Abstract: A photochromic compound is provided, which may be a pyran, an oxazine, or a fulgide. The photochromic compound has at least one substituent Q attached thereto, each Q independently being —N3, —CN, —COOR?, —CCR?, —C(R?)C(R?)R?, —OCOR?, —OCOOR?, —SR?, —OSO2R??, and/or —CON(R?)R?, wherein each R? is hydrogen, an unsubstituted or substituted alkyl group having from 1 to 18 carbon atoms; an unsubstituted or substituted aryl group, an unsubstituted or substituted alkene or alkyne group having from 2 to 18 carbon atoms, wherein the substituents are halo or hydroxyl and R?? is —CF3 or a perfluorinated alkyl group having from 2 to 18 carbon atoms The number, locations and nature of the constituents Q are dependent upon the structure of the photochromic compound.

Abstract: Described are aqueous compositions of an effective amount of at least one photosensitive material and at least one polymerizable component that are adapted to at least partially form photosensitive microparticles or at least partially crosslinked photosensitive polymeric microparticles. The photosensitive polymeric microparticles are made of integral surface and interior domains wherein at least one of the surface and/or interior domains is photosensitive. Also described are aqueous dispersions of such microparticles, ways of producing such microparticles and photosensitive articles such as optical elements that incorporate the photosensitive polymeric microparticles.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for coating optical articles, such as optical lenses, are provided. In one aspect, an optical article is placed in a holder and a sheet of coating material is discharged from a nozzle, such as from a fan coater nozzle, onto the optical article to form a coating on the optical article.

Abstract: Described is an improved process for producing chemically treated fillers by using a certain combination of functionalizing and hydrophobizing agents in an aqueous suspension of inorganic oxide having a pH of 2.5 or less and increasing the pH of the suspension after chemically treating the filler.

Abstract: Described is an improved process for producing chemically modified fillers by using a certain combination of functionalizing and hydrophobizing agents in an aqueous suspension of inorganic oxide having a pH of 2.5 or less and increasing the pH of the suspension after chemically treating the filler.

Abstract: Various non-limiting embodiments disclosed herein provide methods of making alignment facilities for optical dyes connected to an optical substrate. For example, one non-limiting embodiment provides a method of making an alignment facility for an optical dye connected to at least a portion of an optical substrate, such as an ophthalmic substrate, by forming at least one at least partial coating comprising an at least partially ordered liquid crystal material on at least a portion of the substrate. Other non-limiting embodiments related to optical elements, such as but not limited to ophthalmic elements, comprising an alignment facility for an optical dye. Still other non-limiting embodiments provide alignment facilities for optical dyes comprising coatings or sheets of an at least partially ordered liquid crystal material.

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 is related to treated filler and processes for producing said treated filler. Untreated filler slurry can be treated with a treating material and, optionally, a coupling material and then subjected to conventional drying method(s), to produce the treated filler of the invention. Treated filler has a wide variety of applications including but not limited to battery separators and rubber compositions such as tires.

Abstract: Described are naphthols useful in the manufacture of novel indeno-fused photochromic naphthopyran materials.

Abstract: Various non-limiting embodiments of the present invention relate to photochromic materials having a metallocenyl group. More particularly, various non-limiting embodiments disclosed herein provide photochromic materials including an indeno-fused naphthopyran, such as an indeno[2?,3?:3,4]naphtho[1,2-b]pyran, and a metallocenyl group bonded to at least one available position on the indeno-fused naphthopyran. Other non-limiting embodiments disclosed herein provide photochromic composition and photochromic articles, such as but not limited to ophthalmic lens, which include the disclosed photochromic materials and method of making the same.

Abstract: A security element connected to at least a portion of a substrate, the security element including an at least partial coating having a first state and a second state connected to at least a portion of the substrate, the at least partial coating being adapted to switch from a first state to a second state in response to at least actinic radiation, to revert back to the first state in response to thermal energy, and to linearly polarize at least transmitted radiation in at least one of the first state and the second state.

Abstract: Various non-limiting embodiments disclosed herein related to photochromic materials comprising the reaction product of (a) at least one ring-opening cyclic monomer, and (b) a photochromic initiator. Other non-limiting embodiments related to photochromic materials represented by: wherein S? comprises the at least one ring-opened cyclic monomer as set forth herein. Other non-limiting embodiments related to photochromic compositions, optical elements, and methods of inhibiting migration of a photochromic material in a polymeric material using the photochromic materials disclosed herein. Methods of making such photochromic materials, compositions, and optical elements are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method of making an optical element including forming an at least partial coating of at least one at least partially aligned thermally reversible photochromic-dichroic compound on at least a portion of a substrate.

