Reflective Material

Retroreflection occurs when surfaces return a portion of the directed light to its source. This is why retroreflective materials appear brightest to observers located near the light source – a driver and the vehicle headlights, for example. This is true for drivers at almost any viewing angle, which makes retroreflective surfaces excellent for visibility.

Reflective Material uses tiny glass beads or cube corner elements to reflect light.

Spherical reflectors (Beaded)
Each glass bead works this way: An incident (incoming) light beam refracts (bends) as it passes through the front surface of the glass bead and reflects off a mirrored surface behind the bead.  The beam then passes back through the front surface, is refracted as it leaves the bead, and returns toward the light source.  Products using this technology include High Intensity Grade Reflective Sheeting 
and Engineer Grade Reflective Sheeting

Cube corner reflectors (Prismatic)
Like beads, cube corners are retroreflective lens elements.  Each has three mutually perpendicular refractive surfaces. An incident light ray is refracted on each of the three surfaces and is returned to its source on a parallel to its initial direction. It functions much as a ball bounced into the corner of the room.  3M™ prismatic products include 3M Diamond Grade™ DG³ Reflective Sheeting
and 3M High Intensity Prismatic (HIP) Reflective Sheeting.

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