An apparatus is disclosed for coating a surface that is movable relative to the apparatus with a layer of metallic particles or particles having a metal-like appearance and reflectivity, the particles adhering more strongly to the surface than to one another. The apparatus comprises at least one spray head for directly or indirectly applying to the surface a fluid stream within which the particles are suspended, a housing surrounding the spray head(s) and defining an interior plenum for confining the fluid stream, the housing having a rim adjacent the surface that is configured to prevent egress of particles from a sealing gap defined between the rim of the housing and the surface to be coated, and a suction source connected to the housing to extract from the plenum the sprayed fluid and particles suspended in the sprayed fluid. In operation, the suction source extracts substantially all particles that are not in direct contact with the surface, so as to leave only a substantially single particle layer adhering to the surface on exiting the apparatus.

An apparatus is disclosed for coating a surface that is movable relative to the apparatus with a layer of metallic particles or particles having a metal-like appearance and reflectivity, the particles adhering more strongly to the surface than to one another. The apparatus comprises at least one spray head for directly or indirectly applying to the surface a fluid stream within which the particles are suspended, a housing surrounding the spray head(s) and defining an interior plenum for confining the fluid stream, the housing having a rim adjacent the surface that is configured to prevent egress of particles from a sealing gap defined between the rim of the housing and the surface to be coated, and a suction source connected to the housing to extract from the plenum the sprayed fluid and particles suspended in the sprayed fluid. In operation, the suction source extracts substantially all particles that are not in direct contact with the surface, so as to leave only a substantially single particle layer adhering to the surface on exiting the apparatus.

An apparatus and methods for using coatings for metal applications are disclosed. According to one embodiment, an article comprises a cured polymeric film having a first reaction product of a cationic photoinitiator and a compound suitable for cationic polymerization. The article has a second reaction product of a free-radical photoinitiator and a compound suitable for free-radical polymerization; The article has a metal substrate, wherein the cured polymeric film coats the metal substrate.

A method to manufacture an article comprises applying an ink to a substrate. The ink includes a liquid vehicle, a plurality of solid metal particles, a plurality of gallium-containing particles, and a thermally activated flux. The method further comprises curing the ink by heating the substrate to within an activation temperature range of the flux. The article manufactured by this method comprises a substrate, an electronically conductive film arranged on the substrate, and an adherent barrier layer covering both the substrate and the film. The film includes a plurality of solid metal particles with a gallium-based liquid metal bridging the plurality of solid metal particles.

The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing structural layers for guiding liquid flow on a porous substrate, by printing onto at least one area of at least one surface of the substrate a printing solution containing an aqueous dispersion of a poly(lactic acid)-based copolymer.

A method for designing a printing plate for mounting on a printing cylinder. An optimal lateral seam path is defined between opposite lateral edges of the plate by applying an energy minimization function. Top and bottom edges of the plate are defined based upon the optimal lateral seam path, preferably with a variable gap therebetween, and the bottom edge is unwrapped from the top edge to define a closed cutting path. The area inside the closed cutting path is wrapped with artwork or portions thereof, and an updated digital graphics file stored. The energy minimization function may include a penalty function, overall seam path length, and seam path amplitude, with weighting factors. For artwork including staggered lanes of step and repeat one-up images, the optimal lateral seam path may extend across each lane through one-up images, steps between adjacent one-up images, or a combination thereof.

The present invention relates to a baking tray (20) or baking grid, in particular a baking tray (20) for a cooking appliance (1), having a non-stick and/or non-wetting coating (12) obtainable by a process characterised by the following steps, a) providing a baking tray (20) or baking grid having a surface, in particular having an upper surface (7a) and a bottom surface (7b), b) preferably, pretreating of the surface (7a, 7b) of the baking tray (20) or baking grid at least partially, in particular completely, for providing a surface having a roughness being suitable for applying a non-stick and/or non-wetting coating (12) by mechanical treatment, physical treatment or chemical treatment, in particular by sandblasting and/or laser treatment and/or a surface activation treatment, particularly a plasma treatment, and/or an enamelling process to form a ground layer (13), c) applying the non-stick and/or non-wetting coating (12) to the pretreated surface (7a, 7b) of the baking tray (20) or baking grid or a surface (14a) of the ground layer (13), wherein the non-stick and/or non-wetting coating (12) comprises at least one layer (17) that is obtained by a sol-gel process from a first composition comprising a silica sol and a silane. The invention further relates to a cooking appliance (1), in particular a domestic oven comprising such a baking tray (20) or baking grid and a method for manufacturing such a baking tray (20) or baking grid.

A coiled metal substrate with a faux galvanized surface appearance. The faux galvanized surface of the substrate including a spangle print pattern of polyvinylidene fluoride (PFDV) flexographically applied to the metal substrate. Atop the PFDV print pattern is semi-transparent coating of fluoroethylene vinyl ether (FEVE) flexographically applied atop the spangle print pattern of PFDV.

A coiled metal substrate with a faux galvanized surface appearance. The faux galvanized surface of the substrate including a spangle print pattern of polyvinylidene fluoride (PFDV) flexographically applied to the metal substrate. Atop the PFDV print pattern is semi-transparent coating of fluoroethylene vinyl ether (FEVE) flexographically applied atop the spangle print pattern of PFDV.

The present invention relates to a printed substrate comprising a first paper layer, the first paper layer comprising a first side and an opposing second side, the first side comprising a flexography print area and a non-print area, wherein the flexography print area has a color density no less than about 0.70 as measured according to Color Density Test disclosed herein, and wherein the non-print area has a roughness in the range of from about 3 μm to about 15 μm as measured according to Surface Roughness Test disclosed herein; a package for accommodating one or more articles comprising the printed substrate; and a method of making the printed substrate.