A seed or seedling is coated with underivatized guar, cationic hydroxypropyl guar, polyacrylamide, poly(methacrylic acid), poly(acrylic acid), polyacrylate, poly(ethylene glycol), polyethyleneoxide, poly(vinyl alcohol), polyglycerol, polytetrahydrofuran, polyamide, hydroxypropyl guar, carboxymethyl guar, carboxymethylhydroxypropyl guar, underivatized starch, cationic starch, corn starch, wheat starch, rice starch, potato starch, tapioca, waxy maize, sorghum, waxy sarghum, sago, dextrin, chitin, chitosan, xanthan gum, carageenan gum, gum karaya, gum arabic, pectin, cellulose, hydroxycellulose, hydroxyalkyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl cellulose, carboxymethylhydroxyethyl cellulose, or hydroxypropyl cellulose, the coated seed or seedling having a shelf-life at room temperature in ambient conditions in an unsealed container to at least two months.

Disclosed are an oxygen barrier film, a food wrapper including the same, and a method of preparing the oxygen barrier film. The oxygen barrier film may include: a base layer; and an organic/inorganic hybrid layer located on the base layer and including a natural hydrogel and a silane coupling agent.

Disclosed is a method for the use, as fire-retardant, of an aqueous composition including chitosan and at least one mineral filler, the inorganic filler being for example chosen from the group of mineral fillers in laminae, in particular chosen from the group consisting of talc, montmorillonite, saponite, sepiolite, bentonite, smectite, hectorite, kaolinite, halloysite and mica, and mixtures thereof.

Disclosed is a method for the use, as fire-retardant, of an aqueous composition including chitosan and at least one mineral filler, the inorganic filler being for example chosen from the group of mineral fillers in laminae, in particular chosen from the group consisting of talc, montmorillonite, saponite, sepiolite, bentonite, smectite, hectorite, kaolinite, halloysite and mica, and mixtures thereof.

Metal nanowires with uniform noble metal coatings are described. Two methods, galvanic exchange and direct deposition, are disclosed for the successful formation of the uniform noble metal coatings. Both the galvanic exchange reaction and the direct deposition method benefit from the inclusion of appropriately strong binding ligands to control or mediate the coating process to provide for the formation of a uniform coating. The noble metal coated nanowires are effective for the production of stable transparent conductive films, which may comprise a fused metal nanostructured network.

Antimicrobial agents and corrosion inhibitors are widely used as biocides in the oil and gas industry to disinfect the water and inhibit excessive biofilm formation and microbial induced corrosion (MIC) caused mainly by sulfate reducing bacteria (SRB). However, traditional biocides may induce bacterial resistance and/or be detrimental to environment by forming harmful disinfection byproducts. A chitosan-based nanocomposite is successfully implemented as a novel green biocide for treatment of water, the inhibition of sulfate reducing bacteria (SRB) and reduction of biocorrosion on SS400 carbon steel.

Embodiments of the technology relate to a contact lens having a core that is covalently coated by a hydrogel layer, and to methods of making such a lens. In one aspect, embodiments provide for a coated contact lens comprising a lens core comprising an outer surface; and a hydrogel layer covalently attached to at least a portion of the outer surface, the hydrogel layer adapted to contact an ophthalmic surface, wherein the hydrogel layer comprises a hydrophilic polymer population having a first PEG species and a second PEG species, the first PEG species being at least partially cross-linked to the second PEG species.

Embodiments of the technology relate to a contact lens having a core that is covalently coated by a hydrogel layer, and to methods of making such a lens. In one aspect, embodiments provide for a coated contact lens comprising a lens core comprising an outer surface; and a hydrogel layer covalently attached to at least a portion of the outer surface, the hydrogel layer adapted to contact an ophthalmic surface, wherein the hydrogel layer comprises a hydrophilic polymer population having a first PEG species and a second PEG species, the first PEG species being at least partially cross-linked to the second PEG species.

A hydrophilic coating composition and a hydrophilic coating method using the same are disclosed. The hydrophilic coating composition can include a first coating solution, a second coating solution, and a crosslinking agent. The first coating solution includes a polyurethane-based compound, and the second coating solution includes a polysaccharide. The coating composition can provide a coating that is strongly hydrophilic, highly biocompatible, thin, and flexible. Thus, when the coating composition is applied to an invasive medical device, lubricity can be greatly increased, thereby preventing damage to the human body, such as injury, tissue abrasion and the like.

A hydrophilic coating composition and a hydrophilic coating method using the same are disclosed. The hydrophilic coating composition can include a first coating solution, a second coating solution, and a crosslinking agent. The first coating solution includes a polyurethane-based compound, and the second coating solution includes a polysaccharide. The coating composition can provide a coating that is strongly hydrophilic, highly biocompatible, thin, and flexible. Thus, when the coating composition is applied to an invasive medical device, lubricity can be greatly increased, thereby preventing damage to the human body, such as injury, tissue abrasion and the like.