Phosphorescent compositions and methods for identification using the same
First Claim
1. A method of identifying or detecting an object comprising the steps ofa. applying onto or into at least a portion of the object an effective amount of a photoluminescent composition comprising:
- i. One or more photoluminescent phosphorescent materials and,ii. One or more photoluminescent fluorescent materials;
wherein the one or more photoluminescent phosphorescent materials selectively absorbs and emits electromagnetic energies when charged or activated by either electromagnetic radiation from an excitation source incident upon the composition, or by the emissions of another photoluminescent material, or both, and wherein the one or more photoluminescent fluorescent materials selectively absorbs the emission from the one or more photoluminescent materials and emits the electromagnetic energies to give a selected emission signature, such that some or all of the emission signature lies in the infrared portion of the electromagnetic spectrum, the photoluminescent materials being selected so that the emission of one of the photoluminescent materials overlaps with the absorbance of another of the photoluminescent materials, wherein the selected emission signature is the emission from one or more of the selected photoluminescent fluorescent materials, such emission being essentially unabsorbed by any of the other photoluminescent materials,b. charging or activating the object, andc. detecting the emission signature from the charged object.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Disclosed are methods of identification or detection utilizing photoluminescent compositions containing photoluminescent phosphorescent materials and photoluminescent fluorescent materials whose emission signature lies partly or fully in the infrared region of the electromagnetic spectrum onto or into objects for the purpose of identifying or detecting the objects. Also disclosed are methods of identification or detection utilizing photoluminescent compositions which are high in intensity and high in persistence, methods wherein the identifying markings can be clandestine or otherwise, and methods wherein activation and detection can be decoupled spatially and temporally. Objects containing these photoluminescent compositions are also disclosed.
127 Citations
29 Claims
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1. A method of identifying or detecting an object comprising the steps of
a. applying onto or into at least a portion of the object an effective amount of a photoluminescent composition comprising: -
i. One or more photoluminescent phosphorescent materials and, ii. One or more photoluminescent fluorescent materials; wherein the one or more photoluminescent phosphorescent materials selectively absorbs and emits electromagnetic energies when charged or activated by either electromagnetic radiation from an excitation source incident upon the composition, or by the emissions of another photoluminescent material, or both, and wherein the one or more photoluminescent fluorescent materials selectively absorbs the emission from the one or more photoluminescent materials and emits the electromagnetic energies to give a selected emission signature, such that some or all of the emission signature lies in the infrared portion of the electromagnetic spectrum, the photoluminescent materials being selected so that the emission of one of the photoluminescent materials overlaps with the absorbance of another of the photoluminescent materials, wherein the selected emission signature is the emission from one or more of the selected photoluminescent fluorescent materials, such emission being essentially unabsorbed by any of the other photoluminescent materials, b. charging or activating the object, and c. detecting the emission signature from the charged object. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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7. A method of identifying or detecting an object comprising the steps of
a. applying onto or into at least a portion of the object an effective amount of a photoluminescent composition comprising: -
i. One or more photoluminescent phosphorescent materials and; ii. One or more photoluminescent fluorescent materials wherein the one or more photoluminescent phosphorescent materials selectively absorbs and emits electromagnetic energies when charged or activated by electromagnetic radiation either from an excitation source incident upon the composition, or by the emissions from another photoluminescent material, or both, and wherein the one or more photoluminescent fluorescent materials selectively absorbs the emission from the one or more photoluminescent materials and emits the electromagnetic energies to give a selected emission signature, such that some or all of the emission signature lies in the infrared portion of the electromagnetic spectrum, the photoluminescent materials being selected so that the emission of one of the photoluminescent materials overlaps with the absorbance of another of the photoluminescent materials, wherein the selected emission signature is the emission from one or more of the selected photoluminescent fluorescent materials, such emission being essentially unabsorbed by any of the other photoluminescent materials, and wherein the photoluminescent phosphorescent materials comprise high afterglow persistence and intensity alkaline-earth aluminates, or alkaline-earth silicates, or combinations thereof, to result in the selected emission signature with high persistence and high intensity, b. charging or activating the object, and c. detecting the emission signature from the charged object. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
wherein the photoluminescent phosphorescent materials are uniformly distributed within the composition and wherein the rheology modifiers and dispersing agents are soluble in the liquid carrier.
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15. The method of claim 14, wherein the photoluminescent phosphorescent materials comprise non-radioactive Group IIA metal oxide aluminates activated by europium and at least one other element of the Lanthanide series of rare earth materials, yttrium, tin, manganese, or bismuth.
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16. The method of claim 14, wherein the photoluminescent composition optionally comprises one or more absorptive colorant pigments.
Specification