Abstract: Porous, electrically insulating, and electrochemically resistant surface coatings that strengthen and protect separators and that improve the operational safety of electrochemical devices using such separators, porous, electrically insulating, and electrochemically resistant standalone separators, the use of ultraviolet (UV) or electron beam (EB) curable binders to secure an electrically insulating, porous, ceramic particle coating on separators or to produce standalone separators, and methods of producing polymer-bound ceramic particle separator coatings, separators and electrochemical devices by UV or EB curing slurries of reactive liquid resins and ceramic particles.

Abstract: An optically variable device may be manufactured by aligning magnetic flakes on a surface of an adhesive layer by applying the flakes onto the adhesive layer surface in presence of a magnetic field, and curing the adhesive layer having magnetic flakes adhered to the adhesive layer. When cured, the adhesive layer holds the magnetic flakes oriented, enabling subsequent encapsulation of the oriented magnetic flakes in a coating layer on the adhesive layer, without a substantial loss of orientation of the magnetic flakes.

Abstract: An optically variable device may be manufactured by aligning magnetic flakes on a surface of an adhesive layer by applying the flakes onto the adhesive layer surface in presence of a magnetic field, and curing the adhesive layer having magnetic flakes adhered to the adhesive layer. When cured, the adhesive layer holds the magnetic flakes oriented, enabling subsequent encapsulation of the oriented magnetic flakes in a coating layer on the adhesive layer, without a substantial loss of orientation of the magnetic flakes.

Abstract: Porous, electrically insulating, and electrochemically resistant surface coatings that strengthen and protect separators and that improve the operational safety of electrochemical devices using such separators, porous, electrically insulating, and electrochemically resistant standalone separators, the use of ultraviolet (UV) or electron beam (EB) curable binders to secure an electrically insulating, porous, ceramic particle coating on separators or to produce standalone separators, and methods of producing polymer-bound ceramic particle separator coatings, separators and electrochemical devices by UV or EB curing slurries of reactive liquid resins and ceramic particles.

Abstract: An optically variable device may be manufactured by aligning magnetic flakes on a surface of an adhesive layer by applying the flakes onto the adhesive layer surface in presence of a magnetic field, and curing the adhesive layer having magnetic flakes adhered to the adhesive layer. When cured, the adhesive layer holds the magnetic flakes oriented, enabling subsequent encapsulation of the oriented magnetic flakes in a coating layer on the adhesive layer, without a substantial loss of orientation of the magnetic flakes.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of manufacturing a color-shifting optical device with a dielectric spacer layer such that different regions thereof have different thicknesses. The method includes: (a) coating a substrate with one of a reflector or absorber layer, (b) providing a spacer layer onto the layer coated in step (a), the spacer layer comprising a spacer material and a soluble pocket within the spacer layer, (c) modifying the spacer layer by dissolving the soluble pocket so as to remove a portion of the spacer material to vary the thickness of the spacer layer, and (d) coating the spacer layer with another of the reflector or absorber layers.

Abstract: A method of conforming non-ductile flakes to a surface is provided wherein a surface is coated with the non-ductile flakes. A first step of coating at least a portion of the surface with a coating of adhesive or a paint is required and subsequently before the coating cures a plurality of thin film flakes having a non-ductile insulating or semiconductor layer are sprinkled upon the adhesive or paint while it is still tacky. Typically the thin-film flakes have a thickness of between 50 nm and 2,000 nm, and have a length of between 2 microns and 200 microns. The flakes having a non-ductile layer are then burnished upon the surface so as to provide an active layer, which conforms to the surface.