Abstract: Waterborne compositions comprising an aqueous dispersion comprising a latex are disclosed. Disclosed are latexes that are the reaction product of reactants that include a ureido-functional ethylenically unsaturated compound, an ethylenically unsaturated silicone, and another ethylenically unsaturated compound. Use of such composition to treat porous substrate is also disclosed.

Abstract: A method of designing the appearance of an article having steps of creating a digital file of a design configuration for an article, representing the design configuration on a computer screen, selecting or creating a color for a coating composition to be applied to the article, generating color data for the created color, merging the color data with the digital file of the design configuration, and displaying on the computer screen an image of the article coated with the colored coating composition. Accurate calibration of the color of the article on a computer screen allows for production of coated articles based on the generated color data. The color data is further transmitted to a formulation computer that determines the formulation for a coating composition exhibiting the color data. Output from the formulation computer may be directly transmitted to a production facility for coating articles with the coating composition.

Abstract: Coating compositions are disclosed that include a film-forming resin, a radiation cure initiator, a colorant, and a diluent. These compositions are substantially free of radiation curable material. Also disclosed are substrates at least partially coated with such compositions, substrates at least partially coated with a multi-layer composite coating comprising at least one coating layer deposited from such compositions, and methods for improving the adhesion of a multi-layer composite coating system to a porous substrate.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to an apparatus and method for cleaning outdoor surfaces. The apparatus includes a cleaning element attached to a handle which also supports a reservoir for cleaning fluid. The cleaning element includes absorbent and scrubbing layers structured to clean various types of outdoor surfaces. A cleaning fluid is applied by a liquid delivery system in fluid communication with the cleaning element to the outdoor surface to be cleaned and the outdoor surface is wiped with the cleaning apparatus.

Abstract: A coating system for application to a porous substrate such as wood is disclosed. The coating system comprises a color-imparting stain or toner and a UV-curable clear coat. The stain and/or toner contains an aldimine or a ketimine that improves the adhesion of the coating system to the substrate.

Abstract: The process described herein offers the optimizing of performance parameters of holograms, such as reducing scattering effects in a polymer-dispersed liquid crystal optical element. In the process, an interfacial tension agent is added to a polymer-dispersed liquid crystal material. The polymer-dispersed liquid crystal material has a first material selected from the group consisting of a reactive ionic material, an aromatic material, a polypyrrole, and an acrylated or methacrylated acid of the type H2CCH—(CO)O—R—(CO)OH, where R is a linear or branched alkyl chain. The polymer-dispersed liquid crystal material also has at least one type of liquid crystal material, a photoinitiator dye, and a co-initiator. The polymer-dispersed liquid crystal material is subjected to a polymerization. The interfacial tension agent reduces the size of liquid crystal droplets formed within the polymer-dispersed liquid crystal optical element during polymerization.

Abstract: Radiation curable, sprayable compositions are disclosed that include (a) an acrylated epoxy, and (b) at least one multi-functional acrylate monomer. The radiation curable, sprayable compositions of the invention include a material containing an amino group. Also disclosed are multi-layer composite coatings wherein at least one layer is deposited from such compositions.

Abstract: Disclosed are dryable stain compositions, such as wiping stains, that include a binder including a mixture of an alkyd resin and a drying and/or semi-drying oil, wherein the stain composition (a) includes no more than 100 grams of volatile organic material per liter of the stain composition, and (b) is substantially free of water. Also disclosed are porous substrates at least partially coated with such stain compositions, methods for staining at least a portion of a porous substrate with such stain compositions, and porous substrates at least partially coated with a multi-layer composite coating system wherein at least one coating layer is deposited from such a stain composition.

Abstract: Coating compositions are disclosed that include a film-forming resin, a radiation cure initiator, a colorant, and a diluent. These compositions are substantially free of radiation curable material. Also disclosed are substrates at least partially coated with such compositions, substrates at least partially coated with a multi-layer composite coating comprising at least one coating layer deposited from such compositions, and methods for improving the adhesion of a multi-layer composite coating system to a porous substrate.

Abstract: The process described herein offers the optimizing of performance parameters of holograms, such as reducing scattering effects in a polymer-dispersed liquid crystal optical element. In the process, an interfacial tension agent is added to a polymer-dispersed liquid crystal material. The polymer-dispersed liquid crystal material has at least one acrylic acid monomer, at least one type of liquid crystal material, a photoinitiator dye, and a co-initiator. The polymer-dispersed liquid crystal material is subjected to a polymerization. The interfacial tension agent reduces the size of liquid crystal droplets formed within the polymer-dispersed liquid crystal optical element during polymerization.

Abstract: The present invention offers control over—and the ability to optimize—the performance parameters of switchable holograms. The present invention offers the ability to tailor the properties of a hologram to a desired application and thus make application-specific holograms. The invention relates to polymer-dispersed liquid crystal materials subject to control and optimization of the performance parameters of switchable holograms. Such variability allows tailoring the properties to application-specific devices. Specifically, the present invention provides an improved polymer-dispersed liquid crystal system that allows variation of: 1) haze, 2) switching voltage, 3) electrical power dissipation, 4) switching stability (voltage creep), 5) switching contrast ratio (range), 6) dynamic stability, and 7) the operating temperature range.

Abstract: A composition that includes a fluorine-containing copolymer containing at least 30 mol % of residues having the following alternating structural unit: —[DM—AM]— where DM represents a residue from a donor monomer having the following structure (I): where R1 is linear or branched C1 to C4 alkyl; R2 is selected from methyl, linear, cyclic or branched C1 to C20 alkyl, alkenyl, aryl, alkaryl and aralkyl; and AM represents an acceptor monomer. The copolymer contains at least 5 wt. % fluorine. The composition may include co-reactive functional groups and may be a thermosetting composition, which can be used to coat a substrate. The thermosetting composition may be part of a multi-component composite coating composition that includes a base coat deposited from a pigmented film-forming composition and a substantially pigment free top coat applied over at least a portion of the base coat.

Abstract: The present invention offers increased efficiency and quality in the duplication of a master hologram utilizing an improved method of contact printing. This improved method of contact printing employs a polymer-dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC) recording medium as the duplication blank and/or the master hologram material. The optical qualities of the PDLC material described herein provide an improved method of duplication using single beam contact printing regardless of the material comprising the master hologram. Thus, master holograms originally recorded using highly complex optical geometries (e.g., computer generated holograms) are capable of duplication without the need for multiple beam power/intensity balancing and long recording times. The improved hologram contact printing method described herein works with virtually any type of master hologram, including both reflection and transmission holograms.

Abstract: The present invention offers increased efficiency and quality in the duplication of a master hologram utilizing an improved method of contact printing. This improved method of contact printing employs a polymer-dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC) recording medium as the duplication blank and/or the master hologram material. The optical qualities of the PDLC material described herein provide an improved method of duplication using single beam contact printing regardless of the material comprising the master hologram. Thus, master holograms originally recorded using highly complex optical geometries (e.g., computer generated holograms) are capable of duplication without the need for multiple beam power/intensity balancing and long recording times. The improved hologram contact printing method described herein works with virtually any type of master hologram, including both reflection and transmission holograms.

Abstract: A composition that includes a fluorine-containing copolymer containing at least 30 mol % of residues having the following alternating structural unit: