US 12,129,413 B2
Luminescent taggant compositions, luminescent materials including the same, and articles including the same
Carsten Lau, Hannover (DE); and William Ross Rapoport, Bridgewater, NJ (US)
Assigned to HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC., Charlotte, NC (US)
Filed by HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC., Morris Plains, NJ (US)
Filed on Nov. 13, 2017, as Appl. No. 15/810,959.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/425,354, filed on Nov. 22, 2016.
Prior Publication US 2018/0142150 A1, May 24, 2018
Int. Cl. C09K 11/02 (2006.01); C01F 17/294 (2020.01); C01F 17/30 (2020.01); C01G 15/00 (2006.01); C09K 11/77 (2006.01); G01N 21/62 (2006.01); G07D 7/1205 (2016.01)
CPC C09K 11/025 (2013.01) [C01F 17/294 (2020.01); C01F 17/30 (2020.01); C09K 11/7771 (2013.01); G01N 21/62 (2013.01); G07D 7/1205 (2017.05); C01G 15/006 (2013.01); C04B 2235/764 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A luminescent taggant composition comprising:
a first luminescent taggant comprising a first emitting ion, wherein the first luminescent taggant produces a first emission in a first taggant emission band when exposed to excitation energy;
a second luminescent taggant comprising a second emitting ion different from the first emitting ion, wherein the second luminescent taggant produces a second emission in a second taggant emission band that is different from the first taggant emission band when exposed to excitation energy; and
a third luminescent taggant comprising the first emitting ion and the second emitting ion;
wherein the first luminescent taggant is substantially free of the second emitting ion and the second luminescent taggant is substantially free of the first emitting ion;
wherein the first emitting ion and the second emitting ion are independently chosen from neodymium, ytterbium, erbium, thulium, or holmium; and
wherein each luminescent taggant includes at least a host material, the respective emitting ion(s), and optionally a sensitizing ion, whereby production of radiation by the luminescent taggants is accomplished by absorption of incident radiation by the emitting ion(s) or by either or both the host material and the optional sensitizing ion(s), energy transfer from the host material/sensitizing ion(s) to the emitting ion(s), and radiation of the transferred energy by the emitting ion(s).