Compositions, devices, and methods are disclosed for the modification of polymer surfaces with coatings having a dispersion of silicone polymer and hydrophobic silica. The surface coatings provide the polymer surface with high hydrophobicity, as well as increased resistance to biofouling with proteinaceous material. The polymer surfaces can be particularly useful in microfluidic devices and methods that involve the contacting of the covalently modified polymer surfaces with emulsions of aqueous droplets containing biological macromolecules within an oil carrier phase.

A method of forming an oxide layer, the method including forming a first material layer on a semiconductor substrate, the first material layer including a polysiloxane material, wherein, from among SiH.sub.1, SiH.sub.2, and SiH.sub.3 bonds included in the polysiloxane material, a percentage of SiH.sub.2 bonds ranges from about 40% to about 90%, performing a first annealing process on the first material layer in an inert atmosphere, and performing a second annealing process on the first material layer in an oxidative atmosphere.

A method of forming an oxide layer, the method including forming a first material layer on a semiconductor substrate, the first material layer including a polysiloxane material, wherein, from among SiH.sub.1, SiH.sub.2, and SiH.sub.3 bonds included in the polysiloxane material, a percentage of SiH.sub.2 bonds ranges from about 40% to about 90%, performing a first annealing process on the first material layer in an inert atmosphere, and performing a second annealing process on the first material layer in an oxidative atmosphere.

A polarizing film, comprising a polarizer, and a transparent protective film laminated on/over at least one surface of the polarizer to interpose an adhesive layer between the surface and the transparent protective film, and the polarizing film comprising, on/over the adhesion surface of the polarizer, an adhesion-improving layer interposed between the polarizer and the adhesive layer. The adhesion-improving layer preferably comprises a compound represented by the following general formula (1): ##STR00001##
wherein X is a functional group containing a reactive group, and R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 each independently represent a hydrogen atom, or an aliphatic hydrocarbon group, aryl group or heterocyclic group that may have a substituent, and the compound represented by the general formula (1) is interposed between the polarizer and the adhesive layer.

A polarizing film, comprising a polarizer, and a transparent protective film laminated on/over at least one surface of the polarizer to interpose an adhesive layer between the surface and the transparent protective film, and the polarizing film comprising, on/over the adhesion surface of the polarizer, an adhesion-improving layer interposed between the polarizer and the adhesive layer. The adhesion-improving layer preferably comprises a compound represented by the following general formula (1): ##STR00001##
wherein X is a functional group containing a reactive group, and R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 each independently represent a hydrogen atom, or an aliphatic hydrocarbon group, aryl group or heterocyclic group that may have a substituent, and the compound represented by the general formula (1) is interposed between the polarizer and the adhesive layer.

Provided are an interior material having a surface layer as a thin film with a high transparency and exhibiting deodorant and antimicrobial properties; and a production method thereof. The interior material has a surface layer containing (i) titanium oxide particles and (ii) antimicrobial metal-containing alloy particles. The interior material is such that an antimicrobial metal(s) contained in the (ii) antimicrobial metal-containing alloy particles is at least one kind of metal selected from the group consisting of silver, copper and zinc. The production method of the interior material of the present invention includes a step of applying a dispersion liquid containing the (i) titanium oxide particles and the (ii) antimicrobial metal-containing alloy particles to a surface of the interior material.

Hybrid latex emulsions are disclosed which can be used in the formation of coating compositions having good blush resistance, abrasion resistance, blister resistance, hardness and scratch resistance. In some embodiments, the coating compositions are used to coat substrates such as cans and packaging materials for the storage of food and beverages. Hybrid latex emulsions of the invention may be prepared by mixing an ethylenically unsaturated monomer component and a stabilizer in a carrier to form a monomer emulsion, and reacting the monomer emulsion with an initiator to form the hybrid latex emulsion. The ethylenically unsaturated monomer component may include an organosilane compound, which may include a reactive organic group and a hydrolysable inorganic alkoxysilane.

Hybrid latex emulsions are disclosed which can be used in the formation of coating compositions having good blush resistance, abrasion resistance, blister resistance, hardness and scratch resistance. In some embodiments, the coating compositions are used to coat substrates such as cans and packaging materials for the storage of food and beverages. Hybrid latex emulsions of the invention may be prepared by mixing an ethylenically unsaturated monomer component and a stabilizer in a carrier to form a monomer emulsion, and reacting the monomer emulsion with an initiator to form the hybrid latex emulsion. The ethylenically unsaturated monomer component may include an organosilane compound, which may include a reactive organic group and a hydrolysable inorganic alkoxysilane.

A film-forming composition having favorable effects such as curability and embeddability and resist underlayer film for use in lithography process for semiconductor devices. The film-forming composition including, as silane, hydrolyzable silane, hydrolysis product thereof, or hydrolysis-condensation product thereof, wherein hydrolyzable silane includes hydrolyzable silane of Formula (1):
R.sup.1.sub.aR.sup.2.sub.bSi(R.sup.3).sub.4(a+b)Formula (1)
in Formula (1), R.sup.1 is organic group of Formula (2) and is bonded to silicon atom through SiC bond: ##STR00001##
The film-forming composition, wherein the hydrolyzable silane is combination of hydrolyzable silane of Formula (1) with another hydrolyzable silane, wherein other hydrolyzable silane is at least one selected from group made of hydrolyzable silane of Formula (3):
R.sup.7.sub.cSi(R.sup.8).sub.4cFormula (3)
and hydrolyzable silane of Formula (4):
R.sup.9.sub.dSi(R.sup.10).sub.3d.sub.2Y.sub.eFormula (4)
Resist underlayer film, obtained by applying the resist underlayer film-forming composition on semiconductor substrate and baking.

A film-forming composition having favorable effects such as curability and embeddability and resist underlayer film for use in lithography process for semiconductor devices. The film-forming composition including, as silane, hydrolyzable silane, hydrolysis product thereof, or hydrolysis-condensation product thereof, wherein hydrolyzable silane includes hydrolyzable silane of Formula (1):
R.sup.1.sub.aR.sup.2.sub.bSi(R.sup.3).sub.4(a+b)Formula (1)
in Formula (1), R.sup.1 is organic group of Formula (2) and is bonded to silicon atom through SiC bond: ##STR00001##
The film-forming composition, wherein the hydrolyzable silane is combination of hydrolyzable silane of Formula (1) with another hydrolyzable silane, wherein other hydrolyzable silane is at least one selected from group made of hydrolyzable silane of Formula (3):
R.sup.7.sub.cSi(R.sup.8).sub.4cFormula (3)
and hydrolyzable silane of Formula (4):
R.sup.9.sub.dSi(R.sup.10).sub.3d.sub.2Y.sub.eFormula (4)
Resist underlayer film, obtained by applying the resist underlayer film-forming composition on semiconductor substrate and baking.