3M Innovative Properties Company

Reema Chatterjee

Stephen A Johnson

Kui Chen-Ho

Daniel J Schmidt

Bimal V Thakkar

Jeffrey A Peterson

Benjamin R Coonce

Christopher P Gerlach

Robert F Watkins

David W Meitz

The present disclosure provides a retroreflective article. The retroreflective article includes a retroreflective layer including a number of cube corner elements that collectively form a structured surface that is opposite a major surface, and a conformal wavelength-selective radiation absorbing coating layer adjacent to the structured surface. The present disclosure also provides a method of making a retroreflective article. The method includes obtaining a retroreflective layer, and forming a conformal wavelength-selective radiation absorbing coating layer on the retroreflective layer by applying a first material having a first binding group to the structured surface, and applying a second material having a second binding group to the first material. The conformal wavelength-selective radiation absorbing coating layer absorbs radiation of at least one selected wavelength and can impart color (or absorption of at least one wavelength outside of the colored wavelength range) to retroreflective light of the retroreflective article.

Retroreflective article including a non-reflective conformal wavelength-selective radiation absorbing coating layer, and methods of making same

The present application generally relates to retroreflective articles and methods of making retroreflective articles. Some embodiments include a body layer having an elastic modulus of equal to or greater than 1750 MPa, a plurality of truncated cube corner elements, and a polymeric layer between the body layer and the cube corner elements, the polymeric layer having an elastic modulus of less than 1750 MPa.

Retroreflective sheeting including a low elastic modulus layer

The present application generally relates to retroreflective articles and methods of making retroreflective articles. The retroreflective articles include a substantially amorphous polymeric layer between the body layer and the discrete truncated cube corner elements. The substantially amorphous polymeric layer absorbs, dissipates, and/or accommodates at least some of the stress forces placed on the retroreflective article during processing. As a result, discrete truncated cube corner elements with increased fidelity can be formed. Consequently, retroreflective sheeting including a substantially amorphous polymeric layer has increased brightness compared to similarly made and composed sheeting lacking the substantially amorphous polymeric layer.

Retroreflective sheeting including a substantially amorphous polymeric layer

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Woodbury, MN, United States of America

Reema Chatterjee