Main types and grades

Non-leafing
With non-leafing aluminium pastes, as shown below, the flake-shaped microparticles distribute uniformly into parallel layers throughout the paint or coating layer. As a result, the colour effect of pigments or other colouring materials present in the paint or coating remains fully visible from the outside.

Design grades
Design-grade aluminium paste, in grades ranging from Basic Design Grades to the MH, BS, and GX Design Grade Series, is a product of advanced process technology by Tuocai that enables the creation of previously unattainable levels of surface appearance and visual effects.

As shown in the micrographs below and the Design Grades map, this technology provides closer control and higher uniformity of the microparticle size, together with higher surface smoothness. The result is higher brightness with smaller particle size – which overturns the longstanding conventional wisdom that brightness must vary in proportion to particle size.

Resin coated grades

Resin coated aluminium paste from Tuocai provides heightened resistance to acids, alkalis, weathering, voltage, and other demanding environments, and increased bond strength within the paint or coating layer.

The broad-based technology and expertise of Tuocai in resin types and processes permit a comprehensive selection of coating types and thicknesses, to provide maximum performance for specific application requirements and conditions.

Leafing
With leafing-type aluminium pastes, the aluminium microparticles tend to float in the paint or other coating during its application to the substrate, and thus form an array of parallel particle layers at or near the surface of the coated layer, as shown below.

This facilitates the achievement of a silver- or chrome-like visual effect, but care is necessary in its application and use it may also obscure the visual effects of the pigment or other components of the paint or coating layer.

Tuocai provides a range of leafing-type aluminium paste types and grades, and related expertise in their use and performance characteristics.