CLC Pigments

For enabling a good special effect pigment, that is to be derived from a CLC (cholesteric liquid crystal technology), some sort of modification needs to be done to several properties of CLCs.

Cholesteric Liquid Crystals	Requirements for Pigment application
Periodic structure (facilitates color travel)	Temperature Insensitive (Color Fixed)
Thermochromic (change of color with temperature)	Fairly Durable Properties wrt temperature, chemical resistance needed
Alignment is needed	Good processing i.e. ease in manufacture is needed
Highly aromatic nature

Optical Properties of CLC Pigments
A diagram can betterly describe the optical properties of CLC pigments.

It is to be understood here, that quite unlike the metal interference systems, CLCs can develop their color reflection through a single layer only.
Color travelling properties of CLC Pigments
CLC pigments show very good blue-shifting color travel as illustrated in this graphical representation.

CLC pigments are increasingly applied as a deterrence for counterfeit in banknotes, securing documents, and in authentication processes to protect brand and products. Light that is reflected from a CLC is circularly polarized, this effect finds very popular application in security and machine read applications.