iridescent materials

Discussion in 'Materials' started by designprototype, Sep 12, 2012.

  1. Hi there,

    Is there a material I could use that produces an iridescent effect?
    I think (not 100% sure) a mixture of glass chemically bonded can create this effect by modifying the reflective properties ; or some type of acrylic when used as a paint.
    I'd be very interested to see how you [shapeways] could advise/help me for my next project.

    Thanks :)

     
  2. Dragoman
    Dragoman Member
    I don't think any of the available materials could give an iridescent effect coming out of the factory. Though it should be possible to create such effects on glass or ceramic with surface treatments and aon any material with specialized paints. If you go to a crafts or art shop, they may be able to advise about iridiscent paint.

    Greetings
    Dragoman
     
  3. Thanks Dragoman - I'll see if I can get my hands on some specialized paint so I can give it a try.

    Thanks once again :)

     
  4. VeryWetPaint
    VeryWetPaint Member
    I used Jacquard Pearl-Ex pigments to add an iridescent effect to a 3D-printed model. I used the colors Interference Red, Interference Blue, and Interference Yellow. The pigment was applied dry, then bonded into the plastic by misting it with a plastic-welding solvent. This particular pigment is invisible under diffuse light, but the iridescent color magically appears in bright reflected light.
    [​IMG]
    This solvent-welding technique will only work with thermoplastic materials like PVC or ABS. Solvent-welding won't work with materials like frosted detail (a thermosetting resin) or sandstone (gypsum), but you could achieve a similar result by mixing the pearl pigments in transparent lacquer. I think the Pearl-Ex web page gives more suggestions.

    In case you're curious, there are more pictures of my pigment-iridescent model on my blog here.