Abstract: Provided is a thioether-functional, oligomeric polythiol having pendant hydroxyl functional groups, prepared by reacting together: (a) a compound having at least two thiol functional groups; and (b) a hydroxyl functional compound having triple bond functionality. Also provided are optical articles prepared from the reaction product of: (A) a reactive compound having functional groups that are reactive with active hydrogens; (B) a thioether-functional, oligomeric polythiol; and, optionally, (C) a compound different from (B) containing active hydrogens.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a non-gelled, curable composition including at least one compound having a plurality of imide functional groups. The compound in particular contains a reaction product of at least one secondary monoamine and at least one maleimide, and is suitable for use in coatings and castings.

Abstract: Describes an article, e.g., an optical article such as a lens, in which the article includes (a) a rigid substrate, e.g., a transparent ophthalmic substrate, such as a thermoset or thermoplastic substrate, having at least one surface suitable for accommodating a photochromic coating, and (b) a transparent photochromic coating comprising dendritic polymeric acrylate, e.g., polyester acrylate, on at least a portion of said surface of the substrate, the coating comprising a photochromic amount of at least one photochromic material, e.g., an organic photochromic material.

Abstract: Provided is a thioether-functional, oligomeric polythiol having pendant hydroxyl functional groups, prepared by reacting together: (a) a compound having at least two thiol functional groups; (b) a hydroxyl functional compound having triple bond functionality; and (c) a compound having at least two double bonds. Further provided is a thioether-functional, oligomeric polythiol having pendant hydroxyl functional groups, prepared by reacting together: (a) a compound having at least two thiol functional groups, prepared by reacting together: (1) a dithiol, and (2) a compound having at least two double bonds; (b) a hydroxyl functional compound having triple bond functionality; and optionally (c) an additional compound having at least two double bonds, which may be the same as or different from the compound (2). Optical articles prepared from the thioether-functional, oligomeric polythiols are also provided.

Abstract: A process for forming a multilayer composite coating on a substrate is provided. The process includes forming an electrodeposition coating layer on the substrate by electrodeposition of a curable electrodepositable coating composition over at least a portion of the substrate. Optionally, the coated substrate is heated to a temperature and for a time sufficient to cure the electrodeposition coating layer. A basecoating layer is formed on the electrodeposition coating layer by depositing an aqueous curable basecoating composition directly onto at least a portion of the electrodeposition coating layer. Optionally, the basecoating layer is dehydrated. A top coating layer is formed on the basecoating layer by depositing a curable top coating composition which is substantially pigment-free directly onto at least a portion of the basecoating layer. The top coating layer, the basecoating layer, and, optionally, the electrodeposition coating layer are cured simultaneously.

Abstract: The present invention relates to sulfide-containing polythiols and their methods of preparation. Sulfide-containing polythiols can have a variety of uses and applications. The sulfide-containing polythiols of the present invention can be especially useful in polyurethane compositions for the manufacture of ophthalmic lenses.

Abstract: A circuit board or each circuit board of a multi-layer circuit board includes an electrically conductive sheet coated with an insulating top layer covering one surface of the conductive sheet, an insulating bottom layer covering another surface of the conductive sheet and an insulating edge layer covering an edge of the conductive sheet. An insulating interlayer can be sandwiched between a pair of adjacent circuit boards of a multi-layer circuit board assembly. A landless through-hole or via can extend through one or more of the circuit boards for connecting electrical conductors on opposing surfaces thereof.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a novel polymerizable organic composition comprising one or more radically polymerizable monomers with at least one radically polymerizable monomer having at least two (meth)acryloyl groups that have backbone linkages selected from thiourethane linkages, dithiourethane linkages, combinations of thiourethane linkages and dithiourethane linkages. The present invention is also directed to polymerizates prepared from the polymerizable organic composition, shaped articles prepared from the polymerizable compositions, and photochromic articles that may be prepared from the polymerizable organic composition of the present invention.

Abstract: Provided is a method for making a customized lens including applying a customizable material onto a surface of an ophthalmic substrate; and writing index-change information to the material to form a variable-index layer on the substrate surface. Also provided is a customized ophthalmic element including an ophthalmic substrate; and a variable-index layer of a liquid crystal material connected to at least a portion of the substrate. Further provided is an ophthalmic element having a pair of complementary substrates, each of which has a complementary surface and being positioned such that their complementary surfaces are spaced apart and facing each other, an alignment layer of a patterned alignment material connected to at least one of the complementary surfaces of the pair of substrates, and a variable-index coating interposed between the pair of substrates, such that the liquid crystal material of the variable-index coating is aligned with the patterned alignment material.

Abstract: Provided are methods of preparing sulfide-containing polythiol including (a) introducing asym-dichloroacetone together with a polymercaptan to form a reaction product; and (b) introducing the reaction product of (a) with a material chosen from polymercaptoalkylsulfide, polymercaptan and mixtures thereof.

