Abstract: Disclosed are ink compositions comprising a liquid vehicle and a colorant, wherein the colorant comprises polymer-enclosed color-imparting particles, wherein the particles are enclosed by a friable polymer. Also disclosed are methods for making an ink composition and methods for improving the transparency of an ink composition comprising a pigment colorant.

Abstract: Coatings including pigments comprising substrate particles with ultrafine metal oxide particles deposited on the surfaces thereof and made by a plasma process are disclosed. The substrate particles may comprise an oxide such as SiO2, Al2O3, Bi2O3 and the like. The ultrafine metal oxide particles may be partially oxidized such as Cu2O, Ti3O4 and the like. The pigments may be used in coating compositions in which the substrate particles substantially match the refractive index of the coating composition base, and the ultrafine metal oxide particles provide the desired reflectance characteristics for the coating.

Abstract: A method of producing an image in the crystalline colloidal array is disclosed. The method includes providing an ordered array of particles received within a curable matrix composition; curing a first portion of the matrix composition, wherein the first cured portion diffracts radiation at a first wavelength; curing another portion of the matrix composition, wherein the other cured portion diffracts radiation at another wavelength; and exposing the array to radiation to exhibit an image.

Abstract: A radiation diffractive material that diffracts radiation according to Bragg's law is disclosed. The material includes an ordered periodic array of diffracting regions received within a matrix, the matrix comprising an inorganic sol-gel.

Abstract: The production of ultrafine metal carbide powders from solid metal carbide and nitrogen-containing material is disclosed. The starting materials are fed together or separately to a plasma system where the solid metal carbide is melted and/or vaporized in the presence of nitrogen to form ultrafine metal carbide particles of high purity.

Abstract: A layered coating composition for use in producing a cool dark coating composition. The coating system includes an IR reflecting layer, having IR-reflective pigments in a resinous binder. A radiation absorbing layer is coated onto the IR reflecting layer. The radiation absorbing layer includes nano-sized pigments dispersed in a resinous binder.

Abstract: A pigment dispersant is disclosed comprising a tri-block copolymer having a first block comprising a glycidyl (meth)acrylate reacted with a napthoic acid, a second block comprising (meth)acrylic acid alkyl esters, and a third block comprising (meth)acrylic acid alkyl esters, wherein said third block is different from said second block. The dispersant is suited for use in a nanoparticulate dispersion comprising pigment particles having an average primary particle size of less than 100 nm.

Abstract: The production of ultrafine metal carbide powders from solid metal carbide and nitrogen-containing material is disclosed. The starting materials are fed together or separately to a plasma system where the solid metal carbide is melted and/or vaporized in the presence of nitrogen to form ultrafine metal carbide particles of high purity.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods for making ultrafine particles. These methods include (a) introducing a plurality of precursors to a high temperature chamber, the precursors including a first precursor and a second precursor different from the first precursor and comprising an alkali metal dopant; (b) heating the plurality of precursors in the high temperature chamber, yielding a gaseous product stream; (c) quenching the gaseous product stream, thereby producing ultrafine particles; and (d) collecting the ultrafine particles. Also disclosed are apparatus for the production of ultrafine particles, ultrafine particles produced from a plurality of precursors and coating compositions and coated substrates that include ultrafine particles.

Abstract: The production of ultrafine metal carbide powders from polymeric powder and metallic precursor powder starting materials is disclosed. In certain embodiments, the polymeric powder may comprise polypropylene, polyethylene, polystyrene, polyester, polybutylene, nylon, polymethylpentene and the like. The metal precursor powder may comprise pure metals, metal alloys, intermetallics and/or metal-containing compounds such as metal oxides and nitrides. In one embodiment, the metal precursor powder comprises a silicon-containing material, and the ultrafine powders comprise SiC. The polymeric and metal precursor powders are fed together or separately to a plasma system where the feed materials react to form metal carbides in the form of ultrafine particles.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods for making ultrafine particles, apparatus for making ultrafine particles, and coating compositions comprising ultrafine particles made by such methods and/or apparatus.

Abstract: A curable film-forming composition is provided comprising (i) 10 to 90 percent by weight based on the total weight of resin solids in the film-forming composition of a crosslinking agent; (ii) 10 to 90 percent by weight of a polymer containing a plurality of functional groups reactive with the crosslinking agent; and (iii) 5 to 85 percent by volume of particles having a mean particle size less than 100 nm. The particles comprise 1 to 99 percent by weight of at least one metal oxide wherein the metal is selected from zinc, titanium, cerium, manganese, bismuth, copper, zirconium and iron. A multi-component composite coating composition is also provided, comprising a pigmented basecoat and a clear coat. The basecoat and/or clearcoat may be derived from the curable film-forming composition described above. Also provided are coated substrates in which the curable coating compositions or the multi-component composite coating compositions described above are applied to a substrate and cured to form a cured coating.

