This disclosure describes micro-, sub-micron, and nano-cellular polymer foams formed from siloxane containing (co)polymers and blends, and systems and methods of formation thereof. The micro, sub-micron, and nano-cellular polymer foam has a density of less than or equal to 300 kg/m.sup.3.

A method of modifying substrate surface includes: performing an O.sub.2 plasma treatment on a substrate including polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS); coating hydrophilic UV curing coating uniformly on the substrate; disposing the substrate into an oxygen-free environment; and exposing to an UV light to cure the hydrophilic UV curing coating. The method of modifying substrate surface may greatly enhance the hydrophilicity and the stability of the PDMS substrate.

This invention relates to materials and to films comprising molecular photoswitches. The films exhibit excellent photoswitchable properties in the dry state. This invention is also related to processes of making the materials and the films and to uses of the films. The invention also relates to devices and systems comprising the films of this invention.

The present invention describes various methods for manufacturing gel composite sheets using segmented fiber or foam reinforcements and gel precursors. Additionally, rigid panels manufactured from the resulting gel composites are also described. The gel composites are relatively flexible enough to be wound and when unwound, can be stretched flat and made into rigid panels using adhesives.

In an embodiment a granular cover and/or filling material includes a plurality of particles, wherein each particle consists of a matrix material in which at least one filler particle is incorporated, and wherein each filler particle comprises titanium dioxide and a coating material.

A lightweight ablator formulation has been developed which offers superior thermal performance compared to current state of the art ablator formulations. The lightweight ablator formulations described herein typically include at least one endothermically decomposing (energy absorbing) material with a fluxing agent resulting in significantly reduced backface temperature response and a more stable surface. According to one implementation the ablator composition comprises about 30 to about 70 percent by weight of a base silicone resin, about 25 to about 67 percent by weight of a low-density filler, about 3 to about 7 percent by weight of a curing agent and greater than 0 and up to about 10 percent by weight of a boron-containing compound.

The object of the present invention is to attain both water/oil repellency and hardness. The transparent film of the present invention comprises: a polysiloxane backbone; and a first hydrocarbon chain-containing group bonded to a part of silicon atoms forcing the polysiloxane backbone, wherein the thickness of the transparent film is not less than 6 nm and not more than 50 nm.

A material comprising a silicone, wherein a polymer is arranged on the surface of the silicone, the polymer is characterized by a higher wear resistance than the silicone, and the polymer is attached to the surface of the silicone by non-covalent bonds.

To provide a surface treatment liquid capable of making a base material including polyorganosiloxane on at least a part of a surface thereof hydrophilic stably over a long period of time, and provide a surface treatment method using the surface treatment liquid. In a surface treatment liquid including (A) resin and a (B) solvent, as the (A) resin, resin having a functional group I that is a hydroxyl group and/or a cyano group is used, and a functional group II that is a hydrophilic group other than the functional group I, and a ratio of a structural unit having an anionic group to total structural units of the (A) resin is 5 mol % or less, or resin including a cationic group including an anion moiety and a cation moiety that can be bonded to the (A) resin is used.

The present invention relates to silicone hydrogels exhibiting desired combinations of physical and mechanical properties, formed from a reactive monomer mixture comprising at least one N-alkyl methacrylamide, and at least one silicone-containing component. These silicone hydrogels may also contain hydrophilic components, crosslinking agents and toughening monomers. These silicone hydrogels are useful in preparing biomedical devices, ophthalmic lenses, and contact lenses.