Enhanced invisible-fluorescent identification tags for materials

1. A tag composition comprising:

a. a tag component that is invisible in light of the visible spectrum and which emits fluorescent light in a non-visible spectrum under a non-visible excitation energy, said tag component comprising a naphthalocyanine compound;

b. a binder for binding said tag component to a surface of a material; and

c. a solvent comprising a terpinene, wherein said tag component and said binder are dissolved in said solvent.

2. A tag composition in accordance with claim 1 wherein said naphthalocyanine compound is 2,3-naphthalocyanine bis(trihexylsilyloxide).

3. A tag composition in accordance with claim 1 wherein said binder is polystyrene.

4. A tag composition in accordance with claim 1 wherein said terpinene comprises α-terpinene.

5. A tag composition in accordance with claim 1 wherein said solvent further comprises dimethyl sulfoxide.

6. A tag composition in accordance with claim 1 wherein said solvent further comprises acetone.

7. A tag composition in accordance with claim 1 further comprising a light-stabilizing additive.

8. A tag composition in accordance with claim 7 wherein said light-stabilizing additive comprises an ultraviolet light absorber.

9. A tag composition in accordance with claim 8 wherein said ultraviolet light absorber is at least one composition selected from the group consisting of hydroxybenzophenone and hydroxyphenylbenzotriazole.

10. A tag composition in accordance with claim 7 wherein said light-stabilizing additive comprises a hindered amine light stabilizer.

11. A tag composition in accordance with claim 10 wherein said hindered amine light stabilizer is a composition comprising benzenepropanoic acid, 3-(2H-benzotriazol-2-yl)-5-(1,1-dimethylethyl)-4-hydroxy-, C7-9-branched and linear alkyl esters, and 1-methoxy-2-propylacetate.

12. A tag composition in accordance with claim 7 wherein said light-stabilizing additive comprises a singlet oxygen inhibitor.

13. A tag composition in accordance with claim 12 wherein said singlet oxygen inhibitor is at least one composition selected from the group consisting of a tocopherol, a carotenoid, ascorbic acid, butylated hydroxytolune, butylated hydroxyanisole, and tertiary butylhydroquinone.

14. A tag composition in accordance with claim 7 wherein said light-stabilizing additive comprises a singlet oxygen selective trap.

15. A tag composition in accordance with claim 14 wherein said singlet oxygen selective trap is at least one composition selected from the group consisting of α-terpinene and γ-terpinene.

16. A tag composition comprising:

a. a tag component that is invisible in light of the visible spectrum and which emits fluorescent light in a non-visible spectrum under a non-visible excitation energy, said tag component comprising 2,3-naphthalocyanine bis(trihexylsilyloxide);

b. a polystyrene binder for binding said tag component to a surface of a material;

c. a solvent comprising α-terpinene, dimethyl sulfoxide, and acetone, wherein said tag component and said polystyrene binder are dissolved in said solvent; and

d. a light-stabilizing additive comprising at least one additive selected from the group consisting of an ultraviolet light absorber, a hindered amine light stabilizer, a singlet oxygen inhibitor, and a singlet oxygen selective trap.

17. A tag composition in accordance with claim 16 wherein said ultraviolet light absorber is at least one composition selected from the group consisting of hydroxybenzophenone and hydroxyphenylbenzotriazole.

18. A tag composition in accordance with claim 16 wherein said hindered amine light stabilizer is a composition comprising benzenepropanoic acid, 3-(2H-benzotriazol-2-yl)-5-(1,1-dimethylethyl)-4-hydroxy-, C7-9-branched and linear alkyl esters, and 1-methoxy-2-propylacetate.

19. A tag composition in accordance with claim 16 wherein said singlet oxygen inhibitor is at least one composition selected from the group consisting of a tocopherol, a carotenoid, ascorbic acid, butylated hydroxytolune, butylated hydroxyanisole, and tertiary butylhydroquinone.

20. A tag composition in accordance with claim 16 wherein said singlet oxygen selective trap is at least one composition selected from the group consisting of α-terpinene and γ-terpinene.

21. A tagged article comprising a material having an invisible-fluorescent identification tag disposed on a surface thereof, said tag comprising a tag component that is invisible in light of the visible spectrum and which emits fluorescent light in a non-visible spectrum under a non-visible excitation energy, and a light-stabilizing additive selected from the group consisting of a hindered amine light stabilizer, a singlet oxygen inhibitor, and a singlet oxygen selective trap, said tag component comprising a naphthalocyanine compound, and a binder for binding said tag component to said surface of said material.

22. A tagged article in accordance with claim 21 wherein said naphthalocyanine compound is 2,3-naphthalocyanine bis(trihexylsilyloxide).

23. A tagged article in accordance with claim 21 wherein said binder is polystyrene.

24. A tagged article in accordance with claim 21 , further comprising an ultraviolet light absorber.

25. A tagged article in accordance with claim 24 wherein said ultraviolet light absorber is at least one composition selected from the group consisting of hydroxybenzophenone and hydroxyphenylbenzotriazole.

26. A tagged article in accordance with claim 21 wherein said hindered amine light stabilizer is a composition comprising benzenepropanoic acid, 3-(2H-benzotriazol-2-yl)-5-(1,1-dimethylethyl)-4-hydroxy-, C7-9-branched and linear alkyl esters, and 1-methoxy-2-propylacetate.

27. A tagged article in accordance with claim 21 wherein said singlet oxygen inhibitor is at least one composition selected from the group consisting of a tocopherol, a carotenoid, ascorbic acid, butylated hydroxytolune, butylated hydroxyanisole, and tertiary butylhydroquinone.

28. A tagged article in accordance with claim 21 wherein said singlet oxygen selective trap is at least one composition selected from the group consisting of α-terpinene and γ-terpinene.

29. A tag composition comprising:

a. a tag component that is invisible in light of the visible spectrum and which emits fluorescent light in a non-visible spectrum under a non-visible excitation energy, said tag component comprising a naphthalocyanine compound;

b. a binder for binding said tag component to a surface of a material; and

c. a solvent, wherein said tag component and said binder are dissolved in said solvent; and

d. a hindered amine light stabilizer.

30. A tag composition comprising:

a. a tag component that is invisible in light of the visible spectrum and which emits fluorescent light in a non-visible spectrum under a non-visible excitation energy, said tag component comprising a naphthalocyanine compound;

b. a binder for binding said tag component to a surface of a material; and

c. a solvent, wherein said tag component and said binder are dissolved in said solvent; and

d. a composition comprising benzenepropanoic acid, 3-(2H-benzotriazol-2-yl)-5-(1,1-dimethylethyl)-4-hydroxy-, C7-9-branched and linear alkyl esters, and 1-methoxy-2-propylacetate.

31. A tag composition comprising:

a. a tag component that is invisible in light of the visible spectrum and which emits fluorescent light in a non-visible spectrum under a non-visible excitation energy, said tag component comprising a naphthalocyanine compound;

b. a binder for binding said tag component to a surface of a material; and

c. a solvent, wherein said tag component and said binder are dissolved in said solvent; and

d. a singlet oxygen inhibitor.

32. A tag composition comprising:

a. a tag component that is invisible in light of the visible spectrum and which emits fluorescent light in a non-visible spectrum under a non-visible excitation energy, said tag component comprising a naphthalocyanine compound;

b. a binder for binding said tag component to a surface of a material; and

c. a solvent, wherein said tag component and said binder are dissolved in said solvent; and

d. a singlet oxygen selective trap.