Can pearlescent pigment be used in 3D printing filament?

Yes. Mica-based pearl and chameleon grades are inorganic platelets that survive PLA, PETG and ABS extrusion temperatures. Use a fine band — D50 around 10–25 µm — and load 1–3 %.

What particle size should I use with a 0.4 mm nozzle?

Keep the largest platelet under one fifth of the orifice and D50 at 15–20 µm on a 0.4 mm nozzle. Above roughly 60 µm D50 the clogging risk rises sharply. Confirm by test print.

Can thermochromic pigment go into FDM filament?

No. The microcapsules rupture under extrusion heat and shear, so the colour change stops working. Use thermochromic pigment in SLA/DLP resin or as a post-print coating instead.

Will the pigment weaken the printed part?

Above about 3 % loading in filament, or 2 % in resin, you will measure a drop in impact strength and layer adhesion. Stay at or below those levels and test a coupon before a production run.

How much pigment do I need for a coloured filament?

Start at 1 % and titrate up. Most pearl and chameleon effects land between 1.5 % and 3 %; aluminium and bronze need less because they hide better.

Does effect pigment hide layer lines?

Partly. Platelets lying parallel to the surface scatter light across the layers, which softens the stair-step look and reduces sanding. It is not a substitute for a smaller layer height.

Which grade keeps clarity in a clear resin print?

Borosilicate glass flake keeps the most clarity; synthetic mica is the next best. Natural mica gives a warmer, more opaque pearl.

Is aluminium pigment safe near electronics?

Aluminium and bronze platelets can make a part conductive enough to matter. Keep them out of enclosures that house PCBs or antennas, or use a mica-based pearl instead.

Do you supply samples for filament trials?

Yes — free 5–10 g samples ship within 3 working days. Tell us your resin, nozzle size and target loading and we send the matching particle-size band.

What is the minimum order quantity?

Most pearl and metallic grades start at 1 kg; our photochromic and thermochromic grades start at 0.1 kg. Sample packs run 5–10 g and standard packs up to 25 kg.

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3D Printing

Effect pigments for FDM filament and SLA/DLP resin — pearlescent, chameleon and metallic grades, matched to your nozzle size and loading.

Last updated: 2026-11-06

Products for 3D Printing

Every series we supply for filament, resin printing and post-print finishing.

Pearlescent Pigment

Mica-based pearl grades for filament and resin masterbatch — the workhorse for satin, silk and soft-metallic prints.

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Chameleon Pearlescent Pigment

Colour-shifting pearl for single-nozzle prints. The effect changes with viewing angle — no dual-extruder setup needed.

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Optically Variable Pigment

Angle-dependent grades with two distinct colours and heavy metals within regulatory limits — for premium and anti-counterfeit parts.

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Industry Grade Pearl Pigment

Heat-stable grades for compounders running filament extrusion between 200 °C and 260 °C.

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Metallic Series

Aluminium and bronze metallic grades for a machined-metal look on printed housings and fixtures.

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Aluminium Powder

High-coverage silver-white aluminium for filament. Electrically conductive — keep it away from electronics.

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Glow in the Dark Powder

Long-afterglow aluminate grades for filament. Choose a fine band to avoid nozzle clogging.

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Thermochromic Pigment

Reversible heat-sensitive pigment — resin printing and post-print coating only; microcapsules break down in extrusion.

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Photochromic Pigment

UV-sensitive pigment for resin and coatings. FDM extrusion degrades the microcapsules — see the process table below.

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3D Printing Selection Guides

Three decisions settle most 3D printing projects: which process, which particle size, and how much to load.

Process

FDM or Resin: Which Pigment Survives Which Process

Inorganic platelets — mica, glass flake, aluminate — tolerate extrusion. Microencapsulated pigments do not: heat and shear rupture the capsule wall. Match the chemistry to the process before you match the colour.

