The present invention relates to silica aerogels with a high to very high loading (55-90% w/w) of encapsulated biocidal and/or biorepellant compounds and very low thermal conductivity and to methods of making and using such aerogels in anti-fouling compositions, which are especially suitable for coatings (marine paints, coatings, sealants, lacquers, wood protection or similar controlled leaching systems) that are naturally exposed to humid conditions and/or water, including sea water, and thus prone to fouling.

The present invention addresses the problem of providing a super-liquid-repellent coating film that has improved abrasion resistance. Provided as a means for solving the problem is a coating film that has a fluorine atom content of 1 to 60 wt %, the coating film having a surface that has an average surface roughness Ra of 0.5 to 20, a surface area ratio of 1.7 to 5, a contact angle with water of 150° or more, a contact angle with n-hexadecane of 80° or more, and a surface that has a contact angle with water of 150° or more after being rubbed 100 times with a PET film under a load of 100 g.

An antifouling article including a base material, a diamond-like carbon layer and an antifouling coating layer formed of a surface-treating agent on the diamond-like carbon layer. The surface-treating agent includes a group having a carbon-carbon unsaturated bond, a group having a carbon-nitrogen unsaturated bond, or a leaving group.

An antifouling article including a base material, a diamond-like carbon layer and an antifouling coating layer formed of a surface-treating agent on the diamond-like carbon layer. The surface-treating agent includes a group having a carbon-carbon unsaturated bond, a group having a carbon-nitrogen unsaturated bond, or a leaving group.

A water based paint that can be used to form a superhydrophobic coating includes a fluorinated particulate filler, a water soluble or water suspendable resin, and an aqueous solvent. The superhydrophobic paint can be applied to a surface where the loss of the solvent results in a superhydrophobic coating.

This invention relates to polymer-based partially-open, hollow reservoirs in the nano-size to micro-size range that encapsulate an additive, which can be released from the reservoirs using specific event stimuli such as reduction-oxidation and voltage change, or at will, using the same stimuli. This invention also relates to method preparing such reservoirs, and for releasing the additive. This invention further relates to matrix that comprises such reservoirs and the method of preparing such matrix. This invention also relates to applications, for example in corrosion inhibition, lubrication, and adhesion, that benefit from using such a controlled release of an additive.

This invention refers to a paint composition with prolonged release biocides to repel, reduce, and control insects, characterized by: a) A cbp vehicle, preferably a water-based acrylic vinyl paint; b) At least one pyrethroid biocide or its mixture, selected from: b1) microencapsulated deltamethrin as an active ingredient: b2) microencapsulated cypermethrin as an active ingredient; Where said pyrethroid biocides are activated or catalyzed through (PBO) piperonyl butoxide, and Wherein said microcapsules of the active ingredients are obtained through a microencapsulation process by interfacial polymerization, and/or a microencapsulation by ionic gelation process, for a prolonged release with regards to the biocidal active ingredients' interval.

A method of forming a hydrophobic and oleophobic surface. The method including spin coating an F-POSS with 3,3-dichloro-1,1,1,2,2,-pentafluoropropane/1,3-dichloro-1,1,2,2,3-pentafluoropropane onto an inert surface. The F-POSS has a structure:

##STR00001##

Each R.sub.f represents a nonreactive, fluorinated organic group, R.sub.1 represents a first monovalent organic group comprising at least two carbon atoms, and R.sub.2 represents hydrogen or a second monovalent organic group comprising at least two carbon atoms. The F-POSS with 3,3-dichloro-1,1,1,2,2,-pentafluoropropane/1,3-dichloro-1,1,2,2,3-pentafluoropropane are then dried on the inert surface.

The present invention provides a method of treating a surface of a substrate, the method comprising: a) growing a microbe on the surface of the substrate to be treated to form a layer of microbial structures, wherein the microbe is selected from fungi, algae, lichens and any combination thereof; and b) coating the microbial structures to form a first coating thereon, wherein the first coating has a thickness of no more than 1 μm. The present invention also provides an article comprising a layer of microbial structures, optionally made by using the method of the present invention.

The present invention provides a method of treating a surface of a substrate, the method comprising: a) growing a microbe on the surface of the substrate to be treated to form a layer of microbial structures, wherein the microbe is selected from fungi, algae, lichens and any combination thereof; and b) coating the microbial structures to form a first coating thereon, wherein the first coating has a thickness of no more than 1 μm. The present invention also provides an article comprising a layer of microbial structures, optionally made by using the method of the present invention.