Abstract: The present invention relates to heatable garments, comprising a garment body and a heating pad adhered to at least a portion of the garment body, wherein the heating pad comprises graphene particles dispersed in a polymer matrix material. The invention also provides fabrics for making such garments, and methods of making such garments and fabrics. Also provided are heatable bedding incorporating a heating pad as described above.

Abstract: The present invention relates to heatable garments (1), comprising a garment body (3) and a heating pad (5) adhered to at least a portion of the garment body (3), wherein the heating pad (5) comprises graphene particles dispersed in a polymer matrix material. The invention also provides fabrics for making such garments, and methods of making such garments and fabrics. Also provided are heatable bedding incorporating a heating pad as described above.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of encoding information on an information carrier, the method involving providing the information carrier with an electrically conductive pattern on a substrate, wherein the pattern is configured to have different capacitance values at different parts of the electrically conductive pattern when placed on a capacitive touchscreen, wherein information is encoded based on said different capacitance values. Also provided are information carriers, and methods of reading information from such carriers. In preferred embodiments, the pattern comprises multiple pattern elements, and one or more of the pattern elements is a multilayer structure having a lower layer and an upper layer, wherein the conductivity of the upper layer is greater than that of the lower layer.

Abstract: Methods of processing particulate carbon material, such as graphic particles or agglomerates of carbon nanoparticles such as CNTs are provided. The starting material is agitated in a treatment vessel in the presence of low-pressure (glow) plasma generated between electrodes. The material is agitated in the presence of conductive contact bodies such as metal balls, on the surface of which plasma glow is present and amongst which the material to be treated moves. The methods effectively deagglomerate nanoparticles, and exfoliate graphitic material to produce very thin graphitic sheets showing graphene-type characteristics. The resulting nanomaterials used by dispersal in composite materials, e.g. conductive polymeric composites for electric or electronic articles and devices. The particle surfaces can be functionalized by choosing appropriate gas in which to form the plasma.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods of producing layered basic zinc acetate (LBZA) crystals from a reaction solution comprising zinc ions, acetate ions, and a basic compound, wherein (i) acetate is the only counter-ion for zinc in the reaction solution; and/or (ii) the basic compound is a hydroxyalkyl amine; and/or (iii) the basic compound is a first basic compound and the reaction solution further comprises a second basic compound having a higher pKa than the first basic compound. The invention also relates to methods of preparing ZnO materials from LBZA crystals, to methods of making electronic or semiconductor-based components from such ZnO materials, and to LBZA crystals and materials themselves.