IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,202,982
Granted Patent B2
US 12,202,982 · App. 18/135,921 · Granted Jan 21, 2025

Method for manufacturing a special effect pigment using an emulsion

Inventor: Kangning Liang (Santa Rosa, CA)
Assignee: VIAVI SOLUTIONS INC.
C09C1/0021B05D1/38B05D3/0254B05D3/067B05D5/068C08K3/30C08K5/06C08K5/07C08K5/14C08K5/23C08K5/45C09C3/10B05D2202/25B05D2202/30B05D2202/45B05D2401/10B05D2401/30B05D2502/00B05D2503/00B05D2504/00B05D2506/00B05D2518/10C08K2003/3045
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,202,982
App. No.
18/135,921
Granted
Jan 21, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method of making pigments, such as special effect pigment includes forming a first slurry including a substrate, a polymer precursor, and a radical initiator; forming a solution including an emulsifier; and combining the first slurry and the solution so that the substrate is encapsulated by a first coating. Special effect pigments formed by the method are also disclosed.

Claims (31)

1. A method of making pigments, comprising:

forming a slurry including a substrate, a colorant, a polymer precursor, and a radical initiator, wherein the substrate is a single layer of a reflector material chosen from a metal or a metal alloy;

forming a solution including an emulsifier; and

combining the slurry and the solution so that the substrate is encapsulated by a coating, wherein the coating is a colored polymer coating,

wherein the radical initiator is chosen from a photoinitiator, a thermal initiator, or a redox initiator.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the single layer of material is a reflector material chosen from aluminum, copper, silver, gold, platinum, palladium, nickel, cobalt, niobium, chromium, tin, combinations thereof, or alloys thereof.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the polymer precursor is chosen from acrylic monomers, alcohols, allyl monomers, amine monomers, anhydride monomers, carboxylic acid monomers, epoxide monomers, isocyanate monomers, silicone monomers, styrene monomers, functionalized styrene monomers, vinyl esters, vinyl ethers, vinyl halides, vinyl amines, vinyl amides, or combinations thereof.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the emulsifier is chosen from agar, albumin, alginates, casein, ceatyl alcohol, cholic acid, desoxycholic acid, diacetyl tartaric acid esters, glycerol, gum, carrageenan, monoglyceride, diglyceride, monosodium phosphate, monostearate, propylene glycol, cellulose, or combinations thereof.

5. The method of claim 3 , wherein encapsulating the substrate comprises the radical polymerization of the polymer precursor to form the colored polymer coating.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the polymer precursor is chosen from acrylic monomers, alcohols, allyl monomers, amine monomers, anhydride monomers, carboxylic acid monomers, epoxide monomers, isocyanate monomers, silicone monomers, styrene monomers, functionalized styrene monomers, vinyl esters, vinyl ethers, vinyl halides, vinyl amines, vinyl amides, or combinations thereof.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the emulsifier is chosen from agar, albumin, alginates, casein, ceatyl alcohol, cholic acid, desoxycholic acid, diacetyl tartaric acid esters, glycerol, gum, carrageenan, monoglyceride, diglyceride, monosodium phosphate, monostearate, propylene glycol, cellulose, or combinations thereof.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein encapsulating the substrate comprises the radical polymerization of the polymer precursor to form the colored polymer coating.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the photoinitiator is chosen from

a benzophenone, benzoyl ether, benzil monoketals, dialkoxyacetophenones, thioxanthones, hydroxyalkylphenones, or combinations thereof.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the thermal initiator is chosen from azo initiators, peroxide initiators, persulfate initiators, or combinations thereof.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the colorant is a dye or a pigment.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the slurry further comprises a solvent chosen from acetates, water, ketones, acetone, glycol, glycol derivatives, alcohols, esters, hydrocarbons, cyclohexanone, chlorobenzene, or combinations thereof.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the solution further comprises a surfactant.

14. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, before combining the slurry and the solution, agitating the solution.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the radical initiator is the photoinitiator, and further wherein the photoinitiator is chosen from a benzophenone, benzoyl ether, benzil monoketals, dialkoxyacetophenones, thioxanthones, hydroxyalkylphenones, or combinations thereof.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the radical initiator is the thermal initiator, and further wherein the thermal initiator is chosen from azo initiators, peroxide initiators, persulfate initiators, or combinations thereof.

17. A method of making pigments, comprising:

forming a slurry including a substrate, a colorant, a polymer precursor, and a radical initiator, wherein the substrate is a single layer of a reflector material chosen from a metal or a metal alloy;

forming a solution including an emulsifier; and

combining the slurry and the solution so that the substrate is encapsulated by a coating, wherein the coating is a colored polymer coating,

wherein combining the slurry and the solution includes decomposing the radical initiator by at least one of heat, light, and redox reactions.

18. A method of making pigments, comprising:

forming a slurry including a substrate, a colorant, a polymer precursor, and a radical initiator, wherein the substrate is a single layer of a reflector material chosen from a metal or a metal alloy;

forming a solution including an emulsifier; and

combining the slurry and the solution so that the substrate is encapsulated by a coating, wherein the coating is a colored polymer coating,

wherein combining the slurry and the solution includes radical polymerization of the polymer precursor to form the coating encapsulating the substrate.

Assignments (4)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST AT REEL/FRAME 73189/0873 Recorded May 28, 2026
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: INERTIAL LABS, INC.; VIAVI SOLUTIONS INC.; VIAVI SOLUTIONS LICENSING LLC
Reel/Frame 075642/0381 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 14, 2025
From: VIAVI SOLUTIONS INC.; VIAVI SOLUTIONS LICENSING LLC; INERTIAL LABS, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS AGENT
Reel/Frame 073571/0137 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Oct 21, 2025
From: INERTIAL LABS, INC.; VIAVI SOLUTIONS INC.; VIAVI SOLUTIONS LICENSING LLC
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 073189/0873 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 19, 2023
From: LIANG, KANGNING
To: VIAVI SOLUTIONS INC.
Reel/Frame 063369/0205 →
Continuity (2)
Continuation 16383056 · Apr 12, 2019
Related Publication 20230250293A1 · Aug 10, 2023
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