Prior electrochromic devices frequently suffer from high levels of defectivity. The defects may be manifest as pin holes or spots where the electrochromic transition is impaired. This is unacceptable for many applications such as electrochromic architectural glass. Improved electrochromic devices with low defectivity can be fabricated by depositing certain layered components of the electrochromic device in a single integrated deposition system. While these layers are being deposited and/or treated on a substrate, for example a glass window, the substrate never leaves a controlled ambient environment, for example a low pressure controlled atmosphere having very low levels of particles. These layers may be deposited using physical vapor deposition.

Prior electrochromic devices frequently suffer from high levels of defectivity. The defects may be manifest as pin holes or spots where the electrochromic transition is impaired. This is unacceptable for many applications such as electrochromic architectural glass. Improved electrochromic devices with low defectivity can be fabricated by depositing certain layered components of the electrochromic device in a single integrated deposition system. While these layers are being deposited and/or treated on a substrate, for example a glass window, the substrate never leaves a controlled ambient environment, for example a low pressure controlled atmosphere having very low levels of particles. These layers may be deposited using physical vapor deposition.

The present invention relates to the field of devices and processes for producing optical effect layers (OEL) comprising magnetically bi-axially oriented platelet-shaped magnetic or magnetizable pigment particles, in particular for producing said OELs as anti-counterfeit means on security documents or security articles or for decorative purposes. The process described herein comprises the step of a) applying on a substrate surface a radiation curable coating composition comprising platelet-shaped magnetic or magnetizable pigment particles, b) exposing the radiation curable coating composition to a dynamic magnetic field of a magnetic assembly comprising a Halbach cylinder assembly, and c) at least partially curing the radiation curable coating composition of step b) so as to fix the platelet-shaped magnetic or magnetizable pigment particles in their adopted positions and orientations, said step c) being carried out partially simultaneously or simultaneously with step b).

A process for the production of a multi-layer composite comprising applying a coating layer from a pigmented coating composition A onto the back face of a transparent plastic film and then applying an NIR-opaque coating layer from a pigmented coating composition B, wherein the pigment content of coating composition A consists 50 to 100 wt. % of black pigment with low NIR absorption and 0 to 50 wt. % of further pigment, which is selected in such a way that coating layer A′ exhibits low NIR absorption and that the multi-layer composite exhibits a brightness L* of at most 10 units, wherein the pigment content of coating composition B is either a pigment content PC1 consisting 90 to 100 wt. % of aluminum flake pigment and 0 to 10 wt. % of further pigment, which is selected in such a way that NIR-opaque coating layer B′ exhibits low NIR absorption, or a pigment content PC2 comprising <90 wt. % of aluminum flake pigments and being composed in such a way that NIR-opaque coating layer B′ exhibits low NIR absorption, and wherein coating layers A′ and B′ are cured.

A process for the production of a multi-layer composite comprising applying a coating layer from a pigmented coating composition A onto the back face of a transparent plastic film and then applying an NIR-opaque coating layer from a pigmented coating composition B, wherein the pigment content of coating composition A consists 50 to 100 wt. % of black pigment with low NIR absorption and 0 to 50 wt. % of further pigment, which is selected in such a way that coating layer A′ exhibits low NIR absorption and that the multi-layer composite exhibits a brightness L* of at most 10 units, wherein the pigment content of coating composition B is either a pigment content PC1 consisting 90 to 100 wt. % of aluminum flake pigment and 0 to 10 wt. % of further pigment, which is selected in such a way that NIR-opaque coating layer B′ exhibits low NIR absorption, or a pigment content PC2 comprising <90 wt. % of aluminum flake pigments and being composed in such a way that NIR-opaque coating layer B′ exhibits low NIR absorption, and wherein coating layers A′ and B′ are cured.

The present invention relates to a method for producing three-dimensional macroscopic patterns in liquid-crystalline coatings, patterned layers containing liquid-crystalline materials and produced by said method, and the use thereof in decorative and security products. In the method, the liquid-crystalline coating in a non-solidified state is brought into contact with a printing form for a relief printing method, with the result that depressions which are not deeper than 10 μm arise in the coating.

The invention relates to applying a liquid to pasty hot-melt adhesive to a substrate (44), comprising a template (29), having at least one cavity (38) for the hot-melt adhesive, and also comprising an adhesive-transfer infeed (33), which is assigned to the template (29) and through which the adhesive can be introduced into the cavity (38). The special feature consists in that the apparatus (10) further comprises a transporting-fluid-supply opening (35), assigned to the template (29), and a device for displacing (13, 15), in particular pivoting, the template (29) between a first position, in which the cavity (38) is assigned to the adhesive-transfer infeed (33), and a second position, in which the cavity (38) is assigned to the transporting-fluid-supply opening (35), and therefore the adhesive, in the second position, can be discharged from the cavity (38) by a transporting fluid flowing through the transporting-fluid-supply opening (35).

The problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a method for forming a multilayer coating film capable of forming a red-based multilayer coating film having high chroma and an excellent sense of depth and weatherability. The present invention provides a method for forming a multilayer coating film comprising the steps of (1) applying a first colored coating composition comprising an organic red pigment to form a first colored coating film having a hue such that the hue angle h in the L*C*h color space diagram is within the range of 23±3°, (2) applying a second colored coating composition comprising an organic red pigment to the first colored coating film to form a second colored coating film having a hue such that the hue angle h in L*C*h color space diagram is within the range of 35±5°, and (3) applying a clear coating composition to the second colored coating film to form a clear coating film; wherein the color difference ΔE between the first colored coating film and the multilayer coating film obtained by Steps (1) to (3) is within the range of 20 to 30.

The problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a method for forming a multilayer coating film capable of forming a red-based multilayer coating film having high chroma and an excellent sense of depth and weatherability. The present invention provides a method for forming a multilayer coating film comprising the steps of (1) applying a first colored coating composition comprising an organic red pigment to form a first colored coating film having a hue such that the hue angle h in the L*C*h color space diagram is within the range of 23±3°, (2) applying a second colored coating composition comprising an organic red pigment to the first colored coating film to form a second colored coating film having a hue such that the hue angle h in L*C*h color space diagram is within the range of 35±5°, and (3) applying a clear coating composition to the second colored coating film to form a clear coating film; wherein the color difference ΔE between the first colored coating film and the multilayer coating film obtained by Steps (1) to (3) is within the range of 20 to 30.

A holder for a paint striping tool as provided than has a plurality of guide pins which allow for engaging a temporary template to allow for the precise painting of single and multiple paint strips.