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HS Code |
308729 |
| Product Name | SteFlex® Calcium Aluminum Borosilicate Effect Pigment |
| Chemical Family | Calcium Aluminum Borosilicate |
| Appearance | Fine powder |
| Color | Various effect (pearlescent, interference) |
| Particle Size Range | 10-60 microns |
| Refractive Index | 1.6-2.5 |
| Melting Point | Approx. 900°C |
| Solubility | Insoluble in water |
| Ph Value | 6-8 (in water suspension) |
| Density | 2.4-3.0 g/cm³ |
| Composition | Calcium Aluminum Borosilicate, Titanium Dioxide, Iron Oxide |
| Lightfastness | Excellent |
| Thermal Stability | Up to 800°C |
| Oil Absorption | Approx. 50-80 g/100g |
| Toxicity | Non-toxic |
As an accredited SteFlex® Calcium Aluminum Borosilicate Effect Pigment factory, we enforce strict quality protocols—every batch undergoes rigorous testing to ensure consistent efficacy and safety standards.
| Packing | SteFlex® Calcium Aluminum Borosilicate Effect Pigment is packaged in a 25 kg durable, sealed, moisture-resistant fiber drum with security lining. |
| Shipping | SteFlex® Calcium Aluminum Borosilicate Effect Pigment is shipped in tightly sealed, moisture-resistant containers to protect from contamination and humidity. Packages comply with standard chemical handling and transportation regulations. Proper labeling, including hazard information, ensures safe transit. Store upright, away from direct sunlight, and at room temperature for optimal stability upon delivery. |
| Storage | SteFlex® Calcium Aluminum Borosilicate Effect Pigment should be stored in a cool, dry, and well-ventilated area away from direct sunlight, moisture, and incompatible materials. Keep containers tightly closed and protect from physical damage. Avoid inhalation of dust and follow standard industrial hygiene practices. Ensure storage areas are well labeled, and always refer to the manufacturer’s safety data sheet for detailed guidelines. |
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SteFlex® Calcium Aluminum Borosilicate Effect Pigment offers advanced color travel, gloss, and durability for specialty surface treatments and coatings. Its unique layered glassflake morphology and high refractive index make it a key component for manufacturers aiming for high-value visual and functional results in regulated sectors. Below are detailed application scenarios backed by real industry requirements, processes, and final product examples.
Automotive paint formulators depend on the pigment for its precise color flop and pearl effects on vehicle exteriors. It enables manufacturers to achieve premium finishes in both OEM basecoat and aftermarket refinish applications. Integration into multi-layer coating systems ensures color consistency, weather durability, and meets customer expectations for luxury finishes in global markets.
Industry compliance standards Typical usage ratio
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2. Industrial Powder CoatingsManufacturers of architectural extrusions and consumer appliance enclosures apply the pigment in weather-resistant, aesthetic powder coatings. Its high thermal stability ensures color fidelity after high-temperature curing. The pigment supports environmentally responsible, VOC-free coatings increasingly preferred in the construction and retail appliance markets. Industry compliance standards
Typical usage ratio
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3. Cosmetics and Personal Care FormulationsColor cosmetic manufacturers use the pigment for advanced visual effects in decorative products. Its composition meets safety criteria for skin contact and delivers long-wearing sparkle or interference hues in lips, eyes, face, and nail products. The pigment provides a glass-like reflection and multi-chrome shift, addressing trends for effects-enhanced makeup. Industry compliance standards
Typical usage ratio
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4. Printing Inks for Security and PackagingAdvanced ink producers incorporate the pigment to deliver anti-counterfeiting and eye-catching finishes in flexible packaging films, currency, and high-end labels. Its unique color travel and interference effects are critical for overt and covert security features. The pigment supports both solvent and water-based ink chemistries for gravure, screen, and flexographic systems. Industry compliance standards
Typical usage ratio
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5. Synthetic Leather and Polymer Film SurfacesProducers of PU, PVC, and TPU-based artificial leathers exploit the pigment’s thermal and chemical compatibility for color travel effects in automotive interiors, footwear, and technical sports goods. Its non-migratory properties and UV/chemical durability enhance the value perception and lifespan of surface-treated synthetic materials. Industry compliance standards
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6. High-Performance Plastics and Injection MoldingCompounders and injection molders for consumer electronics, cosmetic packaging, and specialty household products benefit from the pigment’s glassflake architecture, delivering high-luminance effects with low migration and thermal resilience. The pigment retains performance in engineering polymers subjected to repeated thermocycling and stresses. Industry compliance standards
Typical usage ratio
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Competitive SteFlex® Calcium Aluminum Borosilicate Effect Pigment prices that fit your budget—flexible terms and customized quotes for every order.
For samples, pricing, or more information, please contact us at +8615365186327 or mail to admin@ascent-chem.com.
We will respond to you as soon as possible.
Tel: +8615365186327
Email: admin@ascent-chem.com
Flexible payment, competitive price, premium service - Inquire now!
