Abstract: A screw joint has a tubular element with a female thread and a tubular element with a male thread, wherein the male thread and the female thread have first contact surfaces that cooperate with each other, and the tubular elements optionally have second contact surfaces adjacent to the female thread and/or the male thread, wherein the first contact surfaces and the optional second contact surfaces each have a coating including a first and a second layer, wherein the first layer is formed as a conversion layer in each case, one of the first contact surfaces that cooperate with each other has a second layer made of ceramic material with a friction reducing effect and the other of the two contact surfaces that cooperate with each other has, as a second layer, a varnish layer with a binding agent made of an organic polymer throughout which solid lubricant particles are distributed.

Abstract: A screw joint has a tubular element with a female thread and a tubular element with a male thread, wherein the male thread and the female thread have first contact surfaces that cooperate with each other, and the tubular elements optionally have second contact surfaces adjacent to the female thread and/or the male thread, wherein the first contact surfaces and the optional second contact surfaces each have a coating including a first and a second layer, wherein the first layer is formed as a conversion layer in each case, one of the first contact surfaces that cooperate with each other has a second layer made of ceramic material with a friction reducing effect and the other of the two contact surfaces that cooperate with each other has, as a second layer, a varnish layer with a binding agent made of an organic polymer throughout which solid lubricant particles are distributed.

Abstract: A laminate is presented and described, which has at least one layer that comprises an aminoplastic resin, where the aminoplastic resin is a condensate obtainable via reaction of a reaction mixture which comprises (1) formaldehyde, (2) a component comprising amino, imino, or amide groups, and (3) at least one alkoxysilane, organoalkoxysilane, or metal alkoxide. Laminates of this type feature particularly high resistance to microscratching.

Abstract: The invention relates to a sensor having a color-changeable sensory surface, characterized in that at least one molecular layer of a positively charged polymer (4) is bonded to a further molecular layer of a negatively charged polymer (5) in alternation by means of ionic forces, wherein a solvent is stored in the charged polymer layers (4, 5), whereby the polymer layers swell at least 10%, and colored, preferably metal or semiconducting nanoparticles (6) are bonded to the last charged polymer molecular layer, and the total layer thickness of the inert intermediate layer (3) and all polymer layers (4, 5) is at least 40 nm but less than 500 nm so that the layer setup has an interference color that is visible to the human eye or measurable in the infrared and that can be changed by means of interaction with an analyte, the interference color being caused by optical interference between the material surface (2) and the layer of the nanoparticles (6).

Abstract: The present invention provides a heat-sensitive recording material, characterized in that a carrier material carries at least one coating layer in which at least two colour-forming reactants A and B are contained, wherein the layer contains a water-insoluble or sparingly water-soluble iron compound as colour-forming reactant A and a water-insoluble or sparingly water-soluble phenol compound having 2 or more adjacent OH groups as reactant B separated from each other, wherein at least one of the compounds melts at less than 100° C. and this melt reacts with the other colour-forming reactant by colour development in less than 1 second's contact time and at least one of the two colour-forming reactants is present as particles having a size of less than 20 ?m.

Abstract: The invention relates to sensory pigments for use in foods, packagings, pharmaceutical products, paper and electronic products. Said pigments are characterized by the fact that a chemically reactive polymer layer that is 5 to 500 nm thick is applied to metallic particles, metal particles or particles containing at least one metal-oxygen compound, said particles being preferably platelet or fiber-shaped, and a layer of chromophore particles that are between 1 and 100 nm in size is applied to the polymer layer, said particles having a color that is visible to the human eye and that changes after contact with an analyte.

Abstract: The invention relates to a sensor having a color-changeable sensory surface, characterized in that at least one molecular layer of a positively charged polymer (4) is bonded to a further molecular layer of a negatively charged polymer (5) in alternation by means of ionic forces, wherein a solvent is stored in the charged polymer layers (4, 5), whereby the polymer layers swell at least 10%, and colored, preferably metal or semiconducting nanoparticles (6) are bonded to the last charged polymer molecular layer, and the total layer thickness of the inert intermediate layer (3) and all polymer layers (4, 5) is at least 40 nm but less than 500 nm so that the layer setup has an interference color that is visible to the human eye or measurable in the infrared and that can be changed by means of interaction with an analyte, the interference color being caused by optical interference between the material surface (2) and the layer of the nanoparticles (6).

Abstract: The invention relates to a reactive ink-jet printing method for implementation on substrates such as paper, board, corrugated cardboard, films, injection or compression moulded plastics parts, metal, ceramic surfaces, paint coats or corrosion protection layers, characterized in that the substrates are coated with a polyphenol, and a reactive ink composed of at least one dissolved metal salt selected from the group consisting of the compounds of iron, molybdenum, tungsten and titanium is reacted by ink-jet printing on or in the surface of the stated substrates, to form a stable colour complex which is immediately perceptible to the human eye, and the invention also relates to suitable coated materials and to a writing system for the implementation of the method.

