USE OF A FLUORESCENT OPTICAL BRIGHTENER OR PHOSPHORESCENT INDICATOR WITHIN CERAMIC COATINGS FOR VISUAL DETECTION AND IDENTIFICATION
The disclosure describes a ceramic coating formulation and a method for visual identification of the ceramic coating formulation on a substrate. The ceramic coating formulation comprises a solvent, wherein the solvent is one of an organic or an inorganic solvent; one or more liquid polymers, wherein the one or more liquid polymers are solvated in the solvent; a visual indicator, wherein the visual indicator is one of a fluorescing optical brightener, a phosphorescent indicator, an optical brightening agent, a fluorescent brightening agent, or a fluorescent whitening agent. In some embodiments, the visual indicator provides for one or more of a positive identification of the ceramic coating formulation's presence on a coated substrate, visual distinction, visual detection, aided visualization during training, application, wear indication, weatherability indication, layering identification, maintenance assessment, leveling state, and a curing state, for instance, under ultraviolet (UV) light conditions.
1 . A ceramic coating formulation, comprising:
a solvent, wherein the solvent is one of an organic or an inorganic solvent;
one or more liquid polymers, wherein the one or more liquid polymers are solvated in the solvent;
a visual indicator, wherein the visual indicator is one of a fluorescing optical brightener, a phosphorescent indicator, an optical brightening agent (OBA), a fluorescent brightening agent (FBA), or a fluorescent whitening agent (FWA);
wherein the visual indicator provides for one or more of a positive identification of the ceramic coating formulation's presence on a coated substrate, visual distinction, visual detection, aided visualization during training, application, wear indication, weatherability indication, layering identification, maintenance assessment, leveling state, and a curing state.
2 . The ceramic coating formulation of claim 1 , wherein the one or more liquid polymers are adapted to cure at or near room temperature into a semi-permanent or permanent film layer on a substrate, and wherein the semi-permanent or permanent film layer is composed of at least one of quartz or silicon dioxide, silicon carbide, titanium oxide, antimony-tin oxide, graphene oxide, and reduced graphene oxide.
3 . The ceramic coating formulation of claim 1 , wherein the one or more liquid polymers are selected from a group consisting of trimethoxysilicate fluids or resins, silazane, polysilazane, polysiloxazane, perhydropolysilazane, dimethylpolysilazane, hexamethyldisilazane, 1,1,3,3-tetramethyldisilazane, 2,2,4,4,6,6-hexamethylcyclotrisilazane, 1,3-Diethyl-1,1,3,3-tetramethyldisilazane, 2,4,6-trimethyl-2,4,6-trivinylcyclotrisilazane, 1,1,3,3-Tetramethyl-1,3-diphenyldisilazane, or 1,3-dimethyl-1,1,3,3-tetraphenyldisilazane.
4 . The ceramic coating formulation of claim 1 , further comprising:
one or more of additive fluids and polymers adapted to vary one or more physical characteristics of the ceramic coating formulation, the physical characteristics selected from a group consisting of hydrophobic or hydrophilic behavior, scratch resistance, mar resistance, gloss, coefficient of friction or slickness, adhesion, anti-graffiti, ultraviolet (UV) resistance, detergency resistance, or chemical resistance.
5 . The ceramic coating formulation of claim 4 , wherein the one or more additive fluids are selected from a group consisting of: fluorocarbons, fluorosilicones, silanes, amino-functional polymers, amino-functional silicones, polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), or trimethoxysilicates, and wherein the one or more additive fluids further comprise one of an organic and an inorganic solvent.
6 . The ceramic coating formulation of claim 1 , wherein the fluorescing optical brightener is one of a water-borne optical brightener or a solvent-borne optical brightener.
7 . The ceramic coating formulation of claim 1 , wherein the phosphorescent indicator is one of a water-borne phosphorescent indicator or a solvent-borne phosphorescent indicator.
8 . The ceramic coating formulation of claim 1 , wherein the solvent is selected from a group consisting of toluene, xylene, ketone, ester, alcohol, glycol ether, glycol ether ester, or parachlorobenzotrifluoride (PCBTF).
9 . The ceramic coating formulation of claim 1 , wherein the visual indicator is configured to allow the ceramic coating formulation to be perceivable within an ultraviolet (UV) region of the electromagnetic spectrum.
10 . The ceramic coating formulation of claim 1 , wherein the visual indicator is one of a solid powder, a liquid pigment, or a liquid dye.
11 . A method for visual identification and detection of a ceramic coating on a substrate, comprising:
providing the substrate;
providing the ceramic coating;
applying the ceramic coating to the substrate, wherein the ceramic coating is comprised of:
a solvent, wherein the solvent is one of an organic or an inorganic solvent;
one or more liquid polymers, wherein the one or more liquid polymers are solvated in the solvent;
one or more additive fluids, polymers, or a combination; and
a visual indicator, wherein the visual indicator is one of a fluorescing optical brightener, a phosphorescent indicator, an optical brightening agent (OBA), a fluorescent brightening agent (FBA), or a fluorescent whitening agent (FWA); and
curing the ceramic coating on the substrate.
12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein curing the ceramic coating comprises:
curing the one or more liquid polymers at or near room temperature into a semi-permanent or permanent film layer on the substrate, wherein the semi-permanent or permanent film layer is composed of at least one of quartz or silicon dioxide, silicon carbide, titanium oxide, antimony-tin oxide, graphene oxide, and reduced graphene oxide.
13 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the one or more liquid polymers are selected from a group consisting of trimethoxysilicate fluids or resins, silazane, polysilazane, polysiloxazane, perhydropolysilazane, dimethylpolysilazane, hexamethyldisilazane, 1,1,3,3-tetramethyldisilazane, 2,2,4,4,6,6-hexamethylcyclotrisilazane, 1,3-Diethyl-1,1,3,3-tetramethyldisilazane, 2,4,6-trimethyl-2,4,6-trivinylcyclotrisilazane, 1,1,3,3-Tetramethyl-1,3-diphenyldisilazane, or 1,3-dimethyl-1,1,3,3-tetraphenyldisilazane.
14 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the one or more of additive fluids and polymers are adapted to vary one or more physical characteristics of the ceramic coating, the physical characteristics selected from a group consisting of hydrophobic or hydrophilic behavior, scratch resistance, mar resistance, gloss, coefficient of friction or slickness, adhesion, anti-graffiti, ultraviolet (UV) resistance, detergency resistance, or chemical resistance.
15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the one or more additive fluids, polymers, or a combination, are selected from a group consisting of: fluorocarbons, fluorosilicones, silanes, amino-functional polymers, amino-functional silicones, polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), or trimethoxysilicates, and wherein the one or more additive fluids, polymers, or a combination, further comprise one of an organic and an inorganic solvent.
16 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the fluorescing optical brightener is one of a water-borne optical brightener or a solvent-borne optical brightener.
17 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the phosphorescent indicator is one of a water-borne phosphorescent indicator or a solvent-borne phosphorescent indicator.
18 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the solvent is a toluene, a xylene, a ketone, an ester, an alcohol, a glycol ether, a glycol ether ester, or parachlorobenzotrifluoride (PCBTF).
19 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the visual indicator is configured to allow the ceramic coating to be perceivable within an ultraviolet (UV) region of the electromagnetic spectrum.
20 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the visual indicator is one of a solid powder, a liquid pigment, or a liquid dye.