A surface treatment was conducted by using a liquid chemical containing a water-repellent protective film forming agent represented by the following general formula [1], subsequent to a step of cleaning a metal-based wafer and prior to a step of drying the wafer. ##STR00001## (R.sup.1 represents a C.sub.1-C.sub.18 monovalent hydrocarbon group the hydrogen elements of which may partially or entirely be replaced with a fluorine element(s). R.sup.2 mutually independently represents a monovalent organic group having a C.sub.1-C.sub.18 hydrocarbon group the hydrogen elements of which may partially or entirely be replaced with a fluorine element(s). a is an integer of from 0 to 2.)

In certain embodiments, the invention is directed to apparatus comprising a liquid-impregnated surface, said surface comprising an impregnating liquid and a matrix of solid features spaced sufficiently close to stably contain the impregnating liquid therebetween or therewithin, and methods thereof. In some embodiments, one or both of the following holds: (i) 0<??0.25, where ? is a representative fraction of the projected surface area of the liquid-impregnated surface corresponding to non-submerged solid at equilibrium; and (ii) S.sub.ow(a)<0, where S.sub.ow(a) is spreading coefficient, defined as ?.sub.wa??.sub.wo??.sub.oa, where ? is the interfacial tension between the two phases designated by subscripts w, a, and o, where w is water, a is air, and o is the impregnating liquid.

A method for improving the cleanability of an epoxy paint coat on a surface is provided. A paint composition, and its use in improving cleanability is also provided. A kit-of-parts comprising the components of the paint composition is also provided.

A curable composition containing components (A) to (E) as follows, and containing 12 to 858 by mass of the component (A), 12 to 85% by mass of the component (B), and 0.5 to 20% by mass of the component (C), relative to 100% by mass in total of the component (A), the component (B) and the component (C): (A) an organic solvent having an initial boiling point of 85? C. or higher and lower than 145? C.; (B) an organic solvent having an initial boiling point of 145? C. or higher and lower than 190? C.; (C) an organic solvent having an initial boiling point of 190? C. or higher and lower than 250? C.; (D) a polysilazane compound; and (E) a catalyst. According to the present invention, there is provided a curable composition excellent in drying properties, recovery workability after an elapse of a certain period of time, and water repellency of a coating film.

The present invention provides antifouling coating compositions having excellent long-term storage stability and provides an antifouling coating composition that can maintain the stable dissolution and antifouling performance of a coating film without causing coating film defects such as cracks in seawater for a long term, such that an antifouling coating film having increased environmental safety can be formed. The present invention provides an antifouling coating composition containing: (A) a triorganosilyl ester-containing copolymer obtained from a mixture of (a) a triorganosilyl (meth)acrylate monomer represented by general formula (1): ##STR00001## (here, R.sup.1 is a hydrogen atom or a methyl group; and R.sup.2, R.sup.3, and R.sup.4 are the same or different from each other and each represents a C.sub.3-6 alkyl group branched at the -position or a phenyl group) and (b) an ethylenically unsaturated monomer copolymerizable with the triorganosilyl (meth)acrylate monomer; and (B) calcium sulfate hydrate.

Nanoparticles of N-halamine-derivatized crosslinked polyamide. Process of preparing the polymeric nanoparticles per se and incorporated in or on a substrate. Uses of the polymeric nanoparticles and of substrates incorporating same, particularly for reducing a formation of organic based contaminants, e.g., load of a microorganism or of a biofilm.

The invention relates to compositions and methods of treatment employing compositions comprising polyelectrolyte complexes. The compositions include a water-soluble first polyelectrolyte bearing a net cationic charge or capable of developing a net cationic charge and a water-soluble second polyelectrolyte bearing a net anionic charge or capable of developing a net anionic charge. The total polyelectrolyte concentration of the first solution is at least 110 millimolar. The composition is free of coacervates, precipitates, latex particles, synthetic block copolymers, silicone copolymers, cross-linked poly(acrylic) and cross-linked water-soluble polyelectrolyte. The composition may be a concentrate, to be diluted prior to use to treat a surface.

The present invention provides an antifouling coating formed from a water-based coating composition comprising 0.1% by mass to 10% by mass of ultrafine silica particles having an average particle size equal to or less than 25 nm, 5% by mass to 50% by mass, relative to the ultrafine silica particles, of a zirconium compound which is at least one selected from zirconium chloride and zirconyl chloride, and 30% by mass to 99.5% by mass of water. In accordance with the present invention, it is possible to provide an antifouling coating that can maintain the antifouling performance and hydrophilicity and prevent corrosion of fins even under an environment with a large amount of contaminating substances, such as metal particles, in the air.

This invention provides multifunctional coatings containing multiple components that usually do not associate with one another, from deposition of waterborne precursor compositions. Some variations provide a multiphase waterborne composition comprising a first-material phase containing a first material and a second-material phase containing a second material that is chemically different than, but covalently bonded to, the first material, wherein the first material and/or the second material contains ionic species. The first-material phase and the second-material phase are microphase-separated on an average length scale of phase inhomogeneity from about 0.1 microns to about 100 microns. The first and second materials may be selected from hydrophobic materials, hydrophilic materials, hygroscopic materials, oleophobic materials, and/or oleophilic materials, for example. Due to the first-material phase and the second-material phase being microphase-separated, the multiphase waterborne composition possesses a simultaneous combination of properties, rather than a combined average. Precursors and methods are also disclosed.

A polyisocyanurate-based coating for offshore applications is provided. The coating is a syntactic coating, obtainable by reacting a polyisocyanate compound with a compound containing isocyanate-reactive hydrogen atoms in the presence of a trimerisation catalyst and hollow objects, at an isocyanate index of at least and preferably more than 2000.