Manufacturing innovation doesn't stop at molecules. Our team has always believed true progress takes shape in the way chemists and engineers handle demanding customer needs. The SteFlex® series stemmed from this mindset. Calcium Aluminum Borosilicate Effect Pigment stands out for more than just its chemical composition. Working with advanced layering and coating techniques, we've developed SteFlex® to deliver visual effects that couldn't be reached by mica or basic glass flake pigments.
The process begins with borosilicate glass, known for high thermal resistance and a refractive index that supports striking pearlescent and metallic sheens. We coat each flake with thin, precisely controlled layers of metal oxides—mainly titanium dioxide, iron oxide, or sometimes other specialty coatings depending on color tone goals. The interplay between flake size, thickness of the oxide layer, and grade of the starting glass governs both the saturation and the angle-dependent color shifts that brands want for cosmetics, automotive, and plastics. Consistency in this business can be a challenge, but we've invested in German continuous-feed reactors and strictly managed synthesis conditions to hold tight tolerances, reducing batch-to-batch variation.
No two effect projects ask for the same pigment size or optical finish. SteFlex® comes in a range of flake thicknesses and median diameters, matched to the demands we see day by day from formulators. Our most popular models include SteFlex® 221, SteFlex® 304, and SteFlex® 415. The 221 offers a fine, almost silky finish ideally suited for lipsticks, nail enamels, and eye shadows, with a D50 particle size around 8-15 microns. The 304 was built to highlight surface gloss and clarity for plastics masters and paints, coming in at 20-40 microns and supporting higher sparkle intensity with a smooth laydown. For automotive and specialty polymers, 415 gives a bolder appearance, its coarser flakes producing striking light interplay visible even in low ambient lighting.
Every batch runs through multi-stage sieving and light-scattering studies. We want no surprises once pigment reaches the mixing room. An oversized particle can spoil a clear coat; too much fines can mute an intended sparkle. During our years scaling SteFlex® up from lab to full-production, we've learned to monitor each synthesis point with spectroscopic feedback loops, not just after production but right in the molten state. Inspection gear here reads both lateral size and edge profile, as these affect how flakes lie flat or stand out on application surfaces.
The core glass matrix lends inherent clarity far greater than natural mica can match. Think of how mineral-based pigments scatter light – they impart a subtle shimmer but rarely display a clean, true color under clearcoat. SteFlex®, on the other hand, practically vanishes from off-axis views, only revealing its full refractive punch as the viewing angle changes. This is the property that delivers “chameleon” or flip-flop effects so prized in prestige cosmetics and high-design coatings.
We design each model not only for base interference colors—such as gold, blue, red, or green—but also for multi-color blends and metallic glints that recall precious metals or deep-space lusters. Our research points to applications where customers want more color play with less loading, so efficient light scattering and durability are not luxury qualities but essential selling points. This also shrinks the risk of pigment “greying out” when blended with fillers or waxes. The higher the refractive index of the glass, the more compact and clean the color reads, even at lower pigment concentrations.
Customers sometimes ask whether a pigment is just glass or “just mica with extras.” SteFlex® borosilicate doesn’t fit either box. Natural mica, while abundant and low-cost, simply cannot handle high-shear processing in modern manufacturing or meet the color purity demands of high-end cosmetic or automotive primers. Over time, particle edge damage can occur, dulling reflectance and causing unpredictable color drift.
Borosilicate glass forms the backbone of SteFlex®, and this material resists chemical attack better than both mica and simple soda-lime glass. Solvents in paints or harsh organics in hair-care won't haze or brown the pigment. The calcium stabilization gives better flake integrity during compounding and extrusion; this proves critical in plastics processing, where pigments face high pressures and both thermal and mechanical stress. In overcoating tests, SteFlex® maintains luminance, even after repeated UV exposure and weathering cycles.
Another real advantage is weight loading. Borosilicate pigments are lighter than conventional glass flake, letting users push for higher effect without upsetting suspension stability in aqueous or solvent blends. Our trials in gel coats and fluid inks have shown that SteFlex® pigments settle slower and remix with less effort than denser glass alternatives.
Markets that want to catch the consumer’s eye keep moving toward more dramatic visual effects. Look at the cosmetic sector—a single launch can hinge on a pigment’s “shift” or surface radiance. In pressed powder and gelled-oil phases, SteFlex® flows well. It brings velvety reflection with almost no talc-like drag. Fine grades slip seamlessly into clear lipstick bases without visible specking. Paint and wood-coating formulators count on the pigment for its resistance to dispersant burn, maintaining original luster on wood, metal, or polymeric surfaces even after aggressive mixing. Coarser flake models suit car coatings, luxury packaging, sport equipment, phone casings, and other objects that turn heads through movement or light interaction.
Practical experience matters. We've worked with customers scaling from bench-top batches to tonnage orders. One recurring issue: pigment loss during mixing, which leads to wasted effect or surface haze. Our flake surface treatment helps reduce static cling and improves flake “wetting” across a wide range of binders—polyester, epoxy, acrylic, nitrocellulose, and even silicone elastomers.
