Abstract: The present invention relates to a marking of polymeric liquid crystal material having determined optical characteristics allowing its authentication and reading by a machine and its authentication by the human eye. The marking is applied onto an item, good or article by a variable information printing process. The marking is in the form of indicia representing a unique code which allows for an easy authentication by the human eye and a secure tracking and tracing of the marked item, good or article throughout is life cycle.

Abstract: A method and means for identifying the authenticity and the genuine nature of a solid or liquid bulk material, by incorporating a marking composition containing at least one trace ion into the said bulk material, whereby the total concentration of the incorporated trace ions in the market bulk material is chosen to be lower than the corresponding concentration of the same ions in standard sea water. The authenticity and the genuine nature or the adulteration level of the marked bulk material can be tested in-the-field using electrochemical sensors, and confirmed in the laboratory using a method such as atomic absorption spectroscopy, ion chromatography or mass spectrometry.

Abstract: The invention is about a marking method and a corresponding coding center device for the marking of individual items (1), such as security documents, currency, tax excise stamps, labels, pieces of packaging, articles, or transportation means, with pertinent information indicating their nature and/or content, origin and/or destination, etc., and their registration in a remote, centralized data base, enabling the tracking & tracing of said items (1) and of the goods they may be applied to. The method of the invention is based on a three-step printreadcancel (PRC) sequence, embodied in a device comprising a printing unit (P), a reading unit (R) and a canceling unit (C), arranged in-line on an integrated equipment and operating under the control of information processing means (IP).

Abstract: A method and means for identifying the authenticity and the genuine nature of a solid or liquid bulk material, by incorporating a marking composition containing at least one trace ion into the said bulk material, whereby the total concentration of the incorporated trace ions in the market bulk material is chosen to be lower than the corresponding concentration of the same ions in standard sea water. The authenticity and the genuine nature or the adulteration level of the marked bulk material can be tested in-the-field using electrochemical sensors, and confirmed in the laboratory using a method such as atomic absorption spectroscopy, ion chromatography or mass spectrometry.

Abstract: A method of increasing the solubility and/or dispersibility of a perylene dye in a liquid medium. The method comprises binding the perylene dye to a polymer which is soluble in the liquid medium. This abstract is neither intended to define the invention disclosed in this specification nor intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way.

Abstract: A liquid crystal polymer marking is obtainable by a process that comprises applying a first chiral liquid crystal precursor composition onto a substrate, heating the composition to bring same to a first chiral liquid crystal state, applying to at least one area of the first composition a second chiral liquid crystal precursor composition, heating the at least one area to bring same to a second chiral liquid crystal state, and subsequently curing and/or polymerizing the resultant product. This abstract is neither intended to define the invention disclosed in this specification nor intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way.

Abstract: A liquid crystal polymer marking is obtainable by a process that comprises applying a chiral liquid crystal precursor composition onto a substrate, heating the composition to a bring same to a chiral liquid crystal state, locally applying at least one modifying agent to modify the chiral liquid crystal state, and curing and/or polymerization the resultant product. This abstract is neither intended to define the invention disclosed in this specification nor intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way.

Abstract: A liquid crystal polymer marking is obtainable by a process that comprises applying a chiral liquid crystal precursor composition onto a substrate, heating the composition to a first chiral liquid crystal state, applying to at least one area of the precursor composition a chiral dopant composition, heating the at least one area to bring same to a second chiral liquid crystal state, and subsequently curing and/or polymerizing the resultant product. This abstract is neither intended to define the invention disclosed in this specification nor intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way.

Abstract: A liquid crystal polymer marking is obtainable by a process that comprises applying a chiral liquid crystal precursor composition onto a substrate, heating the composition to a chiral liquid crystal state, applying to at least one area of the precursor composition a modifying composition, if necessary, heating the at least one area to bring same to a modified liquid crystal state, and subsequently curing and/or polymerizing the resultant product. This abstract is neither intended to define the invention disclosed in this specification nor intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a marking of polymeric liquid crystal material having determined optical characteristics allowing its authentication and reading by a machine and its authentication by the human eye. The marking is applied onto an item, good or article by a variable information printing process. The marking is in the form of indicia representing a unique code which allows for an easy authentication by the human eye and a secure tracking and tracing of the marked item, good or article throughout its life cycle.

