Provided is a barrier film, comprising: a base layer; and an inorganic layer including a first region and a second region, which have different elemental contents (atomic %) of Si, N, and O from each other as measured by XPS, and having a compactness expressed through an etching rate of 0.17 nm/s or less in the thickness direction for an Ar ion etching condition to etch Ta.sub.2O.sub.5 at a rate of 0.09 nm/s, wherein the second region has a higher elemental content of N than that of the first region, the first region has a thickness of 50 nm or more, and the ratio (d1/d2) of the thickness (d1) of the first region to the thickness (d2) of the second region is 2 or less, the barrier film having excellent barrier properties and optical properties. The barrier film can be used for electronic products sensitive to moisture or the like.

Methods of forming porous nano-scale or micro-scale structured materials and structured materials formed thereby. Such methods entail providing a donor material and reacting the donor material to form a compound that deposits on a surface of a substrate to produce nano-scale or micro-scale geometric features of the structured material. In particular embodiments, the donor material is in a solution and the reacting step is performed by contacting the surface of the substrate with the solution and directing heat through the solution onto the surface to locally heat a portion of the solution in contact therewith.

A method is disclosed of forming core-shell iron oxide-polymer nanofiber composites. The method includes synthesizing composite nanofibers of polyacrylonitrile (PAN) with embedded hematite (α-Fe.sub.2O.sub.3) nanoparticles via a single-pot electrospinning synthesis; and generating a core-shell nanofiber composite through a subsequent hydrothermal growth of α-Fe.sub.2O.sub.3 nanostructures on the composite nanofibers of polyacrylonitrile (PAN) with the embedded hematite (α-Fe.sub.2O.sub.3) nanoparticles.

A method of manufacturing transition metal chalcogenide thin films, includes the operations of forming a transition metal chalcogenides precursor on a substrate, and irradiating light onto the transition metal chalcogenides precursor. The transition metal chalcogenides precursor includes an amine-based ligand.

This disclosure relates to a composition for catalyst-free electroless plating and a method for catalyst-free electroless plating using the same. More particularly, this disclosure relates to a composition for catalyst-free electroless plating and a method for catalyst-free electroless plating using the same that does not require a catalyst such as an expensive noble metal catalyst and may simplify the process.

A flexible emitting light device production apparatus of the present disclosure includes: a stage (520) for supporting a flexible emitting light supporting substrate (10), the flexible display supporting substrate including a glass base (11) and a synthetic resin film (12) provided on the glass base; a polisher head (535) configured to approach a selected region of a surface (12s) of the synthetic resin film (12) and polish the region so that a polish recess (12c) is formed in the surface (12s); and a repair head (536) for supplying a liquid material (20a) to the polish recess (12c) formed in the surface (12s) of the synthetic resin film (12) and heating the liquid material (20a), thereby forming a sintered layer (20) from the liquid material (20a).

A method for fabricating nanoporous polymer thin film includes steps as follows. A polymer thin film is provided, wherein a polymer solution including a polymer is coated on a substrate to form the polymer thin film. A swelling and annealing process is provided, wherein the polymer thin film is disposed inside a chamber with a vapor of a first solvent, the polymer thin film is swollen and annealed to form a swollen polymer thin film, and the swollen polymer thin film includes the polymer and the first solvent. A freezing process is provided, wherein the swollen polymer thin film is cooled to a temperature less than or equal to a crystallization temperature of the first solvent to crystallize the first solvent. A first solvent removing process is provided, wherein the first solvent is removed with a second solvent, such that a nanoporous polymer thin film is obtained.

The invention is directed to a body comprising oxides of lanthanides, in particular holmium oxide (Ho.sub.2O.sub.3), which are supported on a sulphur containing carbon based particle and to a process for producing said body.

The invention relates to a method for producing a glass coating on a substrate, comprising the following steps: applying a liquid sol to at least one surface of the substrate, allowing the sol to react to form a gel, and briefly treating the gel on the at least one surface outside a furnace in the presence of water vapour at a temperature of at least 700 C. The method according to the invention makes the coated surface dirt-repellent, electrically insulating, non-combustible, easy to clean and resistant to ageing, corrosion and chemicals. A particular advantage of the method according to the invention is that it can be carried out outside a furnace and nevertheless makes glass coatings possible.

Various embodiments refer to a method for preparing an oxide film on a polymeric substrate, wherein the oxide film is a titanium oxide film (which is optionally niobium- or silicon-doped) or silicon oxide film. The method comprises contacting a polymeric substrate with a liquid reagent comprising a polyalkoxysilane such as 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane to form a layer of the polyalkoxysilane on the polymeric substrate by self-assembly, and contacting said layer with an aqueous mixture comprising (i) titanium tetrafluoride and/or a fluorine-containing titanium complex such as ammonium hexafluorotitanate and/or a fluorine-containing silicon complex such as ammonium hexafluorosilicate, and (ii) a fluorine scavenger such as boric acid, at a temperature of less than about 100 C. to obtained the oxide film on the polymeric substrate. An oxide film prepared by said method is also provided.