The invention relates to a method for producing a hybrid organo-mineral layer (12) for coating the inner surface (13) of a receptacle as well as to said receptacle for holding products that are biocompatible for humans and/or animals. According to the invention, a solution is formed that contains at least one solvent, water, at least one complexing molecular alkoxysilane precursor, at least one organo-functional molecular precursor and/or silicone, and a catalytic acid, the complexed solution, which is undergoing hydrolysis and condensation, is applied to at least one portion of the inner surface of the receptacle, the applied solution is dried at a specific temperature, and the receptacle is conveyed away and stored.

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.

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.

Porous, binderless ceramic surface modification materials are described, and applications of use thereof. The ceramic surface material is in the form of an interconnected network of porous ceramic material on a substrate. The ceramic material may include a metal oxide, a metal hydroxide, and/or hydrates thereof, or a metal carbonate or metal phosphate, on a substrate surface. The substrate may be in the form of a metal or polymer particulate, powder, extrudate, or flakes.

Assemblies of stacked layers of materials are described. The assemblies include functional and structural layers. Functional layers include binderless ceramic materials on woven or non-woven substrates of natural, synthetic, or metallic materials. The layers of functional and structural materials may be configured to transport moisture or heat from an inner surface to an outer surface that is exposed to an ambient environment.

Provided is a barrier film comprising a base layer, and an inorganic layer including Si, N, and O, and 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, wherein the film has a water vapor transmission rate of 5.0?10.sup.?4 g/m.sup.2.Math.day or less as measured under conditions of a temperature of 38? C. and 100% relative humidity after being stored at 85? C. and 85% relative humidity conditions for 250 hours, or wherein the inorganic layer has a compactness expressed through an etching rate of 0.17 nm/s 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. The barrier film has excellent barrier properties and optical properties and can be used for electronic products that are sensitive to moisture and the like.

A curved, three-dimensional, ordered micro-truss structure including a series of first struts extending along a first direction, a series of second struts extending along a second direction, and a series of third struts extending along a third direction. The first, second, and third struts interpenetrate one another at a series of nodes. The series of first struts, second struts, third struts, and nodes form a series of ordered unit cells within the micro-truss structure. The series of ordered unit cells define a curved surface.

The invention relates to a method for producing a barrier layer (13, 9) for coating the inner surface (12, 17) of a receptacle (10, 6) which is made at least in part of plastic and is used for holding products that are biocompatible for humans and/or animals; in said method, a solution is formed that contains at least one solvent, water, at least one organo-functional molecular precursor, and an acid as a catalyst, the complexed solution, which is undergoing hydrolysis and condensation, is applied to at least one portion of the inner surface of the receptacle, the applied solution is dried at a specific drying temperature below 100 C., and the receptacle is conveyed away and stored before being baked. The acid used is citric acid.

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.

Provided are modified hybrid sol-gel precursor solutions and coatings formed from such solutions. A modified hybrid sol-gel precursor solution includes an inorganic precursor, cross-linkable inorganic-organic precursor, cross-linkable organic precursor, protic solvent, and aprotic solvent. The inorganic precursor may include a metal or metalloid and two or more hydrolysable groups. The cross-linkable inorganic-organic precursor may include a metal, hydrolysable group, and organic molecule. The cross-linkable organic precursor has another organic molecule with two or more second cross-linking groups. A combination of protic and aprotic solvents in the same solution may be used to control properties of the solutions, thermodynamics, and other processing aspects. The solution may also include nanoparticles. The nanoparticles may include functionalized surface to form covalent bonds with one or more precursors of the solution, such as a plasma treated surface. The nanoparticles may be sized to fit into the sol-gel network without substantially disturbing this network.