Particle Size

Matching D50 to Nozzle Orifice and Layer Height

Keep the largest platelet under one fifth of the nozzle orifice — platelets bridge the melt channel more readily than spherical fillers. On a 0.4 mm nozzle that means a D50 of 15–20 µm; 30 µm and coarser belongs on a 0.6 or 0.8 mm nozzle. Confirm every figure with a test print on your own hardware.

Loading Limits Before Layer Adhesion Drops

Platelets are flat and pack densely, so they cut the polymer bridges between layers. Around 3 % in filament and 2 % in resin is the practical ceiling unless you accept a weaker part.

How It Works

Three steps from product list to one quote request.

Add Products

Click ＋ Add to Inquiry on any product. Your list collects in the floating cart (bottom-right).

Add a Note

Drop quantities, application and target market into the message box — once, for the whole list.

Submit on Site

One click opens a short form (name, email, company). Your full product list is attached automatically — no email client needed.

Process Compatibility: What Works and What Does Not

Ten product families against three 3D printing routes. A cross here is a chemistry limit, not a stock problem.

Product Family	FDM Filament	SLA / DLP Resin	Post-Print Coating	Why
Pearl (natural / synthetic mica)	✓	✓	✓	Inorganic platelets, stable well above 200–260 °C extrusion temperature.
Chameleon / optically variable	✓	✓	✓	Same inorganic flake. Gives angle-dependent colour from a single nozzle.
Borosilicate glass flake	✓	✓	✓	Highest transparency of the pearl family; premium cost.
Aluminium powder	◐	◐	✓	Usable, but the platelets can make a part conductive — avoid enclosures with electronics.
Bronze powder	◐	◐	✓	Tarnishes at melt temperature; expect a darker, warmer tone than the dry powder.
Fluorescent / neon	◐ PLA	✓	✓	Organic dyes degrade above roughly 230 °C — PLA is fine, ABS and PC are not.
Glow in the dark	✓	◐	✓	Heat-stable aluminate. Keep D50 at or below 45 µm so the nozzle does not clog.
Thermochromic	✗	◐	✓	Microcapsules rupture under extrusion heat and shear. Resin or coating only.
Photochromic	✗	✗	✓	405 nm cure light is the pigment's own trigger — parts fade within weeks. Post-print coating only.
PET glitter / flakes	✗	✗	✓	PET film softens near extrusion temperature; it clogs the nozzle and smells.

Legend: ✓ recommended, ◐ usable with the stated caveat, ✗ not recommended. The thermochromic and photochromic limitation is physical — if a supplier offers you a heat-sensitive FDM filament, ask for capsule-integrity data before you buy a spool.

Particle Size, Nozzle and Layer Height

Pick the band from your hardware, not from the swatch book. These are starting points — confirm with a small trial.

Process	Critical Dimension	Recommended D50	Loading Start	Notes
FDM, 0.4 mm nozzle	400 µm orifice	≤ 15–20 µm	1–3 %	Largest platelet under one fifth of the orifice (≈ 80 µm).
FDM, 0.6 mm nozzle	600 µm orifice	≤ 50 µm	1–3 %	A coarser band buys noticeably stronger sparkle.
FDM, 0.8 mm nozzle	800 µm orifice	≤ 60 µm	1–3 %	Maximum flash, at the cost of surface roughness.
SLA / DLP / LCD resin	35–50 µm pixel, 25–100 µm layer	≤ 25 µm	0.5–2 %	Platelets scatter UV — raise exposure 10–30 % and stir the vat before each print.
Post-print coating / spray	—	5–25 or 10–60 µm	Per system	The easiest route and the best control over the final effect.

Print First, Colour After: Post-Print Coating

A third route that bypasses the nozzle and the hot end — and the only dependable one for colour-change chemistry.