Abstract: An aqueous composition for pretreating and depositing a coating on metal substrates is provided. The coating composition includes from about 1,500 to about 55,000 ppm based on the aqueous composition of a Group IIA dissolved metal ion, from about 100 to about 200,000 ppm based on the aqueous composition of a dissolved complex metal fluoride ion wherein the metal atom is selected from Group IIIA, Group IVA, Group IVB metals, Group VA, Group VB metals; and water. The composition is free of Group IIA metal fluoride precipitate achieved by including in the composition a complex metal salt different than the salt associated with the complex metal fluoride ion, with the complex metal salt being capable of complexing free fluoride ions to prevent a precipitation reaction. A process for coating a metal substrate with such an aqueous composition is further provided.

Abstract: A method of making an optical element including: forming an at least partial coating of an alignment medium to at least a portion of at least one surface of a substrate and at least partially ordering at least a portion of the alignment medium; forming at least one at least partial coating of an alignment transfer material on at least a portion of the coating of the alignment medium and aligning the alignment transfer material with at least a portion of the ordered alignment medium; and forming an at least partial coating including an anisotropic material and at least one photochromic-dichroic compound on the alignment transfer material, aligning at least a portion of the anisotropic material with the at least partially aligned alignment transfer material, and aligning at least a portion of the photochromic-dichroic compound with aligned anisotropic material.

Abstract: Described are contact lenses having photochromic materials within the central or pupillary area of the lens and methods for manufacturing such lenses. In one method, a photochromic amount of at least one photochromic material is added to the pupillary region of a casting mold containing a polymerizable monomer that can be at least partially cured before and/or after the addition. Another method involves providing an amount of polymerizable photochromic monomer for the pupillary region and an amount of polymerizable non-photochromic monomer for the remainder of the contact lens in a casting mold. The photochromic and non-photochromic monomers can differ by their degree of polymerization, viscosity and/or density.

Abstract: A method of making an optical element including: (a) forming an at least partial coating on at least a portion of a substrate; and (b) adapting at least a portion of the at least partial coating to switch from a first state to a second linearly polarizing state in response to actinic radiation and to revert back to the first sate in response to thermal energy.

Abstract: An optical element including: a substrate; and an at least partial coating having a first state and a second state on at least a portion of the substrate, the at least partial coating being adapted to be circularly polarizing or elliptically polarizing in at least one state and containing: a chiral nematic or cholesteric liquid crystal material having molecules that are helically arranged through a thickness of the at least partial coating; and at least one photochromic-dichroic compound that is at least partially aligned with the liquid crystal material such that a long axis of a molecule of the photochromic-dichroic compound is generally parallel to the molecules of the liquid crystal material.

Abstract: Provided is a composite optical element including: a substrate; an at least partially ordered polymeric sheet connected to at least a portion of the substrate; and at least one thermally reversible photochromic-dichroic compound that is at least partially aligned with at least a portion of the at least partially ordered polymeric sheet and has an average absorption ratio greater than 2.3 in the activated state.

Abstract: Various non-limiting embodiments disclosed herein relate generally to photochromic compounds, which may be thermally reversible or non-thermally reversible, and articles made therefrom. Other non-limiting embodiments relate to photochromic-dichroic compounds, which may be thermally reversible or non-thermally reversible, and articles made therefrom. For example, one non-limiting embodiment provides a thermally reversible, photochromic compound adapted to have at least a first state and a second state, wherein the thermally reversible, photochromic compound has an average absorption ratio greater than 2.3 in at least one state as determined according to CELL METHOD.

Abstract: The present invention provides an improved multi-layer composite of two or more polymeric layers at least one of which is formed from a thermosetting composition. The composite includes at least a first polymeric layer formed on a substrate and a second polymeric layer over the first polymeric layer, wherein in the absence of a boron-containing compound, the first and second polymeric layers have poor interlayer adhesion. The improvement resides in the inclusion of at least one boron-containing compound in one or both of the first and second polymeric layers in an amount sufficient to improve the interlayer adhesion between the first and second polymeric layers. Also provided is an improved curable coating composition used to form a multi-layer composite coating of two or more cured coating layers, at least one of which is formed from the thermosetting composition. Related methods and coated substrates are also provided.

Abstract: Described are photochromic articles that include a substrate, a temperature dependent reducing amount of at least one organic photochromic material (b) that changes from more absorbing to less absorbing of radiation in its activating spectral absorbance as the temperature increases from 10° C. to 35° C. and at least one other photochromic material (c) that is different from photochromic material (b). In the article, photochromic material (b) is interposed between photochromic material (c) and a source of activating radiation. The photochromic article demonstrates a more consistent photochromic response, for example, an optical density response loss of 50 percent or less over a temperature range of from 10° C. to 35° C. as measured in the Photochromic Temperature Dependence Test. Methods for producing the aforedescribed articles are also disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a non-gelled, curable composition including at least one compound having a plurality of imide functional groups. The compound in particular contains a reaction product of at least one secondary monoamine and at least one maleimide, and is suitable for use in coatings and castings.