A method of imparting color to a plastic substrate comprising applying to the substrate, or incorporating within the substrate, a diacetylene compound of general formula (I) wherein n=1 to 20; R.sup.1=an optionally substituted C.sub.1-20 alkyl group which may contain heteroatoms; T=H, an optionally substituted C.sub.1-20 alkyl group which may contain heteroatoms or (CH.sub.2).sub.mC(O)-Q.sup.2R.sup.2; Q.sup.1=NH, CO, NHCONH, OCONH, COS, NHCSNH or NR.sup.3, wherein m, Q.sup.2 and R.sup.2 are independently selected from the same groups as n, Q.sup.1 and R.sup.1 respectively; R.sup.3 is an optionally substituted C.sub.1-20 alkyl group which may contain heteroatoms; and irradiating the substrate to impart color to the substrate is described.

A method of imparting color to a plastic substrate comprising applying to the substrate, or incorporating within the substrate, a diacetylene compound of general formula (I) wherein n=1 to 20; R.sup.1=an optionally substituted C.sub.1-20 alkyl group which may contain heteroatoms; T=H, an optionally substituted C.sub.1-20 alkyl group which may contain heteroatoms or (CH.sub.2).sub.mC(O)-Q.sup.2R.sup.2; Q.sup.1=NH, CO, NHCONH, OCONH, COS, NHCSNH or NR.sup.3, wherein m, Q.sup.2 and R.sup.2 are independently selected from the same groups as n, Q.sup.1 and R.sup.1 respectively; R.sup.3 is an optionally substituted C.sub.1-20 alkyl group which may contain heteroatoms; and irradiating the substrate to impart color to the substrate is described.

Disclosed are articles having a thermoplastic photochromic coating. The articles exhibit a Bayer Abrasion ratio of at least 2 and desirable photochromic properties, i.e., the formation of darker activated colors and faster rates of photochromic activation and fade when irradiated with ultraviolet light.

The invention relates to naphthyl urethane acrylates particularly useful as writing monomers in photopolymer formulations for holographic media. The invention further relates to a photopolymer formulation comprising matrix polymers, writing monomers and photoinitiators, wherein the writing monomers comprise a naphthyl urethane acrylate according to the invention, to a holographic medium comprising matrix polymers, writing monomers and photoinitiators, wherein the writing monomers comprise a naphthyl urethane acrylate according to the invention, and also to a display comprising a holographic medium according to the invention.

The invention relates to a capsule comprising a shell containing a transparent and thermally conducting liquid, particles having a thermochromic coating and particles having a photochromic coating, the thermochromic particles being bulkier than photochromic particles, the liquid being such that, within a first range of temperatures, its density is greater than the density of the thermochromic particles and than the density of the photochromic particles, and such that, within a second range of temperatures greater than those of the first range, the density of the photochromic particles is less than the density of the liquid, which is itself less than the density of the thermochromic particles.

Various non-limiting embodiments of the present disclosure relate to ophthalmic devices comprising photochromic materials comprising a reactive substituent. For example, the present disclosure contemplates ophthalmic devices comprising photochromic materials, such as photochromic naphthopyrans and indeno-fused naphthopyrans having a reactive substituent comprising a reactive moiety linked to the photochromic naphthopyran by one or more linking groups. In certain non-limiting embodiments, the reactive moiety comprises a polymerizable moiety. In other non-limiting embodiments, the reactive moiety comprises a nucleophilic moiety. Other non-limiting embodiments of the present disclosure relate to methods of making the photochromic ophthalmic device, wherein the photochromic ophthalmic devices comprise the photochromic naphthopyrans described herein.

Various non-limiting embodiments of the present disclosure relate to ophthalmic devices comprising photochromic materials comprising a reactive substituent. For example, the present disclosure contemplates ophthalmic devices comprising photochromic materials, such as photochromic naphthopyrans and indeno-fused naphthopyrans having a reactive substituent comprising a reactive moiety linked to the photochromic naphthopyran by one or more linking groups. In certain non-limiting embodiments, the reactive moiety comprises a polymerizable moiety. In other non-limiting embodiments, the reactive moiety comprises a nucleophilic moiety. Other non-limiting embodiments of the present disclosure relate to methods of making the photochromic ophthalmic device, wherein the photochromic ophthalmic devices comprise the photochromic naphthopyrans described herein.

The present invention relates to photochromic articles that include a substrate and at least one photochromic material that is adapted to change from an unactivated form to an activated form by exposure to radiation substantially in the wavelength range from 380 to 450 nanometers when measured over a range of from 380 to 700 nanometers. The photochromic article is also adapted to retain at least 12 percent of the delta OD measured in the Outdoor Test when tested in the Behind the Windshield Test. The photochromic material can be selected from certain compounds including, for example, fluoranthenoxazines, naphthopyrans, phenanthropyrans, fluoranthenopyrans, and indenonaphthopyrans, which each have bonded thereto at least one chiral or achiral lengthening group that provides the photochromic compound with dichroic properties. The present invention also relates to methods of forming a photochromic article.

The present invention relates to photochromic articles that include a substrate and at least one photochromic material that is adapted to change from an unactivated form to an activated form by exposure to radiation substantially in the wavelength range from 380 to 450 nanometers when measured over a range of from 380 to 700 nanometers. The photochromic article is also adapted to retain at least 12 percent of the delta OD measured in the Outdoor Test when tested in the Behind the Windshield Test. The photochromic material can be selected from certain compounds including, for example, fluoranthenoxazines, naphthopyrans, phenanthropyrans, fluoranthenopyrans, and indenonaphthopyrans, which each have bonded thereto at least one chiral or achiral lengthening group that provides the photochromic compound with dichroic properties. The present invention also relates to methods of forming a photochromic article.

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 N.sub.3, CN, COOR, CCR, C(R)C(R)R, OCOR, OCOOR, SR, OSO.sub.2R, 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 CF.sub.3 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.