The present invention provides a method of manufacturing an antireflection film, including the successive steps of: applying a composition including a curable compound (a1), a plurality of particles (a2), and a solvent on a substrate, and volatilizing the solvent to provide a layer (a), the layer (a) having a portion in which the particles (a2) do not exist, and the portion having a thickness being 0.8 times the average primary particle diameter of the particles (a2) or greater; curing a portion of the curable compound (a1); causing a portion of the curable compound (a1) to permeate the substrate or to be volatilized so as to form an uneven shape; and curing the curable compound (a1) remained in the layer (a).

The present invention relates to the field of optical effect layers (OEL) comprising magnetically oriented non-spherical oblate magnetic or magnetizable pigment particles on a substrate, spinneable magnetic assemblies and processes for producing said optical effect layers (OEL). In particular, the present invention relates to spinneable magnetic assemblies and processes for producing said OELs as anti-counterfeit means on security documents or security articles or for decorative purposes.

A thin film forming apparatus including: a first chamber configured to generate a mist of a dispersion liquid, and including an outlet; a second chamber configured to receive the generated mist from the first chamber and collect particles of the generated mist having a size greater than a predetermined value, and including an inlet provided on a top of the second chamber and connected to the outlet of the first chamber, and an outlet provided on the top of the second chamber and configured to transfer, as homogenized mist, particles of the generated mist having a size less than or equal to the predetermined value due to the effect of gravity on the particles of the mist; and a third chamber configured to receive the homogenized mist from the second chamber, and including an inlet connected to the outlet of the second chamber.

A method of forming a digital print on a surface by applying powder of dry ink including colourants on the surface, bonding a part of the dry ink powder to the surface by a digital heating print head such that the digital print is formed by the bonded dry ink colourants and removing non-bonded dry ink from the surface.

A method for producing a photostable reactive mesogen alignment layer includes infusing an anisotropic dye into a microcavity so as to coat the an surface of the microcavity with the anisotropic dye; illuminating the anisotropic dye with polarized light so as to form an anisotropic dye layer aligned with respect to the inner surface of the microcavity; infusing a reactive mesogen and the liquid crystal material into the microcavity; illuminating the reactive mesogen at a wavelength selected to cause polymerization of the layer of the reactive mesogen so as to form a polymerized reactive mesogen layer; aligning the liquid crystal material with respect to the anisotropic dye layer; and bleaching the anisotropic dye layer.

The present invention provides scalable, solution based processes for manufacturing electrochromic materials comprising metal oxide films for use in electrochromic devices. The electrochromic material comprises a transparent conductive substrate coated with an electrochromic metal oxide film, wherein the metal oxide film is formed by a process comprising the steps of: a) providing the conductive substrate; b) coating the substrate with a solution of one or more metal precursors; and c) exposing the coated substrate to near-infrared radiation, UV radiation and/or ozone in an aerobic atmosphere. The present invention also provides electrochromic devices incorporating these electrochromic materials.

The film production method includes: forming an ink layer on the base substrate covering the surface of the base substrate, the ink layer including a solvent and a film-forming material dissolved in the solvent; blowing gas to the ink layer so that the solvent in the ink layer spreads towards the periphery of the base substrate; removing the solvent in the ink layer so that the film-forming material in the ink layer forms a film covering the surface of the base substrate.

A method is for producing an ornamental design (O) in a clearcoat layer (K). The ornamental design (O) is produced by a selective matting of the clearcoat layer (K) by working the clearcoat layer (K) by a laser. The working of the clearcoat layer may be performed by a UV laser. Additionally, the working of the clearcoat layer K may be performed by electromagnetic waves at a wavelength of about 355 nm. Furthermore, the working of the clearcoat layer K may be performed by a laser operating at a frequency of about 23 500 Hz. Still further, the working of the clearcoat layer (K) may be performed by a laser operating with a pulse duration of about 2 s. The working of the clearcoat layer (K) may be performed by a laser operating with a line spacing of about 0.03 mm

Transparent conductive coatings are polished using particle slurries in combination with mechanical shearing force, such as a polishing pad. Substrates having transparent conductive coatings that are too rough and/or have too much haze, such that the substrate would not produce a suitable optical device, are polished using methods described herein. The substrate may be tempered prior to, or after, polishing. The polished substrates have low haze and sufficient smoothness to make high-quality optical devices.

A thermally expandable sheet includes: a first thermally expansive layer that is formed on one side of a base and contains a first thermally expandable material and a first binder, the first thermally expansive layer having a first ratio of the first thermally expandable material with respect to the first binder; and a second thermally expansive layer that is formed on the first thermally expansive layer and contains a second thermally expandable material and a second binder, the second thermally expansive layer having a second ratio of the second thermally expandable material with respect to the second binder, wherein the second ratio is lower than the first ratio.