Abstract:
Surface covering components that include a topcoat layer with different gloss levels in various regions on the top coat layer, and methods of manufacturing such surface covering components, are disclosed. The surface covering components include a coating layer that includes regions that have a relatively higher gloss, and regions with a relatively lower gloss. The differential gloss is provided by coating a substrate with a UV-curable coating composition, subjecting a first region of the surface coating to polymerization under a first set of conditions, and subjecting a second region of the surface coating to polymerization under a second set of conditions. The UV-curable coating compositions include UV-curable components and one or more flatting agents. The different polymerization conditions involve applying various photoinitiators, thermal initiators and/or cure altering agents to some regions of the coated substrate, and not applying these components to other regions of the substrate. The components are applied in the form of a pattern. Regions in contact with these components are cured at different rates in one step or in different steps, for example, sequential UV and EB irradiation or UV irradiation at different wavelengths and/or exposure times. The resulting surface coverings and surface covering substrates have differential gloss in register with the printed and/or sprayed patterns.
Abstract:
A method of forming a thin film on a substrate to fabricate a microelectronic device, a microelectronic device comprising a thin film deposited according to the method, and a system comprising the microelectronic device. The thin film may include on of a low k thin film, a thin film comprising photoresist, and a sacrificial polymer. The method comprises dispersing a precursor preparation into a spray of charged droplets through subjecting the liquid precursor preparation to electrostatic forces; directing the charged droplets to move toward the substrate; and allowing the charged droplets to generate a beam of gas-phase ions as the charged droplets move toward the substrate. The method further includes directing the gas-phase ions to impinge upon the substrate to deposit the thin film thereon to yield a deposited thin film on the substrate.
Abstract:
A plasma is produced in a treatment space by diffusing a plasma gas at atmospheric pressure and subjecting it to an electric field created by two metallic electrodes separated by a dielectric material, a precursor material is mixed with the plasma, and a substrate film or web is coated by vapor deposition of the vaporized substance at atmospheric pressure in the plasma field. The deposited precursor is cured by electron-beam, infrared-light, visible-light, or ultraviolet-light radiation, as most appropriate for the particular material being-deposited. Plasma pre-treatment and post-treatment steps are used to enhance the properties of the resulting coated products. Similar results are obtained by atomizing and spraying the liquid precursor in the plasma field.
Abstract:
Apparatuses and processes for maskless deposition of electronic and biological materials. The process is capable of direct deposition of features with linewidths varying from the micron range up to a fraction of a millimeter, and may be used to deposit features on substrates with damage thresholds near 100° C. Deposition and subsequent processing may be carried out under ambient conditions, eliminating the need for a vacuum atmosphere. The process may also be performed in an inert gas environment. Deposition of and subsequent laser post processing produces linewidths as low as 1 micron, with sub-micron edge definition. The apparatus nozzle has a large working distance—the orifice to substrate distance may be several millimeters—and direct write onto non-planar surfaces is possible.
Abstract:
Admixtures either of a plastic and an elastomer, a plurality of thermoplastics, or a plurality of elastomers are formed into a shaped item for an article (such as a dynamic seal, a static seal, a gasket, a pump diaphragm, a hose, or an o-ring), and the thermoplastic is then cross-linked (cured). Radiation (preferably, electron beam radiation) is used for the cross-linking and for generating bi-modal molecules from the elastomer and the thermoplastic when both a thermoplastic and an elastomer are in the admixture.
Abstract:
A method for forming plastic packaging products (containers, tanks, etc.) that have a surface which has been subjected to a reactive gas atmosphere containing F2, Cl2, O2, O3, or SO3, oxidative acids, or mixtures thereof, at a temperature and gas partial pressure sufficient to increase the surface energy to at least 40 dynes/cm in order to provide adhesion of the barrier coating, or molding the container in plastic resin that was first surface modified by one of the preceding processes and molded under conditions such that a surface is developed on the container that has a minimum of 40 dynes/cm and which will adhere well to coatings. A barrier coating is then applied. The barrier coating may be of various polymers and blends, all meeting the critical requirements that the coating must adhere tenaciously to the surface, must have good barrier properties for the molecules which are to be contained, and must not diminish the impact resistance of the material to which it is applied.
Abstract:
A method of making a polymer coating on a microstructured substrate. The method may be performed by vaporizing a liquid monomer or other pre-polymer composition and condensing the vaporized material onto a microstructured substrate, followed by curing. The resulting article may possess a coating that preserves the underlying microstructural feature profile. Such a profile-preserving polymer coating can be used to change or enhance the surface properties of the microstructured substrate while maintaining the function of the structure.
Abstract:
A processing method according to the present invention coats a polar liquid film or forms an inorganic film on a surface of an organic film formed on a substrate as a protective film. The processing method comprises a modifying step of curing an organic film by irradiating the organic film with electron beams by means of an electron-beam irradiation device in a rare gas atmosphere, and an applying step of applying a polar liquid to the modified surface of the organic film or an film forming step of forming an inorganic film on the organic film. The organic film is cured and affinity for the polar liquid or the inorganic film is imparted to the organic film.
Abstract:
A decorative material is provided which particularly possesses excellent adhesion properties. The decorative material comprises: a substrate; a print layer provided on the substrate; a protective layer provided on the print layer, the protective layer comprising an ionizing radiation-cured resin; and a stress relaxing layer as a primer layer provided between the print layer and the protective layer, for relaxing shrinkage stress caused at the time of curing of an ionizing radiation-curable resin for the formation of the ionizing radiation-cured resin constituting the protective layer.
Abstract:
A method of rendering materials having hard and soft surfaces hydrophilic or more hydrophilic is disclosed. The method involves hydrophilizing such materials by applying a high energy treatment and charged particles and/or one or more hydrophilic polymeric materials with discrete charges to such materials.