Method for making flakes

A method of producing flakes, which comprises:

• a. supporting two supply cylinders and a fatiguing rod assembly, that includes at least one fatiguing rod, in such a manner that each fatiguing rod is sandwiched between the two supply cylinders made of a first material from which flakes are to be produced, each fatiguing rod having a diameter smaller than an initial diameter of the two supply cylinders and being made of a second material harder than the first material;
• b. urging the surfaces of the two supply cylinders into contact with each fatiguing rod;
• and
• c. causing the supply cylinders and the fatiguing rods to rotate while making rolling line contact with one another;
• wherein at least one fatiguing rod of the fatiguing rod assembly is textured;
• and
• wherein the supply cylinders and each fatiguing rod are urged against one another with sufficiently high contact pressure to modify the surface of the supply cylinders by fatigue and result in separation of flakes of the first material from the surfaces of the supply cylinders.

Aluminium flakes comprising or consisting of aluminium, the aluminium flakes being produced by a method which comprises:

• a. supporting two supply cylinders and a fatiguing rod assembly, that includes at least one fatiguing rod, in such a manner that each fatiguing rod is sandwiched between the two supply cylinders made of a first material comprising or consisting of aluminium from which the aluminium flakes are to be produced, each fatiguing rod having a diameter smaller than an initial diameter of the two supply cylinders and being made of a second material harder than the first material;
• b. urging the surfaces of the two supply cylinders into contact with each fatiguing rod;
• and
• c. causing the supply cylinders and the fatiguing rods to rotate while making rolling line contact with one another;
• wherein at least one fatiguing rod of the fatiguing rod assembly is textured;
• and
• wherein the supply cylinders and each fatiguing rod are urged against one another with sufficiently high contact pressure to modify the surface of the supply cylinders by fatigue and result in separation of flakes of the first material from the surfaces of the supply cylinders,
• wherein the aluminium flakes have a planar surface dimension greater than an edge surface dimension and are optionally further characterized by having on at least one of their planar surfaces at least one of a following structural feature:
• a) at least three elongate marks;
• b) at least two cell blocks;
• and c) at least one swirling pattern.