Abstract: There is disclosed a gaseous discharge display device having a plurality of gaseous discharge sites and at least one active, working dielectric surface exposed to the gas discharge at each discharge site. The active gas contacting dielectric surface is coated with a protective film in an amount sufficient to prevent the formation of undesirable contaminants on the active dielectric surface, particularly during the manufacture of the device. After the complete assembly and gas filling of the device, the protective film is removed from the vicinity of each gas discharge site by the application of a gas discharge voltage at the site sufficient to sputter the protective film away from the discharge site without sputtering the active dielectric surface.

Abstract: There is disclosed a gaseous laser device with a novel damage-resistant cathode geometry. The device comprises an envelope, a cathode volume having at least one wall, an electrically conductive cathode within the cathode volume, a lasing gaseous volume, and an anode. The cathode comprises an electrically conductive material supported by at least one cathode wall with at least one cathode wall edge being vulnerable to gas discharge deterioration. The gas discharge erosion of at least a portion of the vulnerable cathode edge is substantially prevented by the positioning of a juxtaposed protective cover plate over the cathode edge.

Abstract: There is disclosed a gas discharge display/memory device comprised of an ionizable gaseous medium and at least one electrode array dielectrically insulated from the gaseous medium. In the practice of this invention, helium is added to the gaseous medium in an effective amount sufficient to significantly improve the operating performance and characteristics of the device, as defined, for example, by decreased operating voltages and increased operating life. Prior to the addition of helium, the gaseous medium comprises about 90 percent to about 99.99 percent atoms of neon and about 10 percent to about .01 percent atoms of at least one member selected from argon, xenon, or krypton.

Abstract: In accordance with this invention, a basic three-component chemically convertible polymeric coating composition is applied to the surface of a glass substrate and subsequently converted to a crosslinked coating by the application of heat or another form of energy. The polymeric coating composition contains at least three essential ingredients:1. a rubbery thermoplastic organic polymer;2. an organic peroxide or hydroperoxide; and3. a polymerizable ethylenically unsaturated monomer having a functionality of at least two.

Abstract: There is disclosed the preparation of a gradable polymeric composition by the chemical modification of a polymeric material such as a polymer or copolymer. The preparation comprises reacting in the presence of free radicals the polymeric material with a non-polymeric organic reagent having a structure which contains both a hydrocarbon residue and a polymeric material-degradation-sensitizing group.

Abstract: There is disclosed a glass-based container having at least a portion of its external surface coated after the annealing of the glass with a protective, decorable, water-removable, organic polymeric film which can be removed by an aqueous medium such that the annealed glass container base can be recovered, recycled, and reused.

Abstract: There is disclosed a glass based container having at least a portion of its external surface coated after the annealing of the glass with a protective, decorable, water removable, organic polymeric film which can be removed by an aqueous medium such that the annealed glass container base can be recovered, recycled, and reused.

Abstract: There is disclosed the preparation of a degradable polymeric material consisting essentially of an organic polymeric base containing a degradation-promoting amount of a partially degraded organic polymer. The organic polymeric base and the degradation-promoting additive may be derived from the same or different polymers. The invention is especially useful in controlling the environmental deterioration of plastics. The rate of deterioration is a function of the environmental conditions such as light, oxygen, and temperature; the concentration of the additive; and the chemical structure(s) of both the base and the additive.

Abstract: There are disclosed novel degradable plastic compositions consisting essentially of an organic polymer containing at least one organic chelating agent. The agent is one which chelates metal so as to form a metal complex which acts to accelerate polymer degradation in the presence of oxygen, electromagnetic radiation, and/or elevated temperature. This invention is especially useful in the preparation of degradable packaging materials such as films, bags, containers, etc.

Abstract: A gas discharge display system utilizing matrix discharge logic utilizing bulk writing of selected block or matrix area on a display panel. Panels incorporated in the invention are constructed to operate by matrix discharge logic whereby each information display site in a panel is constituted by at least a pair of positionally related cell sides, each cell side being positionally related to the other of the cell sides such that when the related side is off or has been erased, it will be written or rewritten by influence of the positional relationship to the related side, these sites being supplied with operating potentials by circuit means provided for bulk writing information to a selected block of display sites in the panel.