Abstract: A curable film-forming composition is provided that on curing produces a coating, comprising in a medium (i) 10 to 90 percent by weight based on the total weight of resin solids in the film-forming composition of a crosslinking agent; (ii) 10 to 90 percent by weight based on the total weight of resin solids in the film-forming composition of a polymer containing a plurality of functional groups reactive with the crosslinking agent; and (iii) 20 to 85 percent by volume based on the total volume of the film-forming composition of particles having a mean particle size less than 100 nm. The particles further have an index of refraction sufficiently similar to that of the polymer of (ii) to minimize haze, and have an affinity for the medium sufficient to keep the particles suspended therein. The affinity of the particles for the medium is greater than the affinity of the particles for each other, thereby preventing agglomeration of the particles within the medium.

Abstract: A protective and decorative coating composition including semiconductor particulate colorants which in combination with a resinous composition produce a desired color. The colorants are semiconductor particles which exhibit sized-quantized absorption of visible light and have a particle size of up to about 12 nm.

Abstract: A protective and decorative coating composition including about 2 to 10 different colorants which in combination with a resinous composition produce a desired visible coating. A majority of the colorants has a maximum haze of about 10% and exhibits an absorbance peak in the visible spectrum wherein at least about 50% of the total absorbance in the visible spectrum occurs at wavelengths within about 50 nm of the wavelength of the peak absorbance.

Abstract: A curable film-forming composition is provided comprising in a medium (i) 10 to 90 percent by weight based on the total weight of solids in the film-forming composition of a crosslinking agent; (ii) 10 to 90 percent by weight based on the total weight of solids in the film-forming composition of a polymer containing a plurality of functional groups reactive with the crosslinking agent; and (iii) at least 20 percent by volume based on the total volume of the film-forming composition of particles having a mean particle size less than 100 nm. A cured composition comprising the crosslinking agent of (i) and the polymer of (ii) has a cured softening point of less than 30° C. The particles of component (iii) further have a hardness value greater than 5 on the Moh hardness scale, and have an affinity for the medium sufficient to keep the particles suspended therein.

Abstract: A curable film-forming composition is provided that on curing produces a coating, comprising in a medium (i) 10 to 90 percent by weight based on the total weight of resin solids in the film-forming composition of a crosslinking agent; (ii) 10 to 90 percent by weight based on the total weight of resin solids in the film-forming composition of a polymer containing a plurality of functional groups reactive with the crosslinking agent; and (iii) 20 to 85 percent by volume based on the total volume of the film-forming composition of particles having a mean particle size less than 100 nm. The particles further have an index of refraction sufficiently similar to that of the polymer of (ii) to minimize haze, and have an affinity for the medium sufficient to keep the particles suspended therein. The affinity of the particles for the medium is greater than the affinity of the particles for each other, thereby preventing agglomeration of the particles within the medium.

Abstract: A curable film-forming composition is provided comprising in a medium (i) 10 to 90 percent by weight based on the total weight of solids in the film-forming composition of a crosslinking agent; (ii) 10 to 90 percent by weight based on the total weight of solids in the film-forming composition of a polymer containing a plurality of functional groups reactive with the crosslinking agent; and (iii) at least 20 percent by volume based on the total volume of the film-forming composition of particles having a mean particle size less than 100 nm. A cured composition comprising the crosslinking agent of (i) and the polymer of (ii) has a cured softening point of less than 30° C. The particles of component (iii) further have a hardness value greater than 5 on the Moh hardness scale, and have an affinity for the medium sufficient to keep the particles suspended therein.

Abstract: A curable film-forming composition is provided comprising (i) 10 to 90 percent by weight based on the total weight of resin solids in the film-forming composition of a crosslinking agent; (ii) 10 to 90 percent by weight of a polymer containing a plurality of functional groups reactive with the crosslinking agent; and (iii) 5 to 85 percent by volume of particles having a mean particle size less than 100 nm. The particles comprise 1 to 99 percent by weight of at least one metal oxide wherein the metal is selected from zinc, titanium, cerium, manganese, bismuth, copper, zirconium and iron.

Abstract: A protective and decorative coating composition including about 2 to 10 different colorants which in combination with a resinous composition produce a desired visible coating. A majority of the colorants has a maximum haze of about 10% and exhibits an absorbance peak in the visible spectrum wherein at least about 50% of the total absorbance in the visible spectrum occurs at wavelengths within about 50 nm of the wavelength of the peak absorbance.