A coating that can be easily applied, clear, well-bonded, and superhydrophobic is disclosed. In one aspect, an article comprises a coating layer, the coating layer having an inward surface and an opposing outward surface, the inward surface disposed adjacent a substrate surface. The coating layer comprises a hydrophobic fluorinated polymer and a plurality of nanoparticles. The plurality of nanoparticles includes nanoparticles on the outward surface of the coating layer.

A fouling-proof structure is applicable to synthetic leather or fabric and it includes an alcohol-resistant layer; and a water-based fouling-proof layer disposed on the alcohol-resistant layer, wherein the alcohol-resistant layer is formed by curing an alcohol-resistant combination, and the alcohol-resistant combination comprises polyurethane resin, wherein the water-based fouling-proof layer is formed by curing a water-based fouling-proof combination, and the water-based fouling-proof combination comprises polyurethane resin, water, polymerized siloxanes, water-based PTFE and silicone oil.

A complex of beta-cyclodextrin and graphene (CD-G) and a method of use of the complex in corrosion protection of the metal surfaces exposed to high saline concentrations. Composite laminates comprise CD-G, zinc (optionally magnesium) powder embedded in a resin matrix and adjacent to the metal, followed by polyurethane comprising a polymeric zinc chelator, followed by a hermetic sealant layer and finally by a hydrophobic self-cleaning fouling release layer as a topcoat. Optional managed stress of the laminated layers by temperature swings and mechanical vibration ensures resolution of local strain at the formative stage and not during functioning, producing defects that are healed during deposition of the next layer. More than 99% of the zinc and other toxic ions extracted from the metal and coating are intercepted by the selective chelator layer insulated under the sealer and fouling-release layers.

A method for producing an article including a substrate and a surface-treating layer formed from a surface-treating agent containing a fluorine-containing silane compound formed thereon, the method including: simultaneously depositing Si and another metal on the substrate to form an intermediate layer containing a composite oxide containing Si; and forming a surface-treating layer directly on the intermediate layer, wherein, the fluorine-containing silane compound is at least one fluoropolyether group-containing compound represented by the following formula (1) or (2):

R.sup.F1.sub.α—X.sup.A—R.sup.Si.sub.β  (1)

R.sup.Si.sub.γ—X.sup.A—R.sup.F2—X.sup.A—R.sup.Si.sub.γ  (2)

where R.sup.F1, R.sup.F2, R.sup.Si, X.sup.A, α, β and γ are as defined herein.

To provide an antifouling layer-provided transparent substrate, which is excellent in antiglare and antifouling properties, especially in removability of a creamy product such as hand cream. An antifouling layer-provided transparent substrate, containing a transparent substrate and an antifouling layer provided as the top surface layer on one main surface of the transparent substrate, where the antifouling layer has a divalent group represented by —(OCF.sub.2).sub.v(OCF.sub.2CF.sub.2).sub.w— (where v and w are each independently an integer of at least 1), and the surface of the antifouling layer is such that the mean width RSm of the elements and the arithmetical mean roughness Ra satisfy RSm≥Ra×100+5.

This water-repellent, oil-repellent member is obtained via, inter alia, a method having: a step for wet-coating a substrate surface with a solution that contains a solvent and an organosilicon compound comprising multiple silanol groups in the molecule; a step for drying the solvent to form and laminate a primer layer on the substrate surface; a step for wet-coating the outer surface of the primer layer with a solution containing a hydrolyzable fluorine-containing compound and a solvent, and subsequently drying the solvent, or dry-coating the outer surface of the primer layer with a hydrolyzable fluorine-containing compound obtained by evaporating the solvent from the solution; and a step for curing the hydrolyzable fluorine-containing compound to form and laminate a water-repellent, oil-repellent layer on the outer surface of the primer layer. The water-repellent, oil-repellent member is obtained by providing, on various substrates: a primer layer of a specific thickness that contains, as a main component, an organosilicon compound having multiple silanol groups in the molecule; and, on the outer surface of the primer layer, a water-repellent, oil-repellent layer of a specific thickness that contains, as a main component, the cured hydrolyzable fluorine-containing compound. The water-repellent, oil-repellent member makes it possible for a water-repellent, oil-repellent coating exhibiting superior abrasion resistance and antistatic properties to be stably and straightforwardly formed on various substrates.

The disclosure relates to a method of applying a coating to an external surface of a man-made object to be at least partly immersed in water (e.g. a vessel or an offshore drilling station) for a time period wherein there is relative movement between the immersed object and the water. The applied coating has a minimal resistance rating for a set of coatings. The method comprises a computer-implemented coating selection process, which comprises a first steps of obtaining, for each coating in the set of coatings, a total roughness value of the external surface based on a fouling roughness value, a macro roughness value and a micro roughness value associated with each coating. The coating selection process comprises in a second step selecting a coating from the set of coatings, wherein the selected coating has a minimal resistance rating associated with the obtained total roughness value for the time period. The method further comprises applying the selected coating to the external surface of the man-made object.

The present invention belongs to the field of super-hydrophobic surface technology, and discloses a durable hydrophilic-super-hydrophobic bipolar self-cleaning composite film and a preparation method therefor. The preparation method is as follows: adding an epoxy silane coupling agent into an organic solvent; after stirring and mixing well, adding an amine curing agent and distilled water to the mixture; stirring and adding micron-sized solid particles and hydrophobic nano silicon dioxide particles; continuing stirring to obtain a hydrophilic layer solution; adding a hydrophobic modifier and a hydrophilic nano silicon dioxide particles into the solvent to obtain a hydrophobic layer solution; coating a pretreated substrate surface with the hydrophilic layer solution, and performing heating treatment at 60° C. to 80° C. for 10-50 min; then coating the surface with the hydrophobic layer solution, and performing heating treatment at 100° C. to 140° C. for 50-90 min to obtain the durable hydrophilic-super-hydrophobic bipolar self-cleaning composite film. The preparation method of the present invention is simple, and the super-hydrophobic surface of the obtained composite film has strong mechanical durability and a good industrial application prospect.

The present disclosure describes a strategy to create self-healing, slippery liquid-infused porous surfaces. Roughened (e.g., porous) surfaces can be utilized to lock in place a lubricating fluid, referred to herein as Liquid B to repel a wide range of materials, referred to herein as Object A (Solid A or Liquid A). Slippery liquid-infused porous surfaces outperforms other conventional surfaces in its capability to repel various simple and complex liquids (water, hydrocarbons, crude oil and blood), maintain low-contact-angle hysteresis (<2.5°), quickly restore liquid-repellency after physical damage (within 0.1-1 s), resist ice, microorganisms and insects adhesion, and function at high pressures (up to at least 690 atm). Some exemplary application where slippery liquid-infused porous surfaces will be useful include energy-efficient fluid handling and transportation, optical sensing, medicine, and as self-cleaning, and anti-fouling materials operating in extreme environments.

In certain embodiments, the invention is directed to apparatus comprising a liquid-impregnated surface, said surface comprising an impregnating liquid and a matrix of solid features spaced sufficiently close to stably contain the impregnating liquid therebetween or therewithin, and methods thereof. In some embodiments, one or both of the following holds: (i) 0<ϕ≤0.25, where ϕ is a representative fraction of the projected surface area of the liquid-impregnated surface corresponding to non-submerged solid at equilibrium; and (ii) S.sub.ow(a)<0, where S.sub.ow(a) is spreading coefficient, defined as γ.sub.wa−γ.sub.wo−γ.sub.oa, where γ is the interfacial tension between the two phases designated by subscripts w, a, and o, where w is water, a is air, and o is the impregnating liquid.