An article having photochromic properties and process for its manufacture

• Main Authors: ROBERT A. PYLES, RICK L. ARCHEY, ERIC J. VIDRA, MYRON W. SHAFFER
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 22.11.2007
• Subjects: AFTER-TREATMENT NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES C08B, C08C, C08F,C08G; AUXILIARY PROCESSES IN PHOTOGRAPHY; CHEMISTRY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; COMPOSITIONS BASED THEREON; ELECTROGRAPHY; GENERAL PROCESSES OF COMPOUNDING; HOLOGRAPHY; LAYERED PRODUCTS; LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT ORNON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM; METALLURGY; ORGANIC MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PHOTOGRAPHIC PROCESSES, e.g. CINE, X-RAY, COLOUR,STEREO-PHOTOGRAPHIC PROCESSES; PHOTOGRAPHY; PHOTOSENSITIVE MATERIALS FOR PHOTOGRAPHIC PURPOSES; PHYSICS; THEIR PREPARATION OR CHEMICAL WORKING-UP; TRANSPORTING; USE OF INORGANIC OR NON-MACROMOLECULAR ORGANIC SUBSTANCES ASCOMPOUNDING INGREDIENTS; WORKING-UP

A process for making an article molded of polymeric material, the article featuring photochromic properties is disclosed. To at least a portion of the surface of an article, molded of a composition that contains at least one transparent thermoplastic polymer or a transparent thermosetting composition there is applied a curable weatherable polyurethane coating. At least a portion of the coating is after curing brought into contact with a material system that contains (i) water, (ii) at least one carrier conforming to wherein R1 is a radical selected from the group consisting of linear or branched C1-C18 alkyl, benzyl, benzoyl and phenyl, R2 is R1 or H, n is 2, 3 or 4, and m is 1 to 35; (iii) a photochromic compound and (iv) a diol, under conditions calculated to bring about diffusion of said compound into the cured coating.