Physical colored inks and coatings

An apparatus for forming a pattern in a coating that is applied to a substrate, comprising:

• a field generator for providing at least one of an electrical field, magnetic field, and photo field;
• and
• a controller for controlling an application of the at least one field to the coating to form the pattern therein;
• wherein the coating comprises particles having at least one of desired electric, magnetic and photo properties, and the particles are dispersed in the coating to provide a desired physical coloration.

An apparatus for controlling the coloration of a coating applied to a substrate as a label, comprising:

• a field generator for applying at least one of an electric field, magnetic field and photo field to the coating to cause a desired change in a physical coloration of the label;
• wherein the coating comprises particles having at least one of desired electric, magnetic, and photo properties, and said particles are dispersed in the coating to provide a desired physical coloration;
• and
• wherein the label is adapted to be read by a scanner.

A method for controlling an application of a coating to a substrate, comprising:

• providing at least one of an electrical field and a magnetic field;
• and
• controlling the at least one field to control an application of the coating to the substrate;
• wherein the coating comprises particles having at least one of desired electric and magnetic properties, and the particles are dispersed in the coating to provide a desired physical coloration.

A method for forming a pattern in a coating that is applied to a substrate, comprising:

• providing at least one of an electrical field, magnetic field, and photo field;
• and
• controlling an application of the at least one field to the coating to form the pattern therein;
• wherein the coating comprises particles having at least one of desired electric, magnetic and photo properties, and the particles are dispersed in the coating to provide a desired physical coloration.

A method for controlling the coloration of a coating applied to a substrate as a label, comprising:

• applying at least one of an electric field, magnetic field and photo field to the coating to cause a desired change in a physical coloration of the label;
• wherein the coating comprises particles having at least one of desired electric, magnetic, and photo properties, and said particles are dispersed in the coating to provide a desired physical coloration;
• and
• wherein the label is adapted to be read by a scanner.

A coating for application to a substrate, comprising:

• fine particles that comprise particle scattering colorants, the particles having electric properties, magnetic properties, photo properties or a combination thereof;
• and
• a matrix component;
• wherein application of an electric field, a magnetic field, a photo field or a combination thereof to the fine particles cause agglomeration of the fine particles in the matrix and a concomitant at least one color shift, color reduction, color loss, pattern scrambling, or pattern loss.

A coating for application to a substrate, comprising:

• fine particles that comprise onion-skin method particles wherein at least one layer comprises a particle scattering colorant and at least one layer comprises at least one material having electric properties, magnetic properties, photo properties or a combination thereof;
• and
• a matrix component;
• wherein application of an electric field, a magnetic field, a photo field or a combination thereof to the fine particles cause agglomeration of the fine particles in the matrix and a concomitant at least one color shift, color reduction, color loss, pattern scrambling, or pattern loss.

A coating for application to a substrate, comprising:

• fine particles that comprise particle scattering colorants, the particles have electric properties, magnetic properties, photo properties or a combination thereof;
• and
• a matrix component;
• wherein application of an electric field, a magnetic field or a photo field to an agglomeration of the fine particles reverses at least one color shift, color reduction, color loss, pattern scrambling, or pattern loss associated with the agglomeration.