The pigment never enters the extruder, so platelet size and loading limits stop applying. Size follows your coating thickness instead of the orifice — 20–60 µm in a clear coat flips harder than the same pigment at 3 % in filament.
Thermochromic capsules survive a two-component clear coat. Photochromic capsules suit a coating too, but not a 405 nm UV-cure topcoat — use a thermochromic grade or an aluminate glow pigment when you cure with UV.
Keep the dry film at 15–40 µm: enough to hide, thin enough to keep the flip crisp. Scuff or prime PLA and PETG before coating.
Water-based and mild-solvent carriers are the friendliest to microcapsules; aggressive solvents attack the capsule wall.
Coating changes fit. On a press fit, coat first and re-check the tolerance — 30 µm per face is already enough to matter.

This is the route we recommend for any colour-change effect on a printed part: it avoids extrusion heat, extruder shear and cure-light exposure in one move.

Application Decision Guide

Match what you are printing to the series we would send, with the reason behind each choice.

What You Are Printing	Recommended Product / Series	Reason
Colour-shifting filament spool	Chameleon / OVP, 15–30 µm	Single-material flip — no dual-extruder or nozzle swap needed.
Satin or silk pearl filament	Pearl / Silver-White, 10–25 µm	The fine band hides layer lines better than any coarse grade.
Mirror-metal printed housing	Aluminium / Metallic Series, 10–20 µm	A tight particle size gives a sharp specular reflection instead of a grey cast.
Clear resin with sparkle	Borosilicate, 5–20 µm	Glass flake keeps transparency where mica would make the part cloudy.
Glow-in-the-dark filament	Glow Powder, 15–45 µm	Coarse enough to glow, fine enough to print on a 0.4 mm nozzle.
Heat-indicator or demo part	Thermochromic in resin or topcoat only	Microcapsules survive low-shear resin, not extrusion.
Metal feel without conductivity	Bronze, 10–25 µm	Bronze stays far less conductive than aluminium at the same loading.

Loading, Drying and Dispersion

Directional starting points for compounders and print farms — not a fixed formulation.

Start at 1 % in filament and 0.5 % in resin. Above 3 % in filament, or 2 % in resin, impact strength and layer adhesion fall measurably.
Dry both the pigment and the pellets or resin before compounding. Moisture plus platelets gives voids and silver streaks.
Pre-disperse into a carrier masterbatch and let down from there. Dry blending straight into pellets leaves visible flake clusters.
Keep residence time short and stay inside the grade temperature window. Long dwell time darkens bronze and dulls pearl.
Ask for the surface-treated version when your extruder runs above 240 °C — it disperses faster and plates out less.
Do not dose the pigment at the same point as a liquid colourant; the two compete for wetting and one of them loses.

3D Printing

Products for 3D Printing

Pearlescent Pigment

Chameleon Pearlescent Pigment

Optically Variable Pigment

Industry Grade Pearl Pigment

Metallic Series

Aluminium Powder

Glow in the Dark Powder

Thermochromic Pigment

Photochromic Pigment

3D Printing Selection Guides

FDM or Resin: Which Pigment Survives Which Process

Matching D50 to Nozzle Orifice and Layer Height

Loading Limits Before Layer Adhesion Drops

How It Works

Add Products

Add a Note

Submit on Site

Process Compatibility: What Works and What Does Not

Particle Size, Nozzle and Layer Height

Print First, Colour After: Post-Print Coating

Application Decision Guide

Loading, Drying and Dispersion

Frequently Asked Questions

Related technical articles

Pearlescent Pigment for 3D Printing: FDM Filament vs SLA Resin

Thermochromic Pigment: Activation Temperature and How the Microcapsule Switches

Thermochromic Pigment: Reversible vs Irreversible, and What Each Type Can Survive

Industry-Grade Pearl Pigment in Coatings and Plastics: Process Windows That Hold

Aluminium Powder: Leafing vs Non-Leafing, and Safe Handling in Coatings and Inks

Silver-Coated Pearlescent Glass Flake: Clarity, Coverage and Where It Beats Mica

Lightfastness and Weathering of Pearlescent Pigments: Specifying for Outdoor Durability