Objective Low infrared(IR) emissivity Al/Cr2O3 pigment was prepared from flake aluminum powder which was modified by surface coating technology. The pigment satisfied the requirement of compatibility and camouflage of visible and IR light through maintaining high reflective property in IR region and decreasing reflective property in visible region at the same time. Methods The composition and surface structure of Al/Cr2O3 powder were analyzed by SEM and EDS. The reflective property in visible and NIR region, IR emissivity between 8~14 μm, radiation temperature and IR thermal image were characterized by spectrophotometer, IR emissivity tester and IR thermal imager. Results Al powder was successfully and fully clad by Cr2O3. The reflective curve of Al/Cr2O3 coating was demonstrated similar to green plants in background, so Al/Cr2O3 coating could simulate natural background favorably. IR emissivity and thermal image test showed that the IR emissivity of the coatings had a close relationship to the content of Al/Cr2O3 pigments. As the content of Al/Cr2O3 increased, the IR emissivity of the coating decreased from 0.91 to 0.43 and the radiation temperature decreased from 27.9 ℃ to 22.7 ℃. Conclusion Effective IR image segmentation was achieved to satisfy the needs of compatible visible and IR camouflage materials.