Abstract Vanadyl phthalocyanine sulfonamides of the formula: WHERE Pc is a phthalocyanine moiety, R and R'' are lower alkyl and x is an integer from 1 to 4; are incorporated into plastics to provide plastic compositions suitable for fabrication into devices, such as goggle lenses, capable of protecting the eye against laser radiation of from about 620 to 720 nanometers, e.g. the ruby laser (694 nm), the krypton laser (671 nm) and the helium-neon laser (633 nm). A typical composition consists of 75 parts poly(methyl methacrylate) syrup, 25 parts methyl methacrylate, 0.03 parts vanadyl phthalocyanine di-nbutylsulfonamide having 2.8 dibutyl sulfonamide radicals per mole of phthalocyanine, 0.2 part 2,2''-dihydroxy-4-methoxybenzophenone and 0.03 part azobisisobutyronitrile. A plate, 0.1 in. thick, cast-molded from said composition, exhibited an optical density at 694.3 nm of 5.5+ and a luminous transmittance of 47 percent. When exposed to a Q-switched ruby laser of 300 kilowatts per cm2 for 20 nanoseconds, the plate remains undamaged.
AN OPTICAL FILTER COMPRISING A THERMOPLASTIC POLYMER SUBSTANTIALLY TRANSPARENT TO VISABLE LIGHT HAVING INCORPORATED THEREIN FROM 0.001 TO 1.0 PERCENT, BY WEIGHT, OF A VANADYL PHTHALOCYANINE SULFONAMIDE HAVING THE FORMULA:
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
30 words
AN OPTICAL FILTER COMPRISING A THERMOPLASTIC POLYMER SUBSTANTIALLY TRANSPARENT TO VISABLE LIGHT HAVING INCORPORATED THEREIN FROM 0.001 TO 1.0 PERCENT, BY WEIGHT, OF A VANADYL PHTHALOCYANINE SULFONAMIDE HAVING THE FORMULA:
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
16 words
An optical filter according to claim 1 wherein the vanadyl phthalocyanine sulfonamide is a di-n-butyl sulfonamide.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
26 words
An optical filter according tO claim 1 wherein the thermoplastic polymer is selected from the group consisting of cellulose propionate, poly(methyl methacrylate), polyvinyl chloride and polycarbonates.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
65 words
A method of protecting the human eye from exposure to laser radiation having a wavelength of from about 620 to about 720 nanometers which comprises interposing between the source of said radiation and the eye an optical filter comprising a thermoplastic polymer substantially transparent to visable light having incorporated therein from 0.001 to 1.0 percent, by weight, of a vanadyl phthalocyanine sulfonamide having the formula:
Claim 6
Independent Claim
65 words
A method of protecting the human eye from exposure to laser radiation having a wavelength of from about 620 to about 720 nanometers which comprises interposing between the source of said radiation and the eye an optical filter comprising a thermoplastic polymer substantially transparent to visable light having incorporated therein from 0.001 to 1.0 percent, by weight, of a vanadyl phthalocyanine sulfonamide having the formula:
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
15 words
A method according to claim 4 wherein the vanadyl phthalocyanine sulfonamide is a di-n-butyl sulfonamide.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method according to claim 4 wherein the thermoplastic polymer is selected from the group consisting of cellulose propionate, poly(methyl methacrylate), polyvinyl chloride and polycarbonates.