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

Abstract

A multilayered article for laser marking can comprise: a first layer having a visible transmission of greater than or equal to 80%; a second layer having a visible transmission of greater than or equal to 80%, and wherein the second layer comprises an active component that will form a laser mark with an L* of less than or equal to 40, when exposed to a laser light of a wavelength of greater than 800 nm; a third layer reflective to laser light having a wavelength greater than 800 nm, wherein the third layer has a visible transmission of greater than or equal to 80%; and optionally a substrate; wherein the article comprises a laser mark having an L* of less than or equal to 40 as measured according to CIELAB 1976 (specular included).

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A multilayered article for laser marking 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 multilayer article;   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, and wherein the layer C comprises a component that will form a dark laser mark with an L* of less than or equal to 40 as measured according to CIELAB 1976 (specular included), when exposed to a laser light of a wavelength of greater than 800 nm;   a third layer reflective to laser light having a wavelength greater than 800 nm, wherein the third layer 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 third layer in the multilayer article; and   optionally a substrate;   wherein the article comprises a laser mark having an L* of less than or equal to 40 as measured according to CIELAB 1976 (specular included).   
     
     
         2 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein each of the layer A, layer C and the third layer, independently, comprise a thickness 25 to 500 micrometers. 
     
     
         3 . The article of  claim 2 , wherein the thickness is 25 to 300 micrometers. 
     
     
         4 . The article of  claim 3 , wherein the thickness is 25 to 200 micrometers. 
     
     
         5 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the article includes a substrate comprising a visible transmission of less than or equal to 10% according to ASTM D1003-00, Procedure A, using D65 illumination, 10 degrees observer, at a thickness of 1 mm. 
     
     
         6 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the article includes the substrate, wherein the substrate has a substrate thickness of greater than 500 micrometers. 
     
     
         7 . The article  claim 1 , wherein the article includes the substrate, and wherein the substrate is a non-white substrate. 
     
     
         8 . The article of  claim 7 , wherein non-white substrate comprises dE of greater than 10 compared with a RAL 9010 background. 
     
     
         9 . The article of  claim 8 , wherein the dE is greater than 20 compared with a RAL 9010 background. 
     
     
         10 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the layer C comprises an additive, and wherein the additive comprises at least one of carbon black, a nano-scale inorganic, metal oxide, and mixed metal oxide. 
     
     
         11 . The article of  claim 10 , wherein the layer C comprises less than or equal to 500 ppm of the additive. 
     
     
         12 . The article of  claim 11 , wherein the layer C comprises less than or equal to 200 ppm of the additive. 
     
     
         13 . The article of  claim 10 , wherein the additive comprises carbon black. 
     
     
         14 . The article of  claim 10 , wherein the additive comprises at least one of lanthanum hexaboride and cesium tungsten oxide. 
     
     
         15 . The article of  claim 1 , comprising the substrate and wherein the substrate is opaque.