Color applications for aerodynamic microstructures are disclosed herein. One disclosed example apparatus includes an aerodynamic microstructure of a vehicle, sub-microstructures superimposed on the aerodynamic microstructure, and a color application defined on or within the microstructure.

Disclosure relates to the field of graphical elements and is directed to a device for producing an optical effect layer (OEL). Disclosure provides an optical effect that is easy to detect as such and exhibits a viewing-angle dependent apparent motion of image features over an extended length if the viewing angle with respect to the OEL changes. OEL includes a binder material being at least partially transparent and a plurality of particles dispersed within the layer. Each particle has a non-isotropic reflectivity and may be magnetic or magnetizable. Orientation of the particles forms an orientation pattern extending over a length within an extended surface of the OEL, such that the local average of an angle between (i) a straight line along an observed longest dimension within the corresponding cross-section shape, and (ii) said first direction x varies according to a function () of a position (P) along said first direction.

A method of producing a plastic lens having a cured coating layer, comprising the steps of: forming an uncured coating layer from a photocurable coating composition comprising at least a) a photochromic compound, b) a radically polymerizable monomer and c) a photopolymerization initiator on one surface of a plastic lens; and irradiating the plastic lens having the uncured coating layer with light from an LED having an emission peak wavelength of 350 nm or more to less than 450 nm from above the outer surface of the uncured coating layer to cure the uncured coating layer.

The invention relates to the field of the protection of security documents such as for example banknotes and identity documents against counterfeit and illegal reproduction. In particular, the invention relates to magnetic-field-generating devices which produce positively curved magnetic field lines in a concave fashion. The invention also relates to the use of these magnetic-field-generating devices for producing optical effect layers OEL which exhibit the optical impression of a positive rolling bar effect and to processes using these magnetic-field-generating devices, e.g. in the field of document security.

A method of manufacturing a thermochromic substrate, with which transmittance can be increased. The method includes the steps of forming a first thin film as a coating on a base substrate, the refractive index of the first thin film being different from that of a VO.sub.2 thin film; forming a pre-thermochromic thin film by coating the first thin film with pure vanadium; forming a second thin film as a coating on the pre-thermochromic thin film, the refractive index of the second thin film being different from that of a VO.sub.2 thin film; and heat-treating a resultant stack that includes the base substrate, the first thin film, the pre-thermochromic thin film and the second thin film.

An aero-contoured coating system is provided. The system has an aerodynamically functional coating having at least one or more color layers, one or more first clearcoat layers over the color layer(s) to obtain a pre-aero-contoured coating, the one or more first clearcoat layers configured for abrasion and aero-contouring to obtain an aero-contoured surface, and one or more additional clearcoat layers over the aero-contoured surface. The system further has a structure having a prepared and primed substrate surface with a primer layer. The system further has an aero-contouring device to abrade a plurality of flow surfaces on a pre-aero-contoured coated surface and to mechanically aero-contour a plurality of coating edges to reduce one or more coating edge peaks and coating edge angles of abutting coating edges between the one or more color layers. The system further has one or more masking elements for masking the one or more color layers.

Disclosed are a chemochromic nanoparticle, a method for manufacturing the chemochromic nanoparticle, and a hydrogen sensor comprising the chemochromic nanoparticle. In particular, the chemochromic nanoparticle has a core-shell structure such that the chemochromic nanoparticle and comprises a core comprising a hydrated or non-hydrated transition metal oxide; and a shell comprising a transition metal catalyst.

A cooking utensil having a thermochromic layer including a thermochromic pigment for a temperature sensor, includes: a metal substrate; a primer layer including a fluorine-based resin formed on at least a part of a surface of the metal substrate; a thermochromic layer including a thermochromic pigment formed on at least a part of a surface of the primer layer; and a top coating layer including a curing agent formed on surfaces of the primer layer and the thermochromic layer. The thermochromic pigment is a thermochromic pigment for a temperature sensor using bismuth vanadate.

A method may be provided for manufacturing a panel that may include a substrate and a top layer provided on the substrate. The top layer may have a printed motif and a translucent or transparent synthetic material layer provided above the printed motif. The panel may have a structure or relief at the surface. The method may involve milling profiles into the substrate to obtain mechanical coupling means for coupling together two of the panels. The structure or relief and/or the printed motif may be realized after milling the profiles into the substrate.

A method for manufacturing a decorative article that may include decomposing a bio-waste source of CaCO.sub.3 into CaO; subjecting the CaO to a graining process to form a plurality of nano-sized particles having a particle size up to 20 nm; ejecting a solution containing the plurality of nano-sized particles to a first substrate; placing the first substrate including the plurality of nano-sized particles into a mold; and injecting a polymeric resin into the mold to form a molded article including a coating layer that includes the plurality of nano-sized particles.