[Materialize]

I am looking for photo-activated pigments or additives that can be added to paint in order to facilitate the laser paint removal processes. Are there any ideas? maybe even wavelength dependent...Or is this asking way too much?
Many thanks for any input !!

[Enthalpy]

Your laser has supposedly one single fixed wavelength, for instance invisible 1064nm for YAG. If some paints absorb it badly, you could add a pigment to improve that, well chosen to leave the absorption of visible wavelengths untouched. It would be better if said pigment keeps absorbing the wavelength when hot, which suggests a mineral pigment more than an organic dye.

After a too short Internet search, apparently these lasers destroy the paint layer mechanically, where heat produces a pressure wave. You might add compounds that expand at heat as they sublime. I'd stay away from a reaction triggered by heat, as it would happen in a fire too. If you modify your paint to pulverize at heat, please re-check its fire behaviour.

Besides the paint composition, maybe the laser scanning speed or pattern can be optimized. Many small light spots, spaced by one paint thickness, could act better than a single big one.

[Enthalpy]

As a material that produces gas pressure when heated, you might consider bicarbonates or carbonates. They are white usually, innocuous, and they release CO₂ at flame temperatures.

I had mixed sodium bicarbonate in epoxy resin as a teen. The compound didn't resist fire long enough to make rocket chambers and nozzles, but it did emit the desired jets of CO₂ as the epoxy began to burn, which blew the flame out. At least your paint would become safer at fire.

Whether the laser then strips your paint away faster, I suppose nobody can predict that. But it's easily experimented.

Marc Schaefer, aka Enthalpy

[Materialize]

Thank you so much. I will certainly look into your suggestions.
I have also found the LED Photo-inducers that are used for curing processes. From what I can see, there is only UV excited ones. If anyone knows about extra wavelength activated...I would be super interested.
Thank you available for your valuable input.

[Enthalpy]

I don't know what wavelength your paint needs, but the available and affordable so-called UV Leds presently emit at 405nm (hence barely visible light).

365nm, 385nm and 395nm were recent in 2014, so they may be accessible presently. That's true UV.

The datasheet of you paint should tell that.