To provide a water/oil repellent layer-provided substrate having a water/oil repellent layer excellent in abrasion resistance, a deposition material and a method for producing a water/oil repellent layer-provided substrate.

The water/oil repellent layer-provided substrate of the present invention is a water/oil repellent layer-provided substrate comprising a substrate, an undercoat layer and a water/oil repellent layer in this order, wherein the water/oil repellent layer comprises a condensate of a fluorinated compound having a reactive silyl group, the undercoat layer contains an oxide containing silicon and an alkaline earth metal element, and the ratio of the molar concentration of the alkaline earth metal element in the undercoat layer to the molar concentration of silicon in the undercoat layer is from 0.005 to 5.

A hard coat-equipped polyimide film has a hard coat layer (2) on a principal surface of a transparent polyimide film (1). A hard coat composition for polyimide film contains a siloxane compound having an alicyclic epoxy group. The hard coat composition may contain fine particles. The hard coat-equipped polyimide fin is obtained by coating the hard coat composition on a principal surface of a transparent polyimide film and curing the hard coat composition by applying an active energy ray.

Example methods include depositing a precursor layer onto a substrate where the precursor layer includes droplets comprising a polymerizable material, inducing a phase inversion in the precursor layer to obtain a modified precursor layer including droplets of a non-polymerizable liquid within a polymerizable liquid mixture, and polymerizing the polymerizable liquid mixture to obtain a nanovoided polymer element. Examples include devices fabricated using nanovoided polymer elements fabricated using such methods, including electroactive devices such as actuators and sensors.

An optical element includes a nanovoided polymer layer having a first refractive index in an unactuated state and a second refractive index different than the first refractive index in an actuated state. Compression or expansion of the nanovoided polymer layer, for instance, can be used to reversibly control the size and shape of the nanovoids within the polymer layer and hence tune its refractive index over a range of values, e.g., during operation of the optical element. Various other apparatuses, systems, materials, and methods are also disclosed.

A rational design and fabrication of ZnO/Al.sub.2O.sub.3 core-shell nanowire architectures with tunable geometries (length, spacing, branching) and surface chemistry is provided. The fabricated nanowires significantly delay or even prevent marine biofouling. In some embodiments, hydrophilic nanowires can reduce the fouling coverage by up to approximately 60% after 20 days compared to planar control surfaces. The mechanism of the fouling reduction is mainly due to two geometric effects: reduced effective settlement area and mechanical cell penetration. Further, superhydrophobic nanowires can completely prevent marine algal fouling for up to 22 days. Additionally, the developed nanowire surfaces are transparent across the visible spectrum, making them applicable to windows and oceanographic sensors.

Disclosed are silicon and carbon containing film forming compositions comprising a polycarbosilazane polymer or oligomer formulation that consists of silazane-bridged carbosilane monomers, the carbosilane containing at least two —SiH.sub.2— moieties, either as terminal groups (—SiH.sub.3R) or embedded in a carbosilane cyclic compound, wherein R is H, a C.sub.1-C.sub.6 linear, branched, or cyclic alkyl- group, a C.sub.1-C.sub.6 linear, branched, or cyclic alkenyl- group, or combination thereof. Also disclosed are methods of forming a silicon and carbon containing film comprising forming a solution comprising a polycarbosilazane polymer or oligomer formulation and contacting the solution with the substrate via a spin-on coating, spray coating, dip coating, or slit coating technique to form the silicon and carbon containing film.

A surface treatment formulation configured to inhibit scaling or climbing of a surface is provided. The surface treatment formulation may include a base binding material configured to adhere to the surface and a filler material embedded in the base binding material. The filler material may include a dry lubricant having a layered lamellar structure or low inter filler interaction. Furthermore, the surface treatment formulation may be configured to be activated in order to expose the filler material thereby causing formation of a slippery surface to inhibit the scaling or climbing of the surface.

A display device includes a scanned projector for projecting a beam of light, and a diffraction grating for dispersing the light at a plurality of angles into a waveguide, wherein at least a portion of the diffraction grating includes a nanovoided polymer. Manipulation of the nanovoid topology, such as through capacitive actuation, can be used to reversibly control the effective refractive index of the nanovoided polymer and hence the grating efficiency. The switchable grating can be used to control the amount of diffraction of an incident beam of light through the grating thereby decreasing optical loss. Various other methods, systems, apparatuses, and materials are also disclosed.

A flame deposition method is disclosed for forming hydrophobic nanotextured surfaces with improved adhesion and durability for long-term use. The method according to present disclosure can produce nanotextured surfaces with contact angles greater than 140°. Coatings thus prepared exhibit enhanced durability, maintaining water contact angles of greater than 120° after approximately 200,000 abrasion cycles using a cloth wipe resistance test.

In some examples, a device includes a nanovoided polymer element, a planarization layer disposed on a surface of the nanovoided polymer element, a first electrode disposed on the planarization layer, and a second electrode. The nanovoided polymer element may be located at least in part between the first electrode and the second electrode. The planarization layer may be located between the nanovoided polymer element and the first electrode.