. The coloring media of claim 71, wherein said optically transparent carrier medium is an optically transparent varnish or an optically transparent wax.

76. The coloring media of claim 71, wherein each said reflective microflake is made from materials having cholesterically ordered liquid crystal molecules having a constant or substantially constant pitch.

77. The coloring media of claim 71, wherein said optically transparent carrier medium is a thermally curable carrier, a photon curable carrier or an air-dryable carrier.

78. The coloring media of claim 71, wherein said reflective microflakes are made from material having a broadband reflection characteristics over the visible band of the electromagnetic spectrum so as to reflect in a specular manner circularly polarized light within said visible band falling incident upon a coating of said coloring media so as to produce super-white color effects independent of viewing angle within the vision system of a human viewer.

79. The coloring media of claim 71, wherein each said reflective microflake is made from film material having cholesterically ordered liquid crystal molecules having a pitch which varies in a non-linear manner across the thickness of each said microflake.

80. The coloring media of claim 71, wherein each said reflective microflake is made from film material having cholesterically ordered iquid crystal molecules having a pitch which varies in an exponential manner across the thickness of each said reflective microflake.

81. The coloring media of claim 71, wherein said optically transparent carrier medium is a thermally curable carrier, a photon curable carrier or an air-dryable carrier.

82. The coloring media of claim 71, wherein each said reflective microflake is made from materials having cholesterically ordered liquid crystal molecules having a constant or substantially constantpitch.

83. A coloring media coating applied to the surface of a substrate having radiation absorption characteristics over at least a portion of the visible band of the electromagnetic spectrum, and producing color effects within the vision system of a human viewer, said coloring media coating comprising:

a distribution of reflective microflakes suspended within said coloring media coating,

wherein each said reflective microflake in said distribution comprises first and second layers of material laminated together and has an upper surface physically associated with said first layer and a lower surface physically associated with said second layer, and that the reflection characteristics of said upper surface is substantially the same as the reflection characteristics of said lower surface over the visible band of said electromagnetic spectrum.

84. The coloring media coating of claim 83, which further comprises:

an optically transparent carrier medium capable of being applied to said surface.

85. The coloring media coating of claim 83, wherein said reflective microflakes are made from material having a spectrally-tuned reflection characteristics over the visible band of the electromagnetic spectrum so as to reflect in a specular manner light within said visible band falling incident upon a coating of said coloring media so as to produce a spectrum of additive-primary color effects within the vision system of a human viewer.

86. The coloring media coating of claim 83, wherein each said reflective microflake is made from film material having cholesterically ordered liquid crystal molecules having a pitch which varies in a non-linear manner across the thickness of each said reflective microflake.

87. The coloring media coating of claim 83, wherein each said reflective microflake is made from film material having cholesterically ordered liquid crystal molecules having a pitch which varies in an exponential manner across the thickness of each said reflective microflake.

88. The coloring media coating of claim 84 wherein said optically transparent carrier medium is an optically transparent varnish or an optically transparent wax.

89. The coloring media coating of claim 83, wherein each said reflective microflake is made from materials having cholesterically ordered liquid crystal molecules having a constant or substantially constant pitch.

90. The coloring media coating of claim 84, wherein said optically transparent carrier medium is a thermally curable carrier, a photon curable carrier or an air-dryable carrier.

91. The coloring media coating of claim 83, wherein said reflective microflakes are made from material having a broadband reflection characteristics over the visible band of the electromagnetic spectrum so as to reflect in a specular manner circularly polarized light within said visible band falling incident upon a coating of said coloring media so as to produce super-white color effects independent of viewing angle within the vision system of a human viewer.