Abstract: Aqueous thermal inkjet ink composition for the printing of security documents comprising at least one luminescent water-soluble lanthanide complex.

Abstract: An item according to the invention comprises at least two data storage elements such as e.g. an RFID transponder 2 and a barcode 5, wherein the latter is non-visible for the unaided human eye and comprises coded information. The invention allows for a backup of information between the two data storage elements, in order to prevent inadvertent or malicious data loss. Further aspects of the invention are related to the interdependent or the cooperative use of both storage elements in the framework of a product security tracking and tracing scheme.

Abstract: Non-visible ink jet printing ink composition for marking a substrate, having at least one marking compound absorbing light outside the visible wavelength range of about 400-700 nm, and which contains a hydrocarbon compound, having two to six carbon atoms carrying two or three hydroxyl groups, as a non-particulate matting agent, so as to adapt the gloss of the ink-jet printed marking to the gloss of the substrate.

Abstract: An item according to the invention comprises at least two data storage elements such as e.g. an RFID transponder 2 and a barcode 5, wherein the latter is non-visible for the unaided human eye and comprises coded information. The invention allows for a backup of information between the two data storage elements, in order to prevent inadvertent or malicious data loss. Further aspects of the invention are related to the interdependent or the cooperative use of both storage elements in the framework of a product security tracking and tracing scheme.

Abstract: Re-dispersible pigmented printing ink compositions, preferably for the continuous ink jet printing process are obtained by the addition of a flocculating agent to the pigment dispersion in the printing liquid. The compositions do not form hard sediments and are easy to re-disperse on stopping and resuming the printing operations. Suitable flocculating agents bind the pigment particles in the sediment into three-dimensional “airy” structures, which are easy to break up. The ink compositions of the invention are furthermore characterized by a good printability in the dispersed state.

Abstract: Non-visible ink-jet printing ink composition for marking a substrate, comprising at least one marking compound absorbing light outside the visible wavelength range of about 400-700 nm, and which comprises a hydrocarbon compound, having two to six carbon atoms carrying two or three hydroxyl groups, as a non-particulate matting agent, so as to adapt the gloss of the ink-jet printed marking to the gloss of the substrate.

Abstract: A method and means for identifying the authenticity and the genuine nature of a solid or liquid bulk material, by incorporating a marking composition containing at least one trace ion into the said bulk material, whereby the total concentration of the incorporated trace ions in the market bulk material is chosen to be lower than the corresponding concentration of the same ions in standard sea water. The authenticity and the genuine nature or the adulteration level of the marked bulk material can be tested in-the-field using electrochemical sensors, and confirmed in the laboratory using a method such as atomic absorption spectroscopy, ion chromatography or mass spectrometry.

Abstract: The invention is about a marking method and a corresponding coding center device for the marking of individual (1), such as security documents, currency, tax excise stamps, labels, pieces of packaging, articles, or transportation means, with pertinent information indicating their nature and/or content, origin and/or destination, etc., and their registration in a remote, centralized data base, enabling the tracking & tracing of said items (1) and of the goods they may be applied to. The method of the invention is based on a three-step printreadcancel (PRC) sequence, embodied in a device comprising a printing unit (P), a reading unit (R) and a canceling unit (C), arranged in-line on an integrated equipment and operating under the control of information processing means (IP).

Abstract: The invention concerns a method, a device and a system for applying a detectable temporary mark of predefined life time of minutes to hours onto an object (0). The invention also concerns a coating composition comprising a short-lived radioactive isotope and the use of a short-lived radioactive isotope as a temporary marking. The temporary mark is applied to the object (O) by the means of a coating composition (3) comprising a low level of a short-lived radionuclide, generated in situ from a longer-lived precursor nucleus. The marking device comprises a radionuclide generator (1), a reservoir (2) for the in situ preparing the radioactively marked printing ink, and an ink-jet or alike printing or spraying head (8), preferably of the dropon-demand type. The marking is preferably detected and identified by a gamma-radiation counter.

Abstract: The invention discloses magnetic OVP, said pigment consisting of thin-layer flakes having a basic metal-dielectric-metal structure to result in a viewing-angle dependent color appearance, and having, in addition to said viewing-angle dependent color appearance, incorporated magnetic properties, to make them distinguishable from OVP of similar appearance but not having said magnetic properties. The invention discloses as well methods for obtaining such pigments and the use of such pigments as security elements in inks, coatings and articles.