Embossed metallic leafing pigments

A product for producing a holographic image pattern comprised of a coating composition containing finely divided embossed metal particles having an average particle size from about 10 to about 50 microns and a film thickness from about 100 to about 500 angstroms and embossed surfaces comprising a machine-readable holographic image pattern transferred from replicating contact with a hologram, the embossed particles having a film thickness with sufficient leafing properties and bright reflective surfaces such that the embossed particles produce a holographic image pattern which is visible on each particle only under optical magnification.

A product for producing a diffraction pattern comprised of a coating composition of finely divided embossed metal particles having an average particle size from about 10 to about 50 microns and a film thickness from about 100 to about 500 angstroms and embossed surfaces comprising a diffraction pattern transferred from replicating contact with a diffraction grating having from about 5,000 to about 11,000 grooves per cm, the embossed particles having a film thickness with sufficient leafing properties and bright reflective surfaces such that the embossed particles produce an iridescent effect from the diffraction image pattern which is visible on each particle only under optical magnification.

A composition for producing an optical image pattern useful for a security product, the composition comprised of finely divided embossed metal particles having an average particle size from about 10 to about 50 microns and a film thickness from about 100 to about 500 angstroms, the particles having embossed surfaces comprising an optical image transferred to the individual particles from replicating contact with a surface relief pattern forming said image, in which said optical image is visible on the individual embossed particles only under optical magnification.

A composition for producing an optical image pattern useful for a security product, the composition comprised of finely divided embossed metal particles having an average particle size from about 10 to about 50 microns and a film thickness from about 100 to about 500 angstroms, the particles having embossed surfaces comprising a machine-readable holographic image pattern transferred to the individual particles from replicating contact with a hologram, said holographic image being visible on the individual embossed particles only under optical magnification.

A composition for producing a diffraction pattern useful for a security product, the composition comprised of finely divided embossed metal particles having an average particle size from about 10 to about 50 microns and a film thickness from about 100 to about 500 angstroms, the particles having embossed surfaces comprising a diffraction pattern transferred to the individual particles from replicating contact with a diffraction grating having from about 5,000 to about 11,000 grooves per cm, said diffraction pattern being visible on the individual embossed particles only under optical magnification.

A product for producing a holographic image pattern comprised of:

• (a) a carrier medium, and
• (b) embossed metal pigment particles dispersed in the carrier medium which is nonreactive with the dispersed pigment particles, and in which the pigment particles comprise finely divided reflective metal particles having an average particle size from about 10 to about 50 microns and a film thickness from about 100 to about 500 angstroms and having embossed surfaces comprising a holographic image pattern transferred to the particles from replicating contact with a hologram such that the particles have a holographic image pattern visible on each particle only under optical magnification.

A composition for producing a diffraction pattern comprised of:

• (a) a carrier medium, and
• (b) embossed metal pigment particles dispersed in the carrier medium which is nonreactive with the dispersed pigment particles, and in which the pigment particles comprise finely divided reflective metal particles having an average particle size from about 10 to about 50 microns and a film thickness from about 100 to about 500 angstroms and having embossed surfaces comprising a diffraction pattern transferred to the particles from replicating contact with a diffraction grating having from about 5,000 to about 11,000 grooves per cm such that the particles have a diffraction pattern visible on each particle only under optical magnification.

A product comprised of:

• (a) a carrier sheet, and
• (b) a film disposed on a surface of the carrier sheet, the film containing dispersed pigment particles having an average particle size from about 10 to about 50 microns and a film thickness from about 100 to about 500 angstroms and having embossed surfaces that present a machine readable image, wherein the pigment particles are finely divided optically reflective metal particles with an embossed surface comprising a holographic image pattern transferred from replicating contact with a hologram to produce said image on the dispersed metal particles.

A product for producing a diffraction pattern comprised of:

• (a) a carrier sheet, and
• (b) a film coated on a surface of the carrier sheet, the film containing dispersed pigment particles comprising finely divided optically reflective metal particles having an average particle size from about 10 to about 50 microns and a film thickness from about 100 to about 500 angstroms, the metal particles having embossed surfaces comprising a diffraction pattern transferred from replicating contact with a diffraction grating having from about 5,000 to about 11,000 grooves per cm to produce a diffraction pattern on said particles visible under optical magnification.