Aluminum pigment?

General Composites Discussions Products Talk
#1

Hi, i just found your site, and registered today. I have been doing various composite work for over 20 years, starting as a teenager with bondo resin from the hardware store, eventually learning how to use sandwich construction and epoxy to fix darn near anything. I blueprint race hulls of both power and sailing vessels, and fix delaminated hulls, as well as, construct nla parts for collector car parts houses.

I am working on a project presently, where i need a pigment or a powder to mix with a clear epoxy, in order to achieve a true aluminum finish. Any ideas? My initial thought is to use a 325 aluminum powder mixed with a West system epoxy and special clear hardener. I know I will need to u.v. protect afterfard, but any ideas on powder or pigment, and does anyone have a preference over the clear i suggested?

Thanks a lot.

#2

/only succes I had was with aluminium flakes, carefully brushed into a mould, and laminate behind. the resulting part can be polished, to get a polished alu look.

I have also tested the same flakes in epoxy, but that gives a more cast look, but not too convincing.

#3

Thanks for the response. Please provide details;

  1. what type of flakes? (brand, product, …_

2)did you brush it into the mold, and then mix the epoxy also with the powder, and at what ratio?

3)clear epoxy, i assume?

Thanks a lot.

rj

#4

Brand: Eckart. Type: do not remember.

brush it into the mould, then backfill with whatever resin you want. I did not use a pigmented resin.

Clear epoxy indeed.

#5

After awhile you will start getting issues with a horrible surface finish with too much aluminum powder. You will have to test various ratios. Of course, you can try the flake thing after a small loading of powder in the first place…that way you have a metalish epoxy to start with. Or just overcoat it with clear and sand/finish if needed. Many adhesives are metal filled, but sometimes turn gray, not shiny.
You can even try reflective resin additives (ciba is one brand that comes to mind, there are TONS others) that aren’t really aluminum powder, but give a nice shine (think plastic that looks like metal, they add a powder/concentrate to the plastic pellets when extruding)

this being said…are you looking to cast resin part to look like metal? will there be fabric in this? Powders do not infuse well, and aluminum filled resin might eat away carbon fabric (galvanic corrosion)