In a coloring ultraviolet protective agent, the average molar absorption coefficient in the wavelength range from 200 nm to 380 nm is increased, and the color characteristics in the visible region are controlled. The coloring ultraviolet protective agent is useful for shielding ultraviolet rays and coloring. The coloring ultraviolet protective agent comprises M2 doped oxide particles in which oxide particles (M1Ox) including at least M1 being a metal element or metalloid element, are doped with at least one M2 selected from metal elements or metalloid elements other than M1, wherein x is an arbitrary positive number, wherein an average molar absorption coefficient in the wavelength range of 200 nm to 380 nm of a dispersion in which the M2 doped oxide particles are dispersed in a dispersion medium, is improved as compared with one of a dispersion in which the oxide particles (M1Ox) are dispersed in a dispersion medium, and wherein a hue or chroma of color characteristics in the visible region of the M2 doped oxide particles is controlled.

A nanostructured material system for efficient collection of photo-excited carriers is provided. They system comprises a plurality of plasmonic metal nitride core material elements coupled to a plurality of semiconductor material elements. The plasmonic nanostructured elements form ohmic junctions at the surface of the semiconductor material or at close proximity with the semiconductor material elements. A nanostructured material system for efficient collection of photo-excited carriers is also provided, comprising a plurality of plasmonic transparent conducting oxide core material elements coupled to a plurality of semiconductor material elements. The field enhancement, local temperature increase and energized hot carriers produced by nanostructures of these plasmonic material systems play enabling roles in various chemical processes. They induce, enhance, or mediate catalytic activities in the neighborhood when excited near the resonance frequencies.

Disclosed is an infill for an artificial turf field, the infill comprising: from about 40 wt. % to about 60 wt. % of a polyvinyl chloride resin; from about 5 wt. % to about 30 wt. % of a plasticizer derived from a naturally occurring source; from about 2 wt. % to about 10 wt. % of a reflective pigment; from about 0.01 wt. % to about 0.1 wt. % of a blowing agent; and from about 5 wt. % to about 30 wt. % of a filler. The infill is pelletized and maintains the temperature of an artificial turf field, when disposed throughout the artificial turf field, at a temperature about 15° F. to about 25° F. less than a temperature of a comparative artificial turf under substantially similar ambient and environmental conditions, wherein a comparative infill of the comparative artificial turf consists essentially of crumbed rubber infill.

A nanostructured material system for efficient collection of photo-excited carriers is provided. They system comprises a plurality of plasmonic metal nitride core material elements coupled to a plurality of semiconductor material elements. The plasmonic nanostructured elements form ohmic junctions at the surface of the semiconductor material or at close proximity with the semiconductor material elements. A nanostructured material system for efficient collection of photo-excited carriers is also provided, comprising a plurality of plasmonic transparent conducting oxide core material elements coupled to a plurality of semiconductor material elements. The field enhancement, local temperature increase and energized hot carriers produced by nanostructures of these plasmonic material systems play enabling roles in various chemical processes. They induce, enhance, or mediate catalytic activities in the neighborhood when excited near the resonance frequencies.

The present invention relates to surface functionalized titanium dioxide nanoparticles, a method for its production, a coating composition, comprising the surface functionalized titanium dioxide nanoparticles and the use of the coating composition for coating holo-grams, wave guides and solar panels. Holograms are bright and visible from any angle, when printed with the coating composition, comprising the surface functionalized tita-nium dioxide nanoparticles.

A pigmentary particulate material selected from the group consisting of titanium dioxide, doped titanium dioxide, and a mixture of titanium dioxide and doped titanium dioxide. The pigmentary particulate material has a mean crystal size of from 0.3 to 0.5 microns, a crystal size distribution such that ≥40 wt.-% of the pigmentary particulate material has a crystal size of from 0.3 to 0.5 microns, and a ratio of a mean particle size to the mean crystal size of ≤1.25.

Porous metal oxide microspheres are prepared via a process comprising forming a liquid solution or dispersion of polydisperse polymer nanoparticles and a metal oxide; forming liquid droplets from the solution or dispersion; drying the liquid droplets to provide polymer template microspheres comprising polymer nanospheres and metal oxide; and removing the polymer nanospheres from the template microspheres to provide the porous metal oxide microspheres. The porous microspheres exhibit saturated colors and are suitable as colorants for a variety of end-uses.

The present invention discloses the morphology of hollow, double-shelled submicrometer particles generated through a rapid aerosol-based process. The inner shell is an essentially hydrophobic carbon layer of nanoscale dimension (5-20 nm), and the outer shell is a hydrophilic silica layer of approximately 5-40 nm, with the shell thickness being a function of the particle size. The particles are synthesized by exploiting concepts of salt bridging to lock in a surfactant (CTAB) and carbon precursors together with iron species in the interior of a droplet. This deliberate negation of surfactant templating allows a silica shell to form extremely rapidly, sealing in the organic species in the particle interior. Subsequent pyrolysis results in a buildup of internal pressure, forcing carbonaceous species against the silica wall to form an inner shell of carbon. The incorporation of magnetic iron oxide into the shells opens up applications in external stimuli-responsive nanomaterials.

Porous metal oxide microspheres are prepared via a process comprising forming a liquid dispersion of polymer nanoparticles and a metal oxide; forming liquid droplets of the dispersion; drying the droplets to provide polymer template microspheres comprising polymer nanospheres; and removing the polymer nanospheres from the template microspheres to provide the porous metal oxide microspheres. The porous microspheres exhibit saturated colors and are suitable as colorants for a variety of end-uses.

The present disclosure is directed to a metallic ink composition for use in digital offset printing, comprising: metallic effect pigment particles, wherein an average equivalent sphere diameter of at least about 90% of the metallic effect pigment particles ranges from greater than 1 micrometer (μm) to 150 μm; at least one dispersant; at least one curable oligomer; and a photo initiator, wherein the metallic ink composition has a viscosity ranging from 150,000 to 1,000,000 millipascal seconds (mPa.Math.s) at 0.1 rad/s at 25° C. Also provided is a method of digital offset printing using the metallic ink composition of the present disclosure.