Infrared fluorescent coatings

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11370925-B2
Application number	US-201616067537-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 28, 2016
Priority date	Dec 29, 2015
Publication date	Jun 28, 2022
Grant date	Jun 28, 2022

Abstract

A coating composition includes: (i) a film-forming resin; (ii) an infrared reflective pigment; and (iii) an infrared fluorescent pigment or dye different from the infrared reflective pigment. A multi-layer coating including the coating composition, and a substrate at least partially coated with the coating composition is also disclosed. A method of detecting an article at least partially coated with the coating composition is also disclosed.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A coating composition comprising:
a film-forming resin;
an infrared reflective pigment; and
an infrared fluorescent pigment or dye different from the infrared reflective pigment,
wherein the coating composition, when cured to form a coating and exposed to radiation comprising fluorescence-exciting radiation, emits fluorescence in the infrared spectrum, and
wherein the fluorescence emitted by the infrared fluorescent pigment within the coating can be detected by a sensor.

2. The coating composition of claim 1 , wherein the coating emits fluorescence in the infrared spectrum at a greater intensity compared to the same coating exposed to the radiation comprising fluorescence-exciting radiation except without the infrared fluorescent pigment or dye.

3. The coating composition of claim 1 , wherein the coating composition, when cured to form a coating and exposed to radiation comprising fluorescence-exciting radiation, emits fluorescence in the infrared spectrum at least twice the intensity compared to the same coating exposed to the radiation comprising fluorescence-exciting radiation except without the infrared fluorescent pigment or dye.

4. The coating composition of claim 1 , wherein the sensor has sensitivity in the infrared region of the electromagnetic spectrum.

5. The coating composition of claim 1 , wherein the coating composition is substantially free of an infrared absorbing component.

6. The coating composition of claim 1 , wherein the radiation comprising fluorescence-exciting radiation is produced from sunlight, incandescent light, fluorescent light, xenon light, laser, LED light, or a combination thereof.

7. The coating composition of claim 1 , further comprising a colorant.

8. The coating composition of claim 1 , wherein the infrared reflective pigment reflects at a first wavelength and the infrared fluorescent pigment or dye fluoresces at a second wavelength, and wherein a balance of the coating composition is transparent at the first wavelength and second wavelength.

9. The coating composition of claim 1 , wherein the infrared fluorescent pigment comprises Han purple, Han blue, Egyptian blue, ruby, cadmium containing pigments, indigo, azurite (Cu 3 (CO 3 ) 2 (OH) 2 ), ploss blue, smalt, or a combination thereof.

10. The coating composition of claim 1 , wherein the infrared fluorescent pigment or dye comprises an organic pigment or dye.

11. A multi-layer coating comprising:
a first coating layer comprising a cured infrared reflective coating composition; and
a second coating layer overlying at least a portion of the first coating layer, the second coating layer comprising a cured coating composition according to claim 1 .

12. A substrate at least partially coated with the material of claim 1 .

13. The substrate of claim 12 , wherein the substrate comprises at least a portion of an object in a vehicle's surroundings.

14. A method of detecting an article comprising:
exposing a surface of an article to radiation comprising fluorescence-exciting radiation, the surface being at least partially coated with a coating composition comprising: (i) a film-forming resin, (ii) an infrared reflective pigment, and (iii) an infrared fluorescent pigment or dye different from the infrared reflective pigment; and
detecting fluorescence emitted by the coated surface in the infrared spectrum.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the coating composition, when cured to form a coating and exposed to the radiation comprising fluorescence-exciting radiation, emits fluorescence in the infrared spectrum at a greater intensity compared to the same coating exposed to the radiation comprising fluorescence-exciting radiation except without the infrared fluorescent pigment or dye.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the fluorescence is detected by a sensor having sensitivity in the infrared region of the electromagnetic spectrum.

17. The method of claim 14 , wherein the radiation comprising fluorescence-exciting radiation is produced from sunlight, incandescent light, fluorescent light, xenon light, laser, LED light, or a combination thereof.

18. The method of claim 14 , wherein the article comprises at least a portion of an object in a vehicle's surroundings.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the fluorescence is detected by a sensor on the vehicle.

Assignees

• Ppg Ind Ohio Inc
• Univ California

Inventors

• Zalich Michael A
• Berdahl Paul H
• Hellring Stuart D
• Retsch Jr William H

Classifications

• C09K11/59

  containing silicon · CPC title

• C09K11/58

  containing copper, silver or gold · CPC title

• C09K11/55

  containing beryllium, magnesium, alkali metals or alkaline earth metals · CPC title

• C09K11/02

  Use of particular materials as binders, particle coatings or suspension media therefor · CPC title

• C09D5/004 Primary

  Reflecting paints; Signal paints · CPC title