A graded-index optical element may include a nanovoided material including a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface. The nanovoided material may be transparent between the first surface and the second surface. Additionally, the nanovoided material may have a predefined change in effective refractive index in at least one axis due to a change in at least one of nanovoid size or nanovoid distribution along the at least one axis. Various other elements, devices, systems, materials, and methods are also disclosed.

A nanovoided polymer-based material may include a bulk polymer material defining a plurality of nanovoids and an interfacial film disposed at an interface between each of the plurality of nanovoids and the bulk polymer material. The interfacial film may include one or more layers of material. A method of forming a nanovoided polymer-based material may include (1) forming a bulk polymer material defining a plurality of nanovoids and (2) forming an interfacial film at an interface between each of the plurality of nanovoids and the bulk polymer material. Various other methods, systems, and materials are also disclosed.

Provided is a method for coating an implant using heat, and more particularly to a method for coating only the surface of an implant with a biocompatible polymer by using heat while maintaining physical characteristics of the implant.

The method for coating an implant using heat according to the present invention may effectively introduce a biocompatible polymer onto a three-dimensional material surface and thus may overcome the spatial limitations of light, and enables mass-coating and thus may be effectively used in the manufacture of an implant coated with a biocompatible polymer.

Methods and associated systems for preparing a nano-protective coating are disclosed. The method includes (1) placing a substrate in a reaction chamber of a nano-coating preparation equipment; (2) introducing an inert gas, wherein the inert gas includes helium (He) and/or argon (Ar); (3) turning on a movement mechanism so that the substrate is moved in the reaction chamber; (4) introducing a first monomer vapor into the reaction chamber to achieve a vacuum degree of 30-300 mTorr; (5) turning on a plasma discharge for chemical vapor deposition; and (6) introducing a second monomer vapor into the reaction chamber to form an organosilicon nano-coating on a surface of the substrate.

In some examples, a method includes forming a material layer on a substrate, partially polymerizing a component of the material layer, to form fluid-filled droplets within a partially polymerized matrix, deforming the material layer to form anisotropic fluid-filled droplets, and further polymerizing the partially polymerized matrix to form an anisotropic voided polymer, including anisotropic voids in a polymer matrix. The anisotropic voids may include anisotropic nanovoids. Example methods may further include depositing electrodes on the anisotropic voided polymer so that at least a portion of the anisotropic voided polymer is located between the electrodes. Examples may include forming electroactive elements including an anisotropic nanovoided polymer, and devices (such as sensors and/or actuators) including electroactive elements.

In some examples, a device includes a multilayer structure, a first electrode, and a second electrode, where the multilayer structure is located at least in part between the first electrode and the second electrode, and the multilayer structure includes a nanovoided polymer layer, and a solid layer. The solid layer may include a non-nanovoided layer. The nanovoided polymer layer may be an electroactive layer. The device may further include a control circuit configured to apply an electrical potential between the first electrode and the second electrode, which may induce a mechanical deformation of the multilayer.

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.

A method of manufacturing a window includes aging a window substrate for 48 hours to 72 hours, subjecting the aged window substrate to a plasma, and forming an anti-fingerprint layer on the plasma-treated window substrate.

A method of manufacturing a window includes aging a window substrate for 48 hours to 72 hours, subjecting the aged window substrate to a plasma, and forming an anti-fingerprint layer on the plasma-treated window substrate.

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a method of manufacturing a metal column using 3D printing technology. The method of manufacturing a metal column includes steps of: creasing a 3D-CAD design for printing the metal column; printing the metal column; pretreating the inner surface of a channel inside the metal column at low temperature; and coating the inner surface of the channel with a stationary phase so that the metal column is capable of separating a gas mixture into components.