Marked thermoplastic compositions, methods of making and articles comprising the same, and uses thereof

1. An article, comprising:

a layer E including a light mark and comprising a thermoplastic composition capable of absorbing light having a wavelength less than or equal to 500 nanometers, wherein layer E has a front side and a rear side;

wherein the light mark was formed by contacting the front side of the layer E with a laser light having a wavelength of less than or equal to 500 nanometers;

wherein the light mark resulted from an increase in reflectivity of the thermoplastic composition contacted by the laser light;

wherein the layer E has a visible transmission of greater than or equal to 80% according to ASTM D1003-00, Procedure A, using D65 illumination, 10 degrees observer, and at a thickness of 1 mm;

wherein when measuring the light mark from the front side, the light mark measured from the front side has a front side mark L* measured according to CIELAB 1976 (specular included);

wherein when measuring the light mark from the rear side, the light mark measured from the rear side has a rear side mark L* measured according to CIELAB 1976 (specular included) and a rear side average percent reflection of 11.5 to 25.3 as measured according to ASTM D1003-00 using D65 illumination and 10 degrees observer at a thickness of 1 mm; and

wherein a delta between the front side mark L* and the rear side mark L* is 1 to 10.

2. The article of claim 1 , further comprising

a layer C having a visible transmission of greater than or equal to 80% according to ASTM D1003-00, Procedure A, using D65 illumination, 10 degrees observer, at a thickness of the layer C in the multilayer article,

wherein the layer C has a dark laser mark;

wherein the layer C comprises an additive that will form the dark laser mark with an L* of less than or equal to 40 as measured according to CIELAB 1976 (specular included); and

wherein the dark laser mark was formed by contacting the layer C, through layer E, with a laser light having a wavelength of greater than 800 nm.

3. The article of claim 2 , wherein the layer C comprises an additive, and wherein the additive comprises at least one of carbon black, a nano-scale inorganic, and a metal oxide.

4. The article of claim 2 , further comprising a substrate comprising a dE of greater than 10 compared with a RAL 9010 background, wherein the layer C is between the substrate and the layer E.

5. The article of claim 1 , further comprising

a layer A having a visible transmission of greater than or equal to 80% according to ASTM D1003-00, Procedure A, using D65 illumination, 10 degrees observer, at a thickness of the layer A in the article; and

a layer C, wherein the layer C has a dark laser mark, and wherein the layer C comprises an additive that will form the dark laser mark when contacted with a laser light having a wavelength of less than 500 nm;

wherein the layer C has a visible transmission of greater than or equal to 80% according to ASTM D1003-00, Procedure A, using D65 illumination, 10 degrees observer, at a thickness of the layer C in the article;

wherein the dark laser mark that was formed when the layer C was contacted, through the layer A, with a laser light having a wavelength of less than 500 nm;

wherein the dark laser mark has an L* of less than or equal to 40 as measured according to CIELAB 1976 (specular included); and

wherein the layer C is between the layer E and the layer A.

6. The article of claim 5 , wherein the additive comprises at least one of carbon black, a nano-scale inorganic, metal oxide.

7. The article of claim 6 , wherein the layer C comprises less than or equal to 500 ppm of the additive.

8. The article of claim 6 , wherein the additive comprises at least one of lanthanum hexaboride and cesium tungsten oxide.

9. The article of claim 1 , wherein the light mark is a watermark.

10. The article of claim 1 , wherein the layer E further comprises at least one ultraviolet absorbing component selected from hydroxybenzophenones, hydroxybenzotriazoles, hydroxybenzotriazines, cyanoacrylates, oxanilides, benzoxazinones, benzylidene malonates, and hindered amine light stabilizers, and nano-scale inorganics.

11. The article of claim 1 , further comprising

a layer A having a visible transmission of greater than or equal to 80% according to ASTM D1003-00, Procedure A, using D65 illumination, 10 degrees observer, at a thickness of the layer A in the article; and

a dark laser mark having an L* of less than or equal to 40 as measured according to CIELAB 1976 (specular included);

wherein the dark laser mark was formed by contacting the layer E, through the layer A, with a laser light having a wavelength of greater than 800 nm; and

wherein the layer E comprises at least one additive selected from carbon black, a nano-scale inorganic, and metal oxide.

12. The article of claim 11 , wherein the layer E further comprises at least one ultraviolet absorbing component selected from hydroxybenzophenones, hydroxybenzotriazoles, hydroxybenzotriazines, cyanoacrylates, oxanilides, benzoxazinones, benzylidene malonates, hindered amine light stabilizers, and nano-scale inorganics.

13. The article of claim 1 , wherein the light mark comprises individual laser inscribed microdots having a diameter of less than or equal to 80 micrometers.

14. The article of claim 1 , wherein the light mark is a UV fluorescent mark that is a result of a change in optical properties in the region 400 nm to 700 nm when exposed to light having a wavelength less than or equal to 500 nm.

15. The article of claim 1 , wherein the article comprises an authentication identifier on an identification document, a thermoplastic glazing, a business card, a gift card, a ticket, an electronic housing, a television bezel, optical glassware.

16. The article of claim 1 , wherein the article is selected from a glazing part, pharmaceutical packaging, food packaging, electronic housing, electronic screen, eyewear lens, eyewear frame, card, and ticket.

17. A method of forming an article with a dark laser mark and a light mark, comprising:

locating a layer C between a layer E and a layer A; and

directing a laser light having a wavelength of less than or equal to 500 nanometers at a layer E to increase reflectivity of an area contacted by the laser light and to form the light mark; and

forming the dark laser mark in layer C, wherein the dark laser mark has an L* of less than or equal to 40 as measured according to CIELAB 1976 (specular included);

wherein the layer A has a visible transmission of greater than or equal to 80% according to ASTM D1003-00, Procedure A, using D65 illumination, 10 degrees observer, at a thickness of the layer A in the article;

wherein the layer E comprises a thermoplastic composition capable of absorbing light having a wavelength less than or equal to 500 nanometers; and has a visible transmission of greater than or equal to 80% according to ASTM D1003-00, Procedure A, using D65 illumination, 10 degrees observer, and at a thickness of 1 mm;

wherein when measuring the light mark from the front side, the light mark measured from the front side has a front side mark L* measured according to CIELAB 1976 (specular included);

wherein when measuring the light mark from the rear side, the light mark measured from the rear side has a rear side mark L* measured according to CIELAB 1976 (specular included) and a rear side average percent reflection of 11.5 to 25.3 as measured according to ASTM D1003-00 using D65 illumination and 10 degrees observer at a thickness of 1 mm; and

wherein a delta between the front side mark L* and the rear side mark L* is 1 to 10.

18. The article of claim 1 , wherein the rear side average percent reflection is 14.7 to 25.3.

19. The article of claim 1 , wherein the delta between the front side mark L* and the rear side mark L* is 1 to 8.