CLC pigments are made from cholesteric liquid crystal (CLC) polymers: Crosslinked materials that have their molecules "locked" in the cholesteric phase. This allows the unique optical properties of a liquid crystal to be exploited in a solid pigment. 

Once a CLC polymer film is made, it is fractured into small platelets that retain all the optical properties of the original CLC phase, including "color flop" and polarization. These platelets are the CLC pigments, and can be used to make color flop and polarizing inks that have clear and dramatic printing effects. 

Color Flop Inks 
The figure below demonstrates the effect of a color flop ink. As the viewing angle increases, the reflected color "flops" - it changes from red to green, for example. 


Polarizing Inks 
Polarizing inks are well suited for security applications using covert detection. The photographs below show a picture printed with the left-handed CLC pigments in red, green, and blue analyzed by left-handed circular polarizer and right-handed polarizer, respectively. The extinction is clear and obvious. 




The circular polarization extinction effect can also be used in high-speed machine-read detection mechanisms. A right- and left-handed circular polarized detector set at the same wavelength can detect the drastically different signals from the same location indicating an authentic product. Because CLC can be made that are reflective for ultraviolet, visible, and infrared light, this effect can be utilized in non-visible systems. 

Applications: 
Security: Banknote, secure document, and brand protection labels and markings 
Decorative: Consumer packaging, electronics, and white goods; Automotive and other vehicular applications 
Specialty: Color effect inks, screen ink, cosmetics, 3D effects, and novelty products 
Benefits: 
Pigments with excellent color travel and circular polarization properties 
Thin pigment flakes (less than 3 microns thick) 
Custom pigments with unique properties such as multilayer, additive, or other effects