A graphene-based zinc containing coating is provided to prevent or slow down the corrosion of steel. The graphene-based materials are selected from a group of modified single-layer graphene, double-layer graphene, few layer graphene, graphene nanoplatelet, doped graphene, and a combination thereof. The modified graphene-based materials in zinc-containing paints or coatings act as a barrier to prevent or slow down the diffusion of corrosive species to the steel surface to be protected. For such a purpose, the graphene has a high aspect ratio and good structural integrity, especially a lack of defects on the basal plane of the graphene.

A fluorine-containing alcohol composite comprising a condensate of a fluorine-containing alcohol represented by the general formula: HO-A-R.sub.F-A-OH [I] (wherein R.sub.F is a group containing a perfluoroalkylene group or a polyfluoroalkylene group having 6 or less carbon atoms and an ether bond, and A is an alkylene group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms), a hydroxyl group-containing polymer, and a zirconium compound. The fluorine-containing alcohol composite, using a fluorine-containing alcohol, does not produce perfluorooctanoic acid and the like when released into the environment and that has a unit easily decomposed into short chain compounds. And also, it exhibits hydrophilic oil repellency.

A fluorine-containing alcohol composite comprising a condensate of a fluorine-containing alcohol represented by the general formula: HO-A-R.sub.F-A-OH [I] (wherein R.sub.F is a group containing a perfluoroalkylene group or a polyfluoroalkylene group having 6 or less carbon atoms and an ether bond, and A is an alkylene group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms), a hydroxyl group-containing polymer, and a zirconium compound. The fluorine-containing alcohol composite, using a fluorine-containing alcohol, does not produce perfluorooctanoic acid and the like when released into the environment and that has a unit easily decomposed into short chain compounds. And also, it exhibits hydrophilic oil repellency.

The present invention provides pitch-based ultrafine carbon fibers containing nitrogen atoms, wherein the average fiber diameter is more than 100 nm but not more than 900 nm; the content of the nitrogen atoms as determined by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) is 1.00% by atom or less; and the true density is from 1.95 to 2.20 g/cm.sup.3.

A laminate containing: an adhesion layer-applied substrate containing a substrate and an adhesion layer disposed on the substrate, the adhesion layer containing an adhesive emulsion particle (F), an inorganic oxide (G) and a light-shielding agent (S1); and a hard coating layer (C) disposed on the adhesion layer-applied substrate and containing a matrix component (B) containing an inorganic oxide (D), wherein a haze value H1 of the adhesion layer-applied substrate is larger than a haze value H2 of the laminate.

A laminate containing: an adhesion layer-applied substrate containing a substrate and an adhesion layer disposed on the substrate, the adhesion layer containing an adhesive emulsion particle (F), an inorganic oxide (G) and a light-shielding agent (S1); and a hard coating layer (C) disposed on the adhesion layer-applied substrate and containing a matrix component (B) containing an inorganic oxide (D), wherein a haze value H1 of the adhesion layer-applied substrate is larger than a haze value H2 of the laminate.

A photoactive cluster particle for durable latex paint compositions and said durable paint compositions, the photoactive cluster particle including a binder that coalesces cluster components into a cluster particle. The cluster components of the cluster particle include a photoactive component, one or more silicon-containing particles (may act as the binder), optional discrete polymeric particles each defining a closed void volume therein, optional non-photocatalytic inorganic pigment particles, optional organic latex polymer, and optional extender pigment particles. The photoactive cluster particle further includes an interstitial void network of the cluster particle forming a porosity thereof.

A photoactive cluster particle for durable latex paint compositions and said durable paint compositions, the photoactive cluster particle including a binder that coalesces cluster components into a cluster particle. The cluster components of the cluster particle include a photoactive component, one or more silicon-containing particles (may act as the binder), optional discrete polymeric particles each defining a closed void volume therein, optional non-photocatalytic inorganic pigment particles, optional organic latex polymer, and optional extender pigment particles. The photoactive cluster particle further includes an interstitial void network of the cluster particle forming a porosity thereof.

An silicon-containing electrode is formed by coating a silicon-containing slurry onto a conductive current collector. The slurry comprises a binder solution comprising a poly(carboxylic acid) binder dissolved in a mixed solvent system comprising an amide solvent of Formula I, as described herein, and a second solvent which can be water and/or an organic solvent. The binder preferably comprises poly(acrylic acid). The mixed solvent system comprises about 10 to about 99 vol % of the amide solvent of Formula I. The binder solution is utilized as a solvent for a slurry of silicon-containing particles for preparing the silicon-containing electrode. The slurries comprising the mixed solvent system have higher viscosity and are more stable than slurries containing the same concentrations of silicon particles, carbon particles, and binder in water as the sole solvent.

A high-haze anti-glare film is disclosed. The high-haze anti-glare film comprises a transparent substrate and an anti-glare layer on the substrate. The anti-glare layer comprises acrylate binder, amorphous silica microparticles and spherical organic polymer microparticles, wherein the spherical organic polymer microparticles are monodispersity and the average particle size thereof is smaller than that of the amorphous silica microparticles. The total haze (Ht) of the anti-glare film is more than 40%, and the total haze is the sum of the surface haze (Hs) and the inner haze (Hi) of the anti-glare film, and the inner haze (Hi) and the total haze (Ht) satisfy the relation 0.25<Hi/Ht<0.75. The present high-haze anti-glare film provides high anti-glare and anti-sparkling properties.