Paint compositions with color change characteristics

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10011725-B2
Application number	US-201615184503-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 16, 2016
Priority date	Jun 16, 2016
Publication date	Jul 3, 2018
Grant date	Jul 3, 2018

Abstract

A paint composition includes a fluid and a coloring agent in the fluid. The fluid maintains the coloring agent in a first protonation state. The coloring agent exhibits a first color characteristic in the first protonation state. The paint composition includes microcapsules in the fluid. The paint composition also includes a chemical compound in the microcapsules. Rupture of at least a portion of the microcapsules is configured to release the chemical compound and expose the coloring agent to the chemical compound. Exposure of the coloring agent to the chemical compound changes the coloring agent from the first protonation state with the first color characteristic to a second protonation state with a second color characteristic. The second color characteristic is visually distinct from the first color characteristic.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A paint composition comprising:
a fluid;
a coloring agent in the fluid, wherein the fluid maintains the coloring agent in a first protonation state, and wherein the coloring agent exhibits a first color characteristic in the first protonation state;
microcapsules in the fluid; and
a chemical compound in the microcapsules, wherein rupture of at least a portion of the microcapsules is configured to release the chemical compound and expose the coloring agent to the chemical compound to change the coloring agent from the first protonation state with the first color characteristic to a second protonation state with a second color characteristic, the second color characteristic visually distinct from the first color characteristic.

2. The paint composition of claim 1 , further comprising a binder in the fluid, the binder configured to form a film when the paint composition is applied to a surface.

3. The paint composition of claim 1 , further comprising a rheology agent, a surfactant, a pH buffer compound, or combinations thereof, in the fluid to adjust characteristics of the paint composition.

4. The paint composition of claim 1 , wherein the coloring agent in the first protonation state includes a compound with a blue color, a compound with a magenta color, a compound with a yellow color, or combinations thereof.

5. The paint composition of claim 4 , wherein the compound with a blue color comprises thymolphthalein, wherein the compound with a magenta color comprises phenolphthalein, and wherein the compound with a yellow color comprises alizarin yellow GG.

6. The paint composition of claim 1 , wherein the first protonation state is a deprotonated state, and wherein the fluid is a basic aqueous solution.

7. The paint composition of claim 6 , wherein the chemical compound comprises an acid.

8. The paint composition of claim 1 , wherein the coloring agent is colored when the coloring agent has the first color characteristic, and wherein the coloring agent is substantially colorless when the coloring agent has the second color characteristic.

9. The paint composition of claim 1 , wherein the portion of the microcapsules are configured to rupture when exposed to a magnetic field with a strength over a threshold strength, when exposed to a range of ultraviolet light, when exposed to microwaves, or when exposed to combinations thereof.

10. The paint composition of claim 1 , wherein each microcapsule includes a polymer shell encapsulating a portion of the chemical compound.

11. The paint composition of claim 1 , wherein the microcapsules have a mean characteristic dimension of less than 10 μm.

12. A method comprising:
stirring a fluid comprising a coloring agent, a binder, and microcapsules to distribute the binder, the coloring agent, and the microcapsules in the fluid, wherein the fluid maintains the coloring agent in a first protonation state, wherein the microcapsules contain a chemical compound, and wherein rupture of at least a portion of the microcapsules is configured to release the chemical compound and expose the coloring agent to the chemical compound to change the coloring agent from the first protonation state to a second protonation state; and
applying the fluid to a surface to form a painted surface, wherein the painted surface has a first color characteristic based on the first protonation state of the coloring agent before rupture of at least the portion of the microcapsules, and wherein the painted surface has a second color characteristic based on the second protonation state in response to rupture of at least the portion of the microcapsules.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the coloring agent comprises at least one acid-base indicator.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the fluid further comprises a buffering compound.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein the microcapsules are configured to rupture when exposed to a magnetic field with at least a threshold strength, when exposed to microwaves, when exposed to a particular wavelength range of ultraviolet light, or when exposed to combinations thereof.

16. The method of claim 12 , wherein the coloring agent is colored when the coloring agent has the first color characteristic, and wherein the coloring agent is substantially colorless when the coloring agent has the second color characteristic.

17. A method of changing a first color characteristic of paint applied to a surface, the paint including a binder, a coloring agent in the binder, and microcapsules in the binder, the method comprising:
rupturing at least a portion of the microcapsules in the paint, wherein rupturing at least the portion of the microcapsules exposes the coloring agent to a chemical in the microcapsules to change the coloring agent from a first protonation state with the first color characteristic to a second protonation state with a second color characteristic, the second color characteristic visually distinct from the first color characteristic.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein rupturing at least the portion of the microcapsules comprises exposing the paint to a magnetic field of at least a threshold strength.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein rupturing at least the portion of the microcapsules comprises exposing the paint to a particular wavelength range of electromagnetic radiation.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the particular wavelength range includes microwaves, ultraviolet light, or both.

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Kuczynski Joseph
• Misgen Marvin M
• Neuman-Horn Debra
• Prisco Joseph F
• Przybylski Kevin J

Classifications

• G09F1/00

  Cardboard or like show-cards of foldable or flexible material · CPC title

• C09D7/41

  Organic pigments; Organic dyes · CPC title

• B41M5/287

  using microcapsules or microspheres only · CPC title

• C09D5/29 Primary

  for multicolour effects · CPC title

• C09D7/65

  macromolecular (C09D7/41-C09D7/48 take precedence) · CPC title