A shingle includes a substrate having an asphalt coating on a top surface of the substrate and on a bottom surface of the substrate. A surface layer of granules is embedded in the asphalt on the top surface of the substrate. A backdust layer of particles is embedded in the asphalt on the bottom surface of the substrate. A sealant is disposed on the backdust. A hydrophobic material is applied to the sealant.

Provided herein is a device for forming a conductive film. The device includes a deposition device and an air supply. The deposition device is configured to form a wet film having conductive nanostructures and a fluid carrier on a web. The web is moved in a first direction while forming the wet film. The air supply is disposed at a side of the web and configured to apply an air flow onto the wet film. The air flow is directed onto the wet film in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction to reorient a direction of some conductive nanostructures in the wet film to define reoriented conductive nanostructures.

A shingle includes a substrate having an asphalt coating on a top surface of the substrate and on a bottom surface of the substrate. A surface layer of granules is embedded in the asphalt on the top surface of the substrate. A backdust layer of particles is embedded in the asphalt on the bottom surface of the substrate. A sealant is disposed on the backdust. A hydrophobic material is applied to the sealant.

Described herein are medical devices and medical implements with high lubricity to flesh (or biological fluid) and/or inhibited nucleation on its surface. The device has a surface comprising an impregnating liquid and a plurality of micro-scale and/or nano-scale solid features spaced sufficiently close to stably contain the impregnating liquid therebetween. The impregnating liquid fills spaces between said solid features, the surface stably contains the impregnating liquid between the solid features, and the impregnating liquid is substantially held in place between the plurality of solid features regardless of orientation of the surface.

In certain embodiments, the invention relates to an article having a liquid-impregnated surface. The surface includes a matrix of solid features (e.g., non-toxic and/or edible features) spaced sufficiently close to stably contain a liquid therebetween or therewithin, wherein the liquid is non-toxic and/or edible. The article may contain, for example, a food or other consumer product, such as ketchup, mustard, or mayonnaise.

A method of making a laminated shingle is provided. The method includes coating a shingle mat with roofing asphalt to make an asphalt-coated sheet, adhering a reinforcement member to a portion of the asphalt-coated sheet, covering the asphalt-coated sheet, and optionally covering the reinforcement member, with granules to make a granule-covered sheet, dividing the granule-covered sheet into an overlay sheet and an underlay sheet, wherein the overlay sheet has a tab portion normally exposed on a roof and a headlap portion normally covered-up on a roof, the headlap portion having a lower zone adjacent the tab portion and an upper zone adjacent the lower zone, and wherein the reinforcement member is adhered to the lower zone of the headlap portion and laminating the overlay sheet and the underlay sheet to make the laminated shingle.

Articles comprising: (1) a sheet having a first surface and a second surface and (2) an separation layer on at least a portion of the first surface, wherein the separation layer comprising (a) a binder layer with particles entrained therein and (b) an overcoat. Also methods for making such articles and methods for using such articles.

There is provided an article comprising at least a first surface having: (a) a first binder layer; (b) a plurality of transparent microspheres partially embedded in the first binder layer such that about 20% to about 70% of the average diameter of the transparent microspheres is exposed at the outermost surface of the article, wherein the transparent microspheres have refractive indices that are less than a refractive index of the first binder layer and wherein the plurality of transparent microspheres consist of microspheres having a refractive index of no more than 1.490. There is also provided a transfer article comprising: (a) a transfer carrier, the transfer carrier comprising: (i) a support layer; and (ii) a thermoplastic release layer bonded to the support layer; (b) a layer of a plurality of transparent microspheres, formed on a side of the thermoplastic transparent microsphere release layer opposite the support layer, wherein the plurality of transparent microspheres consist of microspheres having a refractive index of no more than 1.490.

A roofing shingle includes an overlay sheet having a first granular material secured to a headlap portion of the overlay sheet, an underlay sheet, and a reinforcement material secured directly to an asphalt coating of the headlap portion of the overlay sheet without extending into a tab portion. The reinforcement material extends beyond overlapping regions of the headlap portion and the underlay sheet such that a portion of a reinforced nail zone is disposed on a single-layer portion of the shingle. A second granular material is secured to the headlap portion of the overlay sheet along the longitudinal axis of the reinforced nail zone, with the second granular material providing a thinner cross-section than the first granular material to define a depressed surface extending along said longitudinal axis of the shingle.

Disclosed herein are methods for producing an ultra-dense and ultra-smooth ceramic coating. A method includes feeding a slurry of ceramic particles into a plasma sprayer. The plasma sprayer generates a stream of particles directed toward the substrate, forming a ceramic coating on the substrate upon contact.