Patent ID: 8308860

Claim:
A laser-markable composition comprising a marking component and an organic compound, wherein the marking component is a molybdate, wherein the organic compound is a near infrared-absorbing dye or pigment, and wherein the organic compound absorbs laser radiation at 780 to 2000 nm and thereby causes the marking component to change colour, and wherein the organic compound has an absorptivity ratio, A r , of at least 1.25, wherein the absorptivity ratio is defined as: A r = A p ⁢ ⁢ 780 - 2000 ⁢ ⁢ nm A ave ⁢ ⁢ 400 - 700 ⁢ ⁢ nm wherein: A p780-2000 nm is an absorbance peak in the wavelength region of 780 to 2000 nm; and A ave400-700 nm is the average absorbance in the wavelength region of 400 to 700 nm.