Disclosed is a process for on- and off-site tagging of fracking sand and a composition of matter capable of being utilized in that process. The composition of matter includes a linker polymer conjugated to a rare earth particle. The method involves forming two mixtures, a first involving mixing a linker polymer conjugated to a rare earth particle into an aqueous blend of fracking sand, and a second involving an activated amine terminated polymer in an aqueous solution. The second mixture is then added to the first mixture, and covalent amide bonds are formed.

Disclosed is a process for on- and off-site tagging of fracking sand and a composition of matter capable of being utilized in that process. The composition of matter includes a linker polymer conjugated to a rare earth particle. The method involves forming two mixtures, a first involving mixing a linker polymer conjugated to a rare earth particle into an aqueous blend of fracking sand, and a second involving an activated amine terminated polymer in an aqueous solution. The second mixture is then added to the first mixture, and covalent amide bonds are formed.

Disclosed herein is a multilayer coating system present on a substrate and including at least two coating layers L1 and L2 different from one another, namely a first coating layer L1 applied over at least a portion of the substrate, and a second topcoat layer L2 applied over the first coating layer L1, where the topcoat layer L2 is formed from a coating composition including at least one block copolymer containing a backbone and at least two blocks B1 and B2 and side chains S1 and S2 including different polymeric moieties M1 and M2. Also disclosed herein are a method of preparing said multilayer coating system, a coated substrate obtainable therefrom, and a method of using a coating composition including the block copolymer for improving, in particular for increasing, the chromaticity of the multilayer coating system.

Aqueous dispersions including multistage-prepared polymers of mixtures of olefinically unsaturated compounds are disclosed. The aqueous dispersions include at least one polyurethane containing olefinically unsaturated groups. Production and use of the aqueous dispersions, particularly in the field of automotive finishing, is disclosed. The disclosure further relates to an aqueous basecoat material including the multistage-prepared polymers, and also to a method for producing a multicoat paint system using the aqueous basecoat material.

A graphene-containing composite material comprises components of a composite functional material with a double-conductive channel and a polymer matrix. The composite functional material with a double-conductive channel is sulfonated graphene surface grafted conductive polymer poly-3,4-(ethylenedioxythiophene). The composite functional material with a double-conductive channel and the graphene-containing composite material can be used for preparing a piezoresistance response material or an antistatic or electromagnetic shielding material and the like, and have excellent piezoresistance response, piezoresistance repeatability and electromagnetic shielding effect. The present invention is simple and easy to operate, can be used in large scale production, has excellent piezoresistance performance and very sensitive piezoresistance response, with the percolation threshold being only 0.5 wt %; not only the original performance of the polymer can be maintained, but also an unstable conductive network system can be formed, which facilitates the improvement of the sensitivity of the piezoresistance response.

Disclosed are materials that possess both low adhesion and the ability to absorb water. The material passively absorbs water from the atmosphere and then expels this water upon impact with debris, to create a self-cleaning layer. The lubrication reduces friction and surface adhesion of the debris (such as an insect), which may then slide off the surface. The invention provides a material comprising a continuous matrix including a polymer having a low surface energy (less than 50 mJ/m.sup.2) and a plurality of inclusions, dispersed within the matrix, each comprising a hygroscopic material. The continuous matrix and the inclusions form a lubricating surface layer in the presence of humidity. The material optionally contains porous nanostructures that inject water back onto the surface after an impact, absorbing water under pressure and then releasing water when the pressure is removed. The material may be a coating or a surface, for example.

Described herein is a method for producing a coating system on a substrate, including producing a cured basecoat film on the substrate by applying a pigmented aqueous basecoat material to the substrate and subsequently curing the basecoat material, wherein the basecoat material includes a polyether-based reaction product which is preparable by reaction of (a) at least one cyclic tetracarboxylic dianhydride having an aliphatic, aromatic or araliphatic radical X which bridges the two anhydride groups,
with (b) at least one polyether of a general structural formula (II)

##STR00001##

in which R is a C.sub.3 to C.sub.6 alkylene radical and n is selected such that the polyether (b) possesses a number-average molecular weight of 500 to 5000 g/mol, and wherein components (a) and (b) are used in the reaction in a molar ratio of 0.7/2.3 to 1.6/1.7 and a resulting reaction product possesses an acid number of 5 to 80 mg KOH/g.

One or more embodiments relate to an electrically conductive polymer with a crosslinkable additive. The electrically conductive polymer is a directly photopatternable Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) PEDOT:PSS film with cross-linked network made of a plurality of monomers. The directly photopatternable PEDOT:PSS film PEDOT as such has a better conductivity and stretchability compared to its other counterparts. The directly photopatternable PEDOT:PSS film can further be supplemented with poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEGDA) which can help with the removal of PSS. Advantageously, the PEGDA supplemented PEDOT:PSS film can exhibit a larger charge storage capacity.

Described herein is a coating comprising a binder, a pigment, and an antimicrobial composition which comprises particles selected from the group consisting of an aluminum silicate, a magnesium silicate, and a mixture thereof, and wherein the particles are modified with a quaternary ammonium salt. Further described is a building panel and building systems comprising a substrate and the coating composition applied thereto as well as methods of making and using the same.

Described herein is a coating comprising a binder, a pigment, and an antimicrobial composition which comprises particles selected from the group consisting of an aluminum silicate, a magnesium silicate, and a mixture thereof, and wherein the particles are modified with a quaternary ammonium salt. Further described is a building panel and building systems comprising a substrate and the coating composition applied thereto as well as methods of making and using the same.