Photochromic plastic materials
AssigneeAmerican Optical Corporation
InventorRichard J. Hovey
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Abstract
A method for producing photochromic plastic materials is disclosed which is characterized by forming a transparent polymeric shape from a mixed polymer consisting of a polyester resin made by esterification of an unsaturated polybasic organic acid with a polyhydric alcohol, and a polar vinyl monomer, swelling a surface layer of the cured polymeric shape with a polar solvent, absorbing silver and halide ions into the swelled surface layer, and collapsing the swelled surface layer.
Claims21
A process for producing a photochromic plastic material characterized by the steps of:
- forming a transparent polymeric material from:
- a first component consisting essentially of at least one unsaturated polyester resin produced by esterification of a polybasic, unsaturated organic acid with a polyhydric alcohol, and
- a second component consisting essentially of a polar vinyl monomer;
- contacting said material with a solvent to swell a surface layer thereof;
- contacting said surface layer with halide ions chosen from the group consisting of chloride, iodide, bromide, and mixtures thereof;
- contacting said surface layer with silver ions;
- and
- removing retained solvents from said material to collapse said swelled surface layer.
A process for producing a photochromic coating on the surface of an article, said process being characterized by the steps of:
- forming a transparent polymeric coating on said article from:
- a first component consisting essentially of at least one unsaturated polyester resin produced by esterification of a polybasic, unsaturated organic acid with a polyhydric alcohol, and
- a second component consisting essentially of a polar vinyl monomer;
- contacting said coating with a solvent to swell a surface layer thereof;
- contacting said surface layer with halide ions chosen from the group consisting of chloride, iodide, bromide, and mixtures thereof;
- contacting said surface layer with silver ions;
- and
- removing retained solvents from said coating to collapse said swelled surface layer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.