Methods for forming and controlling morphology cracks in silicon dioxide (SiO.sub.2) film comprising: preparing SiO.sub.2precursor solution comprising solvent, precursor of SiO.sub.2, precursor of metal oxide nanocrystals, water, and acid; coating the solution onto substrate; drying the solution atop the substrate at a temperature between about 20° C. to 100° C. between 1 minute to 24 hours to form SiO.sub.2 film having uniformly dispersed metal oxide nanocrystals, wherein shorter drying times yield substantially spherical shaped metal oxide nanocrystals and longer drying times yield rod and disc shaped metal oxide nanocrystals; and thermally treating the SiO.sub.2 film between about 60° C. to 500° C. between 1 minute to 24 hours to form cracked mesh SiO.sub.2 film, wherein two cracks initiate from rod shaped metal oxide nanocrystals, three to four cracks initiate from spherical shaped metal oxide nanocrystals, and four or more cracks initiate from disc shaped metal oxide nanocrystals. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Methods and apparatuses for selectively etching silicon-and-oxygen-containing material relative to silicon-and-nitrogen-containing material by selectively forming a carbon-containing self-assembled monolayer on a silicon-and-nitrogen-containing material relative to a silicon-and-oxygen-containing material are provided herein. Methods are also applicable to selectively etching silicon-and-nitrogen-containing material relative to silicon-and-oxygen-containing material.

A disclosed digital media device operational at user premises to receive media signals from a media source for presentation via endpoint devices such as a television display. The digital media device can include gateway and digital media management functionality and can be referred to as a gateway and digital media device. The device offers application services obtained over a wide area network and a user premises network. The digital media device may form a composite signal from the media signal and application service information, for example, for a composite audio and/or video signal for television type presentation to the user. The digital media device may receive a selection signal based on the presentation, for transmission to the application service provider device or to the media source. The media device also offers a GUI presenting a moveable arrangement of icons for selectively accessing application services.

Described are modulating coatings that are configured to provide an improved release profile of a volatile composition from a base material, wherein the modulating coating includes a barrier substance that is configured to hinder a release of the volatile composition through the modulating coating, and a hygroscopic substance that is configured to facilitate the release of the volatile composition through the modulating coating.

A conductive coating may be adhered to a structure comprising a hydrophobic and/or adhesion-resistant surface. The conductive coating may have a polymer backbone with conductive particles suspended in the backbone. In some embodiments, the conductive coating may be applied directly to the surface. In other embodiments, the conductive coating may be indirectly applied by first applying a primer adhesive to the outer surface, and then applying the conductive coating over the primer adhesive. An example structure may be a catheter of an endoscopic medical device, such as a bipolar sphincterotome, where the conductive coating functions as a return electrode.

Provided are an anode for electrolysis, which includes a metal base, and a catalyst layer disposed on at least one surface of the metal base, wherein the catalyst layer includes a composite metal oxide of ruthenium, iridium, titanium, and platinum, and a metal in the composite metal oxide does not include palladium, wherein, when the catalyst layer is equally divided into a plurality of pixels, a standard deviation of iridium compositions of the plurality of equally divided pixels is 0.40 or less, and a method of preparing the same.

Provided are an anode for electrolysis, which includes a metal base, and a catalyst layer disposed on at least one surface of the metal base, wherein the catalyst layer includes a composite metal oxide of ruthenium, iridium, titanium, and platinum, and a metal in the composite metal oxide does not include palladium, wherein, when the catalyst layer is equally divided into a plurality of pixels, a standard deviation of iridium compositions of the plurality of equally divided pixels is 0.40 or less, and a method of preparing the same.

Methods are provided for a post-treatment process for use with coatings deposited via thermal spray and/or cold spray to modify the microstructures of the coatings and improve associated cohesion and adhesion properties. Such process includes performing ultrasonic consolidation of the spray coating as a post-treatment step after deposition of the spray coating onto a substrate. A system for spray deposition and ultrasonic consolidation is also provided.

A gas turbine engine article includes a silicon-containing ceramic substrate and an environmental barrier coating (EBC) system disposed on the substrate. The EBC system includes, from the substrate, a dense bond coat layer, a porous bond coat layer, and a topcoat layer in contact with the porous bond coat layer. The dense bond coat layer and the porous bond coat layer each include a silica matrix and oxygen-scavenging gas-evolution particles dispersed through the silica matrix. The porous bond coat layer includes engineered pores.

In one embodiment, the present application discloses a surface binding compound of the Formula I or Formula II:

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wherein the variables EG, EG1, SP1, SP2, SP3, Ar and BG are as defined herein. In another embodiment, the application discloses a method for forming a coating on a surface of a substrate using the surface binding compound of the Formula I or Formula II.