A self-cleaning film system includes a substrate and an anti-reflection film disposed on the substrate. The anti-reflection film includes a first sheet formed from titanium dioxide, a second sheet formed from silicon dioxide and disposed on the first sheet, and a third sheet formed from titanium dioxide and disposed on the second sheet. The system includes a self-cleaning film disposed on the anti-reflection film and including a monolayer disposed on the third sheet and formed from a fluorinated material selected from the group consisting of fluorinated organic compounds, fluorinated inorganic compounds, and combinations thereof. The self-cleaning film includes a first plurality of regions disposed within the monolayer such that each of the first plurality of regions abuts and is surrounded by the fluorinated material and includes a photocatalytic material.

The present invention relates to a method for producing an AlCrO-based coatings comprising at least one AlCrO-based or AlO-based film on a workpiece surface, wherein the method comprises following steps: a) placing at least one workpiece having a surface to be coated in the interior of a vacuum chamber, and b) depositing a film A comprising aluminum and chromium on the workpiece surface to be coated, wherein the ratio of aluminum to chromium in the film in atomic percentage has a first value corresponding to Al/Cr2.3 and wherein the method further comprises following steps: c) forming volatile compounds of CrO, e.g. CrO.sub.3 and/or CrO.sub.2, thereby causing that at least part of the chromium contained in the film A left the film in form of CrO volatile compounds, d) executing the step c) during a period of time, within which the chromium content in the film A is reduced until attaining a second value of ratio of aluminum to chromium in the film in atomic percentage, thereby the film A being transformed in a film B containing a reduced content of chromium, which corresponds to an aluminum and chromium in a proportion corresponding to a ratio of Al/Cr3.5 or corresponding to a Cr content in atomic percentage of 0% or of approximately 0%.

This disclosure provides compositions and methods for a film, which may include a base film and a coating layer on the base film, wherein the coating layer has a surface energy of at least 30 dynes/cm and consists essentially of nylon, polyester, ethylene vinyl alcohol-based copolymer, polyvinyl alcohol-based polyethylene terephthalate, polyvinylchloride, acrylate-based polymers, methacrylate-based polymers, polyurethane, polyalkylimine, acid-modified polyolefins, polyetherester-amide block copolymer, and combinations thereof. Further, the film may include a metal oxide layer on the coating layer, wherein the metal oxide layer has an optical density of equal to or less than 0.5 and a thickness from 0.1 nm through 100 nm. Further still, the film has an oxygen transmission rate of less than 4 cm.sup.3/m.sup.2/day at 23 C. and 0% relative humidity, a water vapor transmission rate of less than 4 g/m.sup.2/day at 38 C. and 90% relative humidity, and a thickness of 5 m through 50 m.

A self-cleaning film system includes a substrate and an anti-reflection film disposed on the substrate. The anti-reflection film includes a first sheet formed from titanium dioxide, a second sheet formed from silicon dioxide and disposed on the first sheet, and a third sheet formed from titanium dioxide and disposed on the second sheet. The system includes a self-cleaning film disposed on the anti-reflection film and including a monolayer disposed on the third sheet and formed from a fluorinated material selected from the group consisting of fluorinated organic compounds, fluorinated inorganic compounds, and combinations thereof. The self-cleaning film includes a first plurality of regions disposed within the monolayer such that each of the first plurality of regions abuts and is surrounded by the fluorinated material and includes a photocatalytic material.

Apparatus for depositing germanium and carbon onto one or more substrates comprises a vacuum chamber, at least first and second magnetron sputtering devices and at least one movable mount for supporting the one or more substrates within the vacuum chamber. The first magnetron sputtering device is configured to sputter germanium towards the at least one mount from a first sputtering target comprising germanium, thereby defining a germanium sputtering zone within the vacuum chamber. The second magnetron sputtering device is configured to sputter carbon towards the at least one mount from a second sputtering target comprising carbon, thereby defining a carbon sputtering zone within the vacuum chamber. The at least one mount and the at least first and second magnetron sputtering devices are arranged such that, when each substrate is moved through the germanium sputtering zone on the at least one movable mount, germanium is deposited on the said substrate, and when each substrate is moved through the carbon sputtering zone on the at least one movable mount, carbon is deposited on the said substrate.

The invention relates to a turbine part, such as a turbine blade or a distributor fin, for example, comprising a substrate made of a monocrystalline nickel superalloy, a metal sublayer covering the substrate, and a protective layer of metal oxide covering the sublayer, characterised in that the metal sublayer has one surface in contact with the protective layer and the surface has a mean roughness of less than 1 m.

An article comprises a body having a coating. The coating comprises a YOF coating or other yttrium-based oxy-fluoride coating generated either by performing a fluorination process on a yttrium-based oxide coating or an oxidation process on a yttrium-based fluorine coating.

A bio control surface (100) comprising a substrate (5) and a first plurality of discrete, spaced-apart particles (1) disposed on the substrate (5) and a second plurality of discrete, spaced-apart particles (6) disposed on the substrate (5), wherein the first (1) and second (6) pluralities of discrete, spaced-apart particles are formed from species having different chemical and/or electrical properties. An intermediate layer (4) may be interposed between the particles (1, 6) and the substrate (5). The bio control surface (100) can be activated by exposure to particular conditions, which cause the first (1) and second (6) pluralities of particles to adopt different potentials (+, ), such that flow of charge, heat, ions etc. can be used to neutralise or kill bacteria or microorganisms resident on the surface (100).

In certain embodiments an electrode array for epidural stimulation of the spinal cord is provided where the array comprises a plurality of electrodes disposed on a flexible polymer substrate; said electrodes being electrically connected to one or more lead wires and/or connection points on an electrical connector; where the electrodes of said array are bonded to said polymer so that the electrodes can carry an electrical stimulation signal having a voltage, frequency, and current sufficient to provide epidural stimulation of a spinal cord and/or brain in vivo or in a physiological saline solution, without separation of all or a part of an electrode from the polymer substrate.

A method for selectively passivating a surface of a substrate, wherein the surface of the substrate includes at least a first surface comprising silicon nitride and at least a second surface comprising a material other than silicon nitride. The method includes the step of exposing the surface to at least one organoisocyanate wherein the organoisocyanate selectively reacts with the silicon nitride to passivate the first surface thereby leaving the second surface substantially unreacted.