Experience tells us that pigment quality isn't just the result of picking clean raw materials. Borosilicate melts demand tight temperature controls, rapid homogenization, and rapid quenching once the base glass is formed. Skimping here leads to irregular flake geometry or weak surfaces prone to chemical attack later. Our production lines run at carefully ramped profiles, monitored by both IR and direct probe sensors. After forming, our controlled pulverization avoids creating excess fines, which can rob pigment of its crisp light-reflectance.
Surface treatment choices tie directly to end-use stability. For water-based systems, SteFlex® flakes passivate with organic or inorganic coatings to resist edge-bleeding and fading. In solvent systems or heat-stressed plastics, dual-layer treatments offer both immediate protection and long-term retention of color and brightness.
Unlike some manufacturers, we never blend raw material from different sources just to meet a price. Raw glass batches are tracked via barcoded chain-of-custody all the way from input to final bagging. Each production run carries reference wet-out times, bulk density, mean particle size, and full colorimetry scans for traceability.
We've seen some effect pigments lose their punch after just a few months on shelves or post-application. Typical failures come from water uptake, UV photoreduction, or poor anchoring of oxide layers onto the substrate. Years developing SteFlex® allowed us to fine-tune not only the base glass, but also the oxide layer thicknesses, ensuring optical performance remains stable whether the pigment faces acidic cleansers, automotive fluids, or weathering from sunlight.
Although the raw cost of borosilicate pigments can be higher than mined mica or basic glass, this price difference nearly always pays back in color payout, shelf life, and formulation reliability. Customers who switched told us their long-term costs dropped due to fewer rejects, less remixing, and reduced pigment loading.
The ability to offer special optical effects—rainbow, color-shifting, mirror, or deep metallics—lets brands create products that stand out in competitive markets. SteFlex® supports white, gold, silver, interference colors, and multi-tonal blends not possible with organic or pearl pigments alone. For manufacturers and creators, this spread of options means never having to say “no” to a design because of technical pigment limits.
Because we control every stage, it's possible to guarantee pigment performance not only for major markets but also niche applications that ask for special purity or regulatory clearances. All SteFlex® models are developed to comply with EU REACH, US FDA updates for cosmetic colorants, and international toy-safety provisions. Our team regularly works with brand owners and regulatory experts, documenting full ingredient disclosure and migration data. In the personal care space, hypoallergenic and heavy-metal purity come up often. Our production and testing protocols ensure that no dangerous levels of arsenic, cadmium, chromium, or lead end up in the final pigment.
Responsible sourcing doesn't just end at compliance. Some customers have raised concerns about ethical mineral extraction, especially regarding the labor conditions linked with natural mica. Borosilicate glass starts from sand and mineral oxides processed in controlled industrial settings—traceability and ethical certification come built in.
Pigment performance depends as much on storage as on choice of grade. SteFlex® ships in sealed, anti-static polyethylene packaging. The non-hygroscopic borosilicate matrix resists clumping, so pigment remains free-flowing and easy to disperse even in high humidity environments. For cosmetic operations, we recommend use within three years, though test samples from six years ago still retain original reflectance and color profiles. Polybags include both date stamps and batch QR codes, allowing rapid inventory management and recall if necessary. On the plant floor, open bags can sit for days without losing flow, a marked advantage over some organic effect pigments.
No pigment stands alone. In modern manufacturing, one effect pigment usually works alongside fillers, organic dyes, and functional additives like UV absorbers or slip agents. We've worked alongside technical teams in industries as distinctive as automotive coatings, performance plastics, and luxury cosmetics. Our technical service goes beyond just providing a color card—we routinely send senior technicians onsite for trouble-shooting, pigment dispersibility studies, and pilot production support. Every year, we invest in joint development projects, refining flake chemistry for new uses in medical devices, wearable electronics, and bio-compatible films.
Some stories stay with us. Years ago a plastics maker came to us with recurring pigment streaking as compounded masterbatch was extruded at higher throughputs. By adjusting flake shape via changes in our milling process, we helped them reach a new standard of clarity and depth in translucent colored films. These lessons prove that pigment chemistry, process, and direct customer feedback always drive real product advances.
We don't see pigment demand moving backward. With growing demand for personalization and luxury, special-effect materials like SteFlex® will shape tomorrow’s products, introducing designers to visual effects previously out of reach. Our R&D lines already test new oxide coatings for richer flips and alternative glass compositions for improved thermal stability, all in response to the changing needs of global customers.
Standing behind SteFlex® means backing the needs of those who take product appearance seriously, whether they're creating a next-generation smart device cover or an eye-catching lipstick that defines a brand identity. In the coming years, manufacturers will expect more from pigment makers—stricter quality, deeper compliance, and more robust application support at every stage from prototype to mass market. We welcome these challenges as opportunities to advance the science of effect pigments, driving innovation for all who depend on optical excellence in their products.
