Patent ID: 7498123

Claim:
An infrared dye composition comprising: an anionic borate moiety having the formula: [BX a Y b ] − in which a and b are integers and a ranging from 0 to 3 and b ranging from 1 to 4 and a+b=4; X, which may be identical or different, are each a halogen atom, an OH functional group, or a C 1 to C 20 alkyl or alicyclic radical, and Y, which may be identical or different, are each a phenyl radical, at least one Y substituted by at least one element or electron-withdrawing substituent or by one or more halogen atoms, or an aryl radical containing at least two aromatic ring members; and an aminium radical cation that has at least one absorption peak in the near infrared wavelength region between about 700 and 2000 nm, the aminium radical cation having the formula: (4-G 2 N—C 6 H 4 ) 3 N +• wherein G is selected from the group consisting of methyl, ethyl, propyl, isopropyl, butyl, isobutyl, pentyl, isoamyl, hexyl, octyl, ethylhexyl, decyl, dodecyl, and benzyl.