The present invention relates to a continuous roll-to-roll process for improving the water tolerance of bio-based polymers, in particular cellulose nanofibrils (CNF) films. Furthermore, the invention provides a method, which combines surface modification/functionalization for improving water stability and wet strength, UV/Ozone treatment, corona treatment or plasma activation for purifying and activating the surface and thus increasing the reaction efficiency, and further hydrophobization of the surface of CNF film.

A substrate surface may be modified with a polymer coating to render the surface suitable for plasma functionalization. The polymer coating is deposited onto the surface at ambient temperature to a thickness of less than 0.1 μm. The polymer coating includes poly(p-xylylene) or a derivative thereof, and is capable of penetrating into pores of a porous substrate while no substantially altering the porosity of the substrate. The coated substrate is selected from a material lacking a primary or secondary aliphatic hydrogen atom.

A method including providing a substrate having a surface, the surface is hydroxylated and exposing the hydroxylated surface of the substrate to a PDMS oligomer. The PDMS oligomer has a formula of: R.sub.1—Si(CH.sub.3).sub.2—(O—Si(CH.sub.3).sub.2—).sub.n—O—Si(CH.sub.3).sub.2—R.sub.2 where at least one of R.sub.1 or R.sub.2 includes: —(CH.sub.2).sub.m—R.sub.3, R.sub.3=one of —Cl, —O—(CH.sub.2).sub.xH, —SiCl.sub.3, or —Si(O—(CH.sub.2).sub.xH).sub.3, x=0 to 10, m=0 to 10, n=10 to 500. R.sub.3 undergoes hydrolysis such that one terminal Si atom of the PDMS oligomer is covalently bonded to the hydroxylated surface by a condensation reaction to form a grafted layer of PDMS polymers on the surface. An article including a substrate having a surface with a grafted layer of PDMS polymers thereon, each of the PDMS polymers have a formula of: -Q.sub.1-Si(CH.sub.3).sub.2—(O—Si(CH.sub.3).sub.2—).sub.n—O—Si(CH.sub.3).sub.2-Q2 where Q.sub.1=—O— or —O—(CH.sub.2).sub.m—O—, Q.sub.2=-(-Q.sub.1-Si(CH.sub.3).sub.2—(O—Si(CH.sub.3).sub.2—).sub.n—O—Si(CH.sub.3).sub.2—).sub.p-Q.sub.3, Q.sub.3=—OH, —(CH.sub.2).sub.m—OH, —Si(OH).sub.3, or —(CH.sub.2).sub.m—Si(OH).sub.3, m=0 to 10, n=10 to 500, p=0 to 500, Q.sub.1=end of the PDMS polymer covalently bonded to the surface.

A method for selectively modifying a base material surface, includes applying a composition on a surface of a base material to form a coating film. The coating film is heated. The base material includes a surface layer which includes a first region including silicon. The composition includes a first polymer and a solvent. The first polymer includes at an end of a main chain or a side chain thereof, a group including a first functional group capable of forming a bond with the silicon. The first region preferably contains a silicon oxide, a silicon nitride, or a silicon oxynitride. The base material preferably further includes a second region that is other than the first region and that contains a metal; and the method preferably further includes, after the heating, removing with a rinse agent a portion formed on the second region, of the coating film.

The invention relates to a lubricant coating (5) for a medical injection device (1), comprising successively: —a bottom layer (50) in contact with the medical device surface (21) of the container to be lubricated, comprising a mixture of cross-linked and non-cross-linked poly-(dimethylsiloxane), —an intermediate layer (51) consisting essentially of oxidized poly-(dimethylsiloxane) and having a thickness comprised between 10 and 30 nm and, —a top layer (52) consisting essentially of non-cross-linked poly-(dimethylsiloxane) and having a thickness of at most 2 nm. The invention also relates to a medical injection device comprising such a lubricant coating, and a manufacturing process for said coating.

A cavity (4) for a cooking appliance (2), in particular an oven cavity (4) for a domestic oven, comprising at least one cavity wall (8a, 8b, 8c, 8d) defining a cooking chamber (6) for cooking foodstuff and having an inner surface (10) facing towards the cooking chamber (6), a central opening for placing foodstuff into the cooking chamber (6), wherein the inner surface (10) is at least partially provided with a non-stick and/or non-wetting coating (16) comprising at least a first layer (18), wherein the first layer (18) is obtained by a sol-gel process from a first composition comprising a silica sol and a silane and/or wherein the cavity (4) further comprises a heat reflection shield system (26) having at least one heat reflection shield (28) to reduce the heat radiation produced by heating elements (30) being arranged within the cavity (4) against the non-stick and/or non-wetting coating (16). A cooking appliance (2), in particular a domestic oven comprising such a cavity (4) and a method for manufacturing such a cavity (4).

Methods of modifying medical devices and medical devices are disclosed. One embodiment of a method of modifying a medical device includes functionalizing a surface of the medical device using cold plasma. One embodiment of a medical device is obtained by a method of modifying a device that includes functionalizing a surface of the medical device using cold plasma.

A method of manufacturing a dew formation preventing member having a super water repellent surface of the present invention comprises the steps of: mixing a particular paint and polytetrafluorethylene at a predetermined ratio; particulate painting the mixed paint on a substrate surface; and heat treating the particulate painted substrate. A method of manufacturing a dew formation preventing member having a super water repellent surface according to another aspect of the present invention comprises the steps of: immersing a substrate in an electro deposition paint, and applying a direct current to conduct electro deposition painting; heat treating the substrate that has undergone the electro deposition painting; and plasma treating the surface of the substrate that has undergone the electro deposition painting.

In an embodiment a layer system includes an effective refractive index profile extending between a substrate-side surface and an interface with an ambient medium, wherein an effective refractive index of the layer system decreases on average from the substrate-side surface in a direction of the interface with the ambient medium, wherein the effective refractive index profile has at least two local minima, and wherein a local minimum closest to the interface with the ambient medium is spaced from the interface.

A method is provided to form a dust mitigation coating that also mitigates or repels water, ice, and other liquids. Techniques to coat the surfaces of equipment and items with these dust, liquid, and ice mitigation coatings, minimize or eliminate mission problems caused by dust, liquid, or ice accumulation, particularly in outer space or on another planetary body or moon. Further, the dust mitigation coatings exhibit a Lotus-like effect, making the coated surfaces ultra-hydrophobic. The present invention is also directed to techniques for improving the functioning of terrestrial-based equipment and systems where dust, liquid, or ice accumulation is a problem, such as in hospitals and other health contexts, to prevent contamination.