Abstract: An assembly comprising a plurality of solar cells arrayed on and adhesively bonded to a sheet of non-woven heat-actuatable fabric is provided which offers significant advantages in the fabrication of solar cell panels, particularly fabrication of panels by vacuum lamination techniques.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for applying an adherent, optically clear, abrasion resistant coating to polymeric substrates formed from unsaturated monomers. Typical substrates are lenses formed from either acrylic or allylic polymers, such as CR-39 lenses.This process includes (a) forming a solution of a partially hydrolyzed vinyltri (lower alkoxy) silane, such as vinyltriethoxysilane, in a water-miscible, volatile, organic solvent, the silane being present from 25-75% by weight; (b) applying this solution to a clean surface of the substrate; (c) dehydrating the coated substrate under low humidity conditions at an elevated temperature below the temperature at which the substrate degrades; and, (d) then submitting the dehydrated coated substrate to irradiation with ultraviolet light or other high energy radiation until an adherent, abrasion resistant coating is formed.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for applying an adherent, optically clear, abrasion resistant coating to polycarbonate substrates such as lenses. The process includes: (a) forming a coating solution containing 25-75% of a hydrolyzed C.sub.1 -C.sub.2 alkyltri(lower alkoxy)silane, such as methyltriethoxysilane, in a water-miscible, volatile, organic solvent, and also containing small amounts of an abrasion-resistance enhancer and a stabilizing weak acid; (b) applying a thin, uniform coating of the coating solution to a clean surface of the polycarbonate substrate; and, (c) dehydrating the coated substrate under low humidity conditions at an elevated temperature below the temperature at which the substrate degrades until an adherent, abrasion resistant coating is formed.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for applying an adherent, optically clear, abrasion resistant coating to plastic ophthalmic substrates such as plastic lenses. The process includes: (a) forming a partially hydrolyzed solution of a vinyltri(lower alkoxy)silane, such as vinyltriethoxysilane, in a water-miscible, volatile, organic solvent, the silane being present from 25-75% by weight; (b) applying a thin, uniform coating of the partially hydrolyzed solution to a clean surface of the ophthalmic lens; (c) maintaining the coated substrate in a high humidity and preferably elevated temperature environment until the silane is substantially completely hydrolyzed; and, (d) dehydrating the coated substrate under low humidity conditions at an elevated temperature below the temperature at which the substrate degrades until an adherent, abrasion resistant coating is formed. Plastic lenses and other ophthalmic plastic components coated according to the above process are also described.