Lamellar polymeric body
First Claim
1. A lamellar reflective polymeric body of at least first and second diverse polymeric materials, said body having at least first and second major surfaces, the body comprising a plurality of discontinuous layers of said first polymeric material within a matrix of said second polymeric material, and wherein said discontinuous layers of said first polymeric material have their major interfaces aligned substantially parallel to the major surfaces of said body, the number of layers of said first polymeric material being sufficient such that at least 30% of light incident on said body is reflected, the individual layers of said first polymeric material in said body, and those portions of said second polymeric material sandwiched between said individual layers of said first polymeric material, having an optical thickness of not more than 0.09 micrometers, between 0.09 micrometers and 0.45 micrometers, or not less than 0.45 micrometers, and wherein said first and second polymeric materials differ from each other in refractive index by at least about 0.03.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A lamellar polymeric body which may be reflective and which contains no metals and method of making it are provided. The body can be fabricated and/or post-formed into a variety of parts without alteration of its appearance. The body includes discontinuous layers of at least one polymeric material within a matrix of another polymeric material, which polymers differ in refractive index. The layers of the polymeric material may be either optically thick, optically thin, or optically very thin.
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Citations
28 Claims
- 1. A lamellar reflective polymeric body of at least first and second diverse polymeric materials, said body having at least first and second major surfaces, the body comprising a plurality of discontinuous layers of said first polymeric material within a matrix of said second polymeric material, and wherein said discontinuous layers of said first polymeric material have their major interfaces aligned substantially parallel to the major surfaces of said body, the number of layers of said first polymeric material being sufficient such that at least 30% of light incident on said body is reflected, the individual layers of said first polymeric material in said body, and those portions of said second polymeric material sandwiched between said individual layers of said first polymeric material, having an optical thickness of not more than 0.09 micrometers, between 0.09 micrometers and 0.45 micrometers, or not less than 0.45 micrometers, and wherein said first and second polymeric materials differ from each other in refractive index by at least about 0.03.
- 15. A lamellar reflective polymeric body of at least first and second diverse polymeric materials, said body having at least first and second major surfaces, the body comprising a plurality of discontinuous individual layers within a matrix of a third polymeric material, each discontinuous individual layer comprising a plurality of alternating layers of said first and second polymeric materials within said matrix, and wherein said alternating layers of said first and second polymeric materials have their major interfaces aligned substantially parallel to the major surfaces of said body, the number of alternating layers of said first and second polymeric materials being sufficient such that at least 30% of light incident on said body is reflected, the individual layers of said first and second polymeric materials having optical thicknesses of not more than 0.09 micrometers, between 0.09 micrometers and 0.45 micrometers, or not less than 0.45 micrometers, and wherein said first and second polymeric materials differ from each other in refractive index by at least about 0.03.
- 26. A lamellar polymeric body of at least first and second diverse polymeric materials, said body having at least first and second major surfaces, the body comprising a plurality of layers of said first polymeric material within a matrix of said second polymeric material, and further wherein said layers of said first polymeric material are substantially discontinuous along planes parallel and/or transverse to one of said major surfaces of said body.
Specification