A coating, a method for coating surfaces, and the coated surfaces. The method includes providing a substrate with a cleaned metal surface; contacting and coating the metal surface with an aqueous composition having a ph of from 0.5 to 7.0 and in the form of a dispersion and/or a suspension; optionally rinsing the organic coating; and drying and/or baking the organic coating, or optionally drying the organic coating and coating same with a similar or another coating composition thereto. The composition contains a complex fluoride in a quantity of 1.1 10.sup.6 mol/l to 0.30 mol/l based on the cations. An anionic polyelectrolyte in a quantity of 0.01 to 5.0 wt % based on the total mass of the resulting mixture is added to an anionically stabilized dispersion made of film-forming polymers and/or a suspension made of film-forming inorganic particles.

A sol comprising a solvent, an alkoxide, a catalyst, and a protein, wherein the protein is a plant-derived protein, an animal-derived protein, a fungus-derived protein, or any combination thereof. The sol may be used to immobilise pigment. The sol may be used to form a fluid resistant or impermeable barrier and/or a free-standing unsupported structure.

A sol comprising a solvent, an alkoxide, a catalyst, and a protein, wherein the protein is a plant-derived protein, an animal-derived protein, a fungus-derived protein, or any combination thereof. The sol may be used to immobilise pigment. The sol may be used to form a fluid resistant or impermeable barrier and/or a free-standing unsupported structure.

Provided are an oxygen barrier film, a food wrapper including the same, and a method of preparing the oxygen barrier film. The oxygen barrier film may include: a base layer; and an organic/inorganic hybrid layer located on the base layer and including a natural hydrogel and a silane coupling agent.

The disclosure relates to a container comprising fibers, wherein the container further comprises a coating that is biodegradable. The disclosure further relates to a method for coating a container comprising fibers for producing the container.

Disclosed herein are compositions comprising globular proteins and diacrylate-containing compounds that can react in-situ to provide polymerized networks that can be formed into objects using additive manufacturing techniques, such as printing techniques that use vat photopolymerization. Objects printed using the disclosed compositions also are described, with embodiments of such objects exhibiting shape recovery behavior. Also disclosed are methods of making and using the disclosed compositions.

Disclosed herein are compositions comprising globular proteins and diacrylate-containing compounds that can react in-situ to provide polymerized networks that can be formed into objects using additive manufacturing techniques, such as printing techniques that use vat photopolymerization. Objects printed using the disclosed compositions also are described, with embodiments of such objects exhibiting shape recovery behavior. Also disclosed are methods of making and using the disclosed compositions.

A hydroxyl-covered silicon quantum dot nanoparticle having a silicon core, a plurality of silicon quantum dots, and a plurality of hydrocarbon chains is illustrated. A first portion of a surface associated with the silicon core is passivated by a plurality of silicon hydroxyl groups (SiOH). The silicon quantum dots are attached to a second portion of the surface associated with the silicon core. The hydrocarbon chains are bonded to each of the silicon quantum dots through a plurality of silicon carbide bonds (SiC), wherein each termination of the hydrocarbon chains has a carbon hydroxyl group (COH), such that the hydroxyl-covered silicon quantum dot nanoparticle is thoroughly covered by the carbon hydroxyl groups (COH) and the silicon hydroxyl groups (SiOH).

A hydroxyl-covered silicon quantum dot nanoparticle having a silicon core, a plurality of silicon quantum dots, and a plurality of hydrocarbon chains is illustrated. A first portion of a surface associated with the silicon core is passivated by a plurality of silicon hydroxyl groups (SiOH). The silicon quantum dots are attached to a second portion of the surface associated with the silicon core. The hydrocarbon chains are bonded to each of the silicon quantum dots through a plurality of silicon carbide bonds (SiC), wherein each termination of the hydrocarbon chains has a carbon hydroxyl group (COH), such that the hydroxyl-covered silicon quantum dot nanoparticle is thoroughly covered by the carbon hydroxyl groups (COH) and the silicon hydroxyl groups (SiOH).

The invention relates to a substrate intended in use to contact a fouling agent, the substrate including a coating comprising polysaccharide, which coating serves to reduce or prevent fouling of the substrate caused by contact from the fouling agent, in comparison to an equivalent uncoated substrate. The invention also relates to the anti-fouling coating, to apparatus comprising such coating and to related methods of reducing or preventing fouling of a substrate intended in use to contact a fouling agent.