A near infrared absorbing fine particle dispersion liquid, which can be applied to offset printing, including: a solvent of one or more kinds selected from vegetable oils and vegetable oil-derived compounds; near infrared ray-absorbing fine particles of one or more kinds selected from composite tungsten oxide expressed by MxWyOz or tungsten oxide having a Magneli phase expressed by a general formula WyOz; a solvent of one or more kinds selected from alcohols, ethers, esters, ketones, aromatic hydrocarbons and glycol ethers and having a boiling point of 180 C. or less, wherein a content of the solvent of one or more kinds selected from alcohols, ethers, esters, ketones, aromatic hydrocarbons and glycol ethers is 5 mass % or less.

Disclosed are imprinting ink compositions for use in imprinting techniques such as SCIL. The imprinting ink compositions comprise TMO nanoparticles stabilized by selected polymerization inhibitors that allow for the formation of a stable imprinting ink composition in which polymerization of the TMO nanoparticles is effectively suppressed and from which high refractive index patterned layers can be formed. Imprinting methods using such imprinting ink compositions, optical devices including patterned layers formed from such imprinting ink compositions and lighting devices, optical sensors and photovoltaic devices including such optical elements are also disclosed.

A composition includes a plurality of pigment particles including a metal oxide, a polymeric first dispersant, and a second dispersant including molecules having a lower molecular weight than the first dispersant. The composition may be used in a hardcoat.

A method for increasing a detection distance of a surface of an object illuminated by near-IR electromagnetic radiation, including: (a) directing near-IR electromagnetic radiation from a near-IR electromagnetic radiation source towards an object at least partially coated with a near-IR reflective coating that increases a near-IR electromagnetic radiation detection distance by at least 15% as measured at a wavelength in a near-IR range as compared to the same object coated with a color matched coating which absorbs more of the same near-IR radiation, where the color matched coating has a ?E color matched value of 1.5 or less when compared to the near-IR reflective coating; and (b) detecting reflected near-IR electromagnetic radiation reflected from the near-IR reflective coating. A system for detecting proximity of vehicles is also disclosed.

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 universal pigment preparation including a flocculation-stabilizing medium including (a1) reaction products of di- or polycarboxylic acids or hydroxycarboxylic acids with di- or polyols, and (a2) reaction products of alkylene oxides with alkoxylatable compounds, and at least one pigment. Paints, varnishes, printing inks, coating materials, floor coatings, potting compounds and filling compounds may be made using the universal pigment preparation.

A co-assembly method for synthesizing inverse photonic structures is described. The method includes combining an onium compound with a sol-gel precursor to form metal oxide (MO) nanocrystals, where each MO nanocrystal has crystalline and amorphous content. The MO nanocrystals are combined with templating particles to form a suspension. A solvent is evaporated from the suspension to form an intermediate or compound product, which then undergoes calcination to produce an inverse structure.

A polymer having N-functional imide groups is prepared from reactants that include: (a) an ethylenically unsaturated anhydride or diacid monomer; (b) at least one co-monomer that is different from (a) having an ethylenically unsaturated group that is reactive with (a); and at least one compound reactive with the anhydride or diacid functional groups of (a) that is represented by Chemical Formula I: H.sub.2NR.sup.1. With respect to Chemical Formula I, R.sup.1 is selected from NH.sub.2 or OH. Pigment dispersions and coating compositions are also prepared with the polymers having N-functional imide groups.

Provided is a kaolin having a finer particle size and a narrower particle size distribution, in combination with suitable morphology. Also provided are a method of preparing the kaolin product and methods of use.

The present invention relates to the use of a haematite pigment whose sum of the a* values in full shade and with reduction in the surface coating test is from 58.0 to 61.0 CIELAB units, preferably from 58.0 to 60.0 CIELAB units, more preferably from 58.5 to 61.0 CIELAB units, more preferably from 58.5 to 60.0 CIELAB units, particularly preferably from 59.0 to 61.0 CIELAB units, more particularly preferably from 59.0 to 60.0 for producing an aqueous, titanium dioxide-containing preparation.