Orange/Cyan Chameleon Pigment Powder, 20–80μm – KT-90507

Orange/Cyan Chameleon Pigment Powder, 20–80μm – KT-90507

Pearlescent Pigments › Chameleon Series › Color Shift Pigments

KT-90507 is an Orange/Cyan chameleon pigment in the 20–80μm particle size range — a color-shift pigment built on highly transparent flake crystals coated with titanium dioxide that produces a clear, angle-dependent shift between orange at the direct viewing angle and cyan at the oblique angle. The color travel between these two complementary hues creates a strong visual contrast that reads distinctly different as the viewing angle or light direction changes. At 20–80μm, KT-90507 delivers the balanced combination of color travel intensity and surface coverage that makes it suitable for automotive refinish, decorative coatings, nail lacquer, plastics, and specialty printing applications.

How the Orange/Cyan Color Shift Works

Chameleon pigments differ fundamentally from standard pearlescent and interference pigments. Where standard interference pigments show a single color dependent on coating thickness, chameleon pigments use a multi-layer thin-film coating on a highly transparent flake substrate — the coating architecture is designed to produce strong constructive interference at two or more wavelengths depending on the angle of light incidence and observation. As the viewing angle changes, different wavelengths are selectively reinforced and suppressed, producing a continuous color flow rather than a static color shift.

In KT-90507, the shift progresses from orange at face angle to cyan (blue-green) at oblique angles. Orange and cyan are approximate complementary colors — the degree of contrast between them makes KT-90507 one of the visually higher-contrast shift pairs in the Kolortek chameleon range. The flake substrate's high transparency is essential to this effect: it allows light to pass through multiple coating interfaces cleanly, producing the strong color flow characteristic rather than a muted transition.

Chameleon Series — Available Color Shift Combinations (20–80μm)

The above represents the 20–80μm grade range. Multi-angle color-travel variants (4-color shift, e.g., KT-95107 Blue-green/Blue/Violet/Red) are also available in the Chameleon Series at various particle sizes from <15μm to 250μm. Contact Kolortek for the complete chameleon color card.

Technical Specifications

Critical Formulation Requirement — Dark Base is Non-Negotiable

Chameleon color-shift pigments require a dark or black background to function. The color travel effect depends on the transparent flake substrate allowing light to pass through the multi-layer TiO₂ coating and reflect from an absorbing base beneath — without this absorption layer, the complementary wavelengths that should be suppressed at each angle are instead reflected by the light background, washing out the shift. Over a white or light substrate, KT-90507 will not show orange/cyan color travel.

In practice, this means: automotive and decorative coating applications require a black basecoat before applying the chameleon layer; nail lacquer must use a black or very dark base coat; resin and epoxy systems need a dark pigment incorporated into the base resin before chameleon addition; and plastic compounding requires either a dark-toned base resin or a black masterbatch carrier. The depth and clarity of the orange/cyan shift is directly proportional to how dark and light-absorbing the base layer is.

Application Range

Formulation Notes

Platelet orientation is critical: The color travel effect depends on chameleon flakes lying parallel to the substrate surface. Spray application produces better platelet orientation than brush application in coatings. In automotive basecoat systems, standard application parameters for metallic/pearl paints apply — wet-on-wet spray with controlled film thickness. Poor orientation reduces color travel clarity and can cause the shift to appear muted or incomplete.

Loading levels: Typical use levels in coatings range from 5–20% depending on the transparency of the system and the desired shift intensity. Higher loading increases color saturation but can reduce transparency and flatten platelet orientation. For automotive applications, 8–15% in a transparent medium coat over black is a practical starting range. Bench trials on your specific black base are essential before finalizing.

Mixing protocol: Add KT-90507 at the letdown stage using low-shear mixing. High-shear dispersion equipment fragments the transparent flake substrate and reduces the effectiveness of the multi-layer TiO₂ coating — both the color travel range and the shift intensity are reduced when flake integrity is compromised.

Kolortek has supplied chameleon color-shift pigments for over 20 years across automotive, decorative, and specialty printing markets, with consistent multi-layer coating uniformity across production batches — the manufacturing variable that most directly determines color travel range and shift clarity. TDS and SDS are available on request for KT-90507.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Why does the orange/cyan shift disappear over a white base?
A: Chameleon color travel depends on a dark absorbing background. The transparent flake substrate allows light to pass through the multi-layer TiO₂ coating to the base and back — at each angle, certain wavelengths are selectively reflected while others pass through and are absorbed by the dark base. Over a white or reflective base, the wavelengths that should be absorbed at each angle are instead reflected back, mixing with the selectively reflected wavelengths and washing out the shift. A black base with low reflectivity provides the cleanest absorption of non-selected wavelengths and produces the most distinct orange/cyan color travel.

Q: What is the difference between the 20–80μm grade and the multi-angle 4-color shift chameleon grades (e.g., KT-95107)?
A: KT-90507 is a two-color shift pigment — it transitions between orange and cyan as the viewing angle changes. The KT-95107 series (e.g., Blue-green/Blue/Violet/Red) and similar multi-angle variants produce 4 distinct color phases across a wider angle sweep, using a more complex multi-layer coating architecture. Two-color shift grades like KT-90507 typically produce a higher contrast between the two specific hues; multi-color variants provide a richer color travel experience across a broader range of viewing conditions. Both require a dark base to function.

Q: Can KT-90507 be used in water-based coating systems?
A: Yes — chameleon pigments are chemically compatible with most water-based coating binders. The key formulation consideration is platelet orientation during film formation, which affects color travel clarity. Water-based systems with lower viscosity may allow more platelet settling before the film forms — incorporating a rheology modifier to maintain platelet suspension during application and early film formation helps preserve color travel intensity in waterborne systems.

Request Samples or Technical Data

Chameleon color travel is best evaluated in person — the orange/cyan shift in KT-90507 cannot be fully conveyed in product photography and must be seen under controlled directional light over a black substrate. Contact Kolortek to request a sample of KT-90507 for application trials, download the TDS, or discuss the full chameleon color-shift range including multi-angle variants.