Abstract: A method of making a composite element including: forming a sheet of an at least partially ordered liquid crystal polymer having at least a first general direction, a liquid crystal material having at least a second general direction distributed within at least a portion of the liquid crystal polymer; and at least one photochromic-dichroic compound having an average absorption ratio of at least 1.5 in an activated state that is at least partially aligned with at least a portion of the liquid crystal material; and connecting at least a portion of the sheet to at least a portion of an optical substrate to form the composite element.

Abstract: A method of making an optical element including overmolding an at least partial coating of an at least partially ordered liquid crystal material and at least one at least partially aligned photochromic-dichroic compound on at least a portion of an optical substrate.

Abstract: Describes a photochromic article, e.g., a plastic ophthalmic photochromic article, such as a lens, in which the article includes (1) a rigid substrate, such as a thermoset or thermoplastic polymeric substrate, (2) a photochromic polymeric coating appended to at least one surface of the substrate, the photochromic polymeric coating containing a photochromic amount of at least one photochromic material, e.g., spirooxazine, naphthopyran and/or fulgide, and (3) an acrylate-based film coherently appended to the photochromic coating, the acrylate-based film containing an adhesion promoting amount of an adhesion promoter, e.g., an aminoorganosilane, silane coupling agent, organic titanate coupling agent or organic zirconate coupling agent. Describes also the aforedescribed photochromic article having an abrasion-resistant coating affixed to the acrylate-based film, e.g.

Abstract: Describes a photochromic article, e.g., an ophthalmic photochromic plastic article, such as a lens, in which the article includes (1) a rigid substrate, e.g., a transparent substrate such as a glass or organic polymeric substrate, as for example, a thermoset or thermoplastic substrate, (2) a photochromic polymeric coating appended to at least a portion of at least one surface of the substrate, the photochromic polymeric coating containing a photochromic amount of at least one organic photochromic material, e.g., spirooxazine, naphthopyran, diarylethene and/or fulgide, and (3) a thermally cured transparent thermoset polymeric coating superposed on, e.g., coherently appended to, the photochromic coating, the thermally cured polymeric coating being harder than the photochromic polymeric coating. Describes also the aforedescribed photochromic article having an abrasion-resistant coating affixed to the thermally cured polymer coating, e.g.

Abstract: Described are photochromic materials of indeno [2?,3?:3,4]naphtho[1,2-b]pyran structure, characterized in that they have a nitrogen or sulfur containing substituent at the 11-position ring atom, are substantially free of spiro-substituents at the 13-position and have been adapted to provide an increase in the sensitivity, visible lambda max or a combination thereof as measured in the Indenonaphthopyran Photochromic Performance Test. Optional substituents can be present at the other positions of the indeno [2?,3?:3,4]naphtho [1,2-b]pyran structure. Also described are naphthols used to produce the photochromic materials and photochromic articles that contain or that have coatings containing at least one of the novel photochromic materials or combinations thereof with other photochromic materials.

Abstract: Various embodiments disclosed herein relate to optical elements comprising an at least partial coating having a first state and a second state connected to at least a portion of a substrate, the at least partial coating being adapted to switch from the first state to the second state in response to at least actinic radiation, to revert back to the first state in response to thermal energy, and to linearly polarize at least transmitted radiation in at least one of the first state and the second state. Other embodiments relate to optical elements comprising a substrate and at least one at least partially aligned photochromic-dichroic compound connected to at least a portion of the substrate and having an average absorption ratio greater than 2.3 in the activated state as determined according to CELL METHOD. Still other embodiments relate to security devices, liquid crystal cells and methods of making the same.

Abstract: Described is a polymerizable composition of a photochromic amount of at least one photochromic compound, at least one material having at least one carbonate group and at least one hydroxyl group, and at least one monoisocyanate containing material having at least one unsaturated group. The polymerizable composition optionally contains copolymerizable monomers. Also described are photochromic polymerizates, e.g., photochromic optical elements such as ophthalmic lenses, prepared from the polymerizable composition of the present invention.