| abstract |
Embossed, finely-divided, thin, bright-metal particles are prepared by forming an embossed release surface on at least one side of a carrier sheet in which the embossed pattern comprises a diffraction grating having from about 5,000 to 11,000 grooves per cm. A metal film is deposited on the release surface so that the metal film conforms to the embossed surface. The carrier sheet is passed with the release surface and the metal film through a release environment which causes the release surface to separate from the metal film. The metal film is removed from the release surface in a particulate form to produce metal particles substantially free of the release surface. The particles are collected in a solvent which is non-reactive with the metal. The metal particles are then broken into pigment particles having an average diameter between about 10 to about 50 microns. The film may also take the form of an optical stack. |