The invention relates to a method of making hybrid organic-inorganic core-shell nano-particles, comprising the steps of a) providing colloidal organic particles comprising a synthetic polyampholyte as a template; b) adding at least one inorganic oxide precursor; and c) forming a shell layer from the precursor on the template to result in core-shell nano-particles. With this method it is possible to make colloidal organic template particles having an average particle size in the range of 10 to 300 nm; which size can be controlled by the comonomer composition of the polyampholyte, and/or by selecting dispersion conditions.

The invention also relates to organic-inorganic or hollow-inorganic core-shell nano-particles obtained with this method, to compositions comprising such nano-particles, to different uses of said nano-particles and compositions, and to products comprising or made from said nano-particles and compositions, including anti-reflective coatings and composite materials.

Disclosed herein are surface-modified membranes and other surface-modified substrates exhibiting switchable oleophobicity and oleophilicity in aqueous media. These membranes and substrates may be used for variety of applications, including controllable oil/water separation processes, oil spill cleanup, and oil/water purification. Also provided are the making and processing of such surface-modified membranes and other surface-modified substrates.

Release liners and methods protect one or more adhesives, wherein the release liners and/or methods comprise at least one abhesive release layer and at least one layer of a getter material capable of sorbing at least one permeable substance, wherein the getter material is at least one substance selected from the group consisting of lithium, beryllium, boron, sodium, magnesium, potassium, calcium, manganese, iron, nickel, zinc, gallium, germanium, cadmium, indium, caesium, barium, boron oxide, calcium oxide, chromium oxide, manganese oxide, iron oxide, copper oxide, silver oxide, indium oxide, barium oxide, lead oxide and mixtures of two or more of the above substances

A ceramic article includes a ceramic matrix composite that has a porous reinforcement structure and a ceramic matrix within pores of the porous reinforcement structure. The ceramic matrix composite includes a surface zone and a glaze material within pores of the surface zone and on an exterior side of the surface zone as an exterior glaze layer.

A sol-gel method for forming durable, scratch-resistant coatings on glass substrates. Zirconia coatings, for example, are formed from a solution of zirconium oxychloride octahydrate in an organic, polar, aprotic solvent such as dimethylformamide. Annealed coatings, which optionally include an additive such as graphene, have a low coefficient of friction and can exhibit high hardness and hydrophobicity.

In the case of a liner for the protection of adhesives, the protective effect is to be enhanced in respect of permeates originating from the environment and also permeates included during winding or stacking and other processing steps. This enhancement is accomplished through provision of a liner which comprises at least one adhesive release layer and at least one layer of a getter material capable of sorbing at least one permeable substance.

Disclosed herein are surface-modified membranes and other surface-modified substrates exhibiting switchable oleophobicity and oleophilicity in aqueous media. These membranes and substrates may be used for variety of applications, including controllable oil/water separation processes, oil spill cleanup, and oil/water purification. Also provided are the making and processing of such surface-modified membranes and other surface-modified substrates.

Provided is a nanoporous cantilever including a substrate in a shape of a plate, a tip formed at a front end of the substrate, and a nanoporous structure formed on the tip. Due to the nanoporous structure including nanopores and nanochannels formed on the tip, the nanoporous cantilever greatly increases in detection sensitivity for a material to be detected when compared to a cantilever according to a related art, and may obtain a surface-enhanced Raman signal and thus achieve discrimination of a molecule to be detected.

A method for fabricating a ceramic material includes providing a mobilized filler material capable of infiltrating a porous ceramic matrix composite. The mobilized filler material includes at least one of a ceramic material and a free metal. The mobilized filler material is infiltrated into pores of the porous ceramic matrix composite. The mobilized filler material is then immobilized within the pores of the porous ceramic matrix composite.

The invention relates to a method for obtaining a magnesium fluoride (MgF.sub.2) sol solution, comprising the steps of providing a magnesium alkoxide precursor in a non-aqueous solvent and adding 1.85 to 2.05 molar equivalents of non-aqueous hydrofluoric acid to said magnesium precursor, characterized in that the reaction proceeds in the presence of carbon dioxide. The invention further relates to sol solutions, method of applying the sol solutions of the invention to surfaces as a coating, and to antireflective coatings obtained thereby.