Asset Marking Composition Using Organometallic Encoding Ratios
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Solution Overview
Problem
Companies face challenges in tracking and identifying their assets, as existing marking methods can be easily defaced or obscured, making it difficult for authorities to determine the origin and ownership of stolen or misplaced assets.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a unique ratio of organometallic encoding compounds, such as rare earth and zirconium acetyl acetonate hydrates, incorporated into a base material like epoxy or polyurethane coatings, allowing for identification through chemical analysis and comparison against a database.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional trademarks, registration numbers or bar codes are used for marking assets, then the assets can be identified by visual inspection, but the marks can be easily defaced or covered over by thieves making identification difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The identification function is extracted from the visible mark and transferred to invisible chemical encoding compounds embedded within the coating material. The organic encoding compounds are incorporated into the base coating matrix, making them inaccessible to defacement while maintaining identification capability through chemical analysis.
Solution Approach 2:
Chemical analysis methods serve as an intermediary between the marked asset and the identification system. Instead of directly reading visible marks, authorities use chemical analysis to detect and analyze the encoding compound ratios, providing a reliable identification pathway that bypasses the defacement problem entirely.
2Reliability
If chemical encoding compounds are used at low concentrations for unique identification, then the marking becomes invisible and secure, but the detection and analysis becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses variations in the ratios of encoding compound concentrations as the identification parameter. By changing the relative proportions of different encoding compounds rather than relying on absolute concentrations or visible properties, the system achieves high security through invisibility while maintaining detectability through sensitive chemical analysis of ratio relationships.
Solution Approach 2:
The marking system uses composite chemical compositions containing multiple organometallic encoding compounds embedded in a base coating material. This composite structure allows the encoding information to be distributed throughout the material matrix, making extraction or defacement difficult while enabling detection through analysis of the composite's chemical composition ratios.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a large number of different encoding compounds are used to create unique combinations, then the number of unique identifiers increases, but the complexity of the system and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from using a large number of different chemical substances to using variations in concentration ratios of a limited set of encoding compounds. This dimensional shift from substance diversity to compositional proportionality creates a combinatorial system where a small number of compounds can generate virtually infinite unique identification combinations through ratio variations.
Data Source
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AI summary
A composition for the marking of assets comprising a base material and two or more encoding compounds wherein each of the two or more encoding compounds are provided at measurable concentrations. The encoding compounds of the composition are selected from the group comprising metal compounds, rare earth compounds, a zirconium compound and a hafnium compound, oxides, inorganic compounds, organic compounds, organometallic compounds or acetylacetonate hydrates. The base material of the composition is selected from the group comprising polyurethanes, resins, adhesives, sealants, epoxy coatings, two-part estapol coatings, one-part acrylate base coatings and one-part water based coatings. The composition further comprises a fluorescent marker, diluent such as ethanol or a low boiling hydrocarbon. A method for the marking and identification of assets using a composition comprising two or more encoding compounds selected from the group comprising metal compounds, rare earth compounds, a zirconium compound and a hafnium compound, oxides, inorganic compounds, organic compounds, organometallic compounds or acetylacetonate hydrates.