Abstract: The invention relates to sensory pigments for use in foods, packagings, pharmaceutical products, paper and electronic products. Said pigments are characterised by the fact that a chemically reactive polymer layer that is 5 to 500 nm thick is applied to metallic particles, metal particles or particles containing at least one metal-oxygen compound, said particles being preferably platelet or fibre-shaped, and a layer of chromophore particles that are between 1 and 100 nm in size is applied to the polymer layer, said particles having a colour that is visible to the human eye and that changes after contact with an analyte.

Abstract: A novel method, and the writing system used, for writing on surfaces with a coloured inscription are proposed, characterized in that a number of thin layers each of less than 800 nm are applied on or in a material (1, 2), wherein a layer or layer interface at least partially reflects electromagnetic waves (3), a transparent layer (4) with a thickness of less than 700 nanometres is provided above and/or below this reflective layer and on top of that there is at least one layer of metallic or at least strongly chromophoric particles (5), with a mass thickness of less than 50 nm, or alternatively the chemical precursors of such particles or alternatively a metallic thin film of less than 50 nm thickness, and the entire structure is changed in its colour in a spatially defined and structured manner by exposure to light or by direct contact with or close proximity to hot objects, wherein any desired text, design or graphic information (6) becomes visible as a result of changing the structure of the nanolayers, at

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for identifying a first polymer sequence bound to a first phase that reflects electromagnetic waves. The inventive method includes the following steps: a) bringing the first polymer sequence into contact with an affine second polymer sequence, which is directly or indirectly bound, via metallic clusters, to a solid second phase that is permeable to electromagnetic waves; b) radiating electromagnetic waves through the second phase, and; c) detecting the alteration of the properties of the reflected electromagnetic waves.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an entirely automated process for detecting the presence of pathogenic organisms in a water sample. The invention also relates to an entirely automated device for detecting the presence of pathogenic organisms in a water sample, for carrying out this process.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for identifying a first polymer sequence bound to a first phase that reflects electromagnetic waves. The inventive method includes the following steps: a) bringing the first polymer sequence into contact with an affine second polymer sequence, which is directly or indirectly bound, via metallic clusters, to a solid second phase that is permeable to electromagnetic waves; b) radiating electromagnetic waves through the second phase, and; c) detecting the alteration of the properties of the reflected electromagnetic waves.

Abstract: A new optical sensor is presented, characterized in, that at distance of less than 1 &mgr;m to an electromagnetic waves reflecting layer, analyte-interacting linkers are immobilized onto which elektrically-conducting clusters with a diameter smaller than 500 nm are bound.

Abstract: In a method of assay of the concentration of carnitine in biological fluids, the biological fluid containing carnitine is at least partially oxidized with a carnitine dehydrogenase (CDH) with the help of NAD+, whereupon the concentration of at least one reaction product, in particular the concentration of NADH, is determined.

Abstract: An optochemical fluorescence sensor with a biorecognitive layer for measuring the concentration of one or more analytes in a sample is provided with at least one island layer which is applied on a sensor substrate. The islands of the island layer are in the form of electrically-conductive material and have a diameter of less than 300 nm, the biorecognitive layer being directly applied on the island layer or bound via a spacer film. In addition, an analyte-specific fluorescent compound is provided which may be added to the sample or is provided in the sensor itself. The biorecognitive layer can bind the analyte to be measured directly or by means of analyte-binding molecules, the originally low quantum yield of the fluorescent compound increasing strongly in the vicinity of the island layer.

Abstract: An optochemical sensor for measuring concentrations of analytes is provided with a reactive matrix preferably made of polymeric material capable of swelling. Further provided are a mirror layer and a layer of a plurality of discrete islands that are electrically conductive, between which layers the reactive matrix is positioned, the diameter of the islands being smaller than the wavelength of the light employed for monitoring and evaluation.

Abstract: Reactants containing amino, mercapto or hydroxy groups such as proteins, peptides, ligands, coenzymes or enzymes are immobilized on a support containing amino, mercapto or hydroxy groups by coupling the reactant to the support with a compound having the following formula (I) or (IA): ##STR1## wherein X is a halogen and R.sub.1, R.sub.2 are the same or different and are X, R, COR, COOR, wherein R is C.sub.1 -C.sub.8 alkyl, COOH, CNS, N.sub.3 or CN. The support may be first reacted with the compound to produce a derivatized support which is then reacted the reactant or the reactant may be first reacted with the compound and the resultant product then reacted with the support. An electrochemical biosensor can be prepared by using a conductive support.

Abstract: An optochemical sensor for measuring concentrations of analytes is provided with a reactive matrix preferably made of polymeric material capable of swelling. Further provided are a mirror layer and a layer of a plurality of discrete islands that are electrically conductive, between which layers the reactive matrix is positioned, the diameter of the islands being smaller than the wavelength of the light employed for monitoring and evaluation.