Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of and arrangement for removing contaminants from a surface of a substrate by subjecting said substrate surface to an atmospheric pressure glow plasma. Said plasma is generated in a discharge space comprising a plurality of electrodes, by applying an alternating plasma energizing voltage to said electrodes causing a plasma current and a displacement current. Said plasma is stabilised by controlling said displacement current during plasma generation such that modification of properties of said substrate surface is prevented.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for generating and sustaining a glow discharge plasma in a plasma discharge space comprising at least two spaced electrodes. The method and apparatus are arranged for performing the steps of introducing in the discharge space a gas or gas mixture under atmospheric pressure conditions, energizing the electrodes by applying an AC energizing voltage (Va) to the electrodes, and controlling the energizing voltage (Va) such that at plasma generation a sharp relative decrease of displacement current is provided.

Abstract: The present invention provides an arrangement and method for generating a uniform and stable plasma. The arrangement comprises a discharge space (7) between at least a pair of electrodes (1, 2), which electrodes (1, 2) are arranged for providing an electric field and for generating a plasma in the electric field. At least one of the electrodes (1) has a boundary surface (6) with the discharge space (7). The boundary surface is comprised of one or more alternately arranged conductive (4) and insulating regions (5). The invention further relates to an electrode (1) for use in the arrangement described. The invention may, for example, be used in dielectric barrier discharge configurations, or in arrangements for generating plasmas at atmospheric pressures, or for generating plasmas at low temperatures, such as generating atmospheric pressure glow plasmas (APG) for material processing or surface (3) treatment purposes.

Abstract: Method and arrangement (1) for generating an atmospheric pressure glow plasma APG (7), where in a plurality of electrodes, (4, 5) are arranged defining a discharge space (10) for forming said plasma (7). The electrodes (4,5) are connected to a power supply (8) providing an AC-voltage having a frequency of at least 50 kHz to the electrodes (4,5). A gaseous substance (6) is provided in said discharge space and comprises t least one of a group of argon, nitrogen and air.

Abstract: Method of generating an atmospheric pressure glow discharge plasma (APG), wherein said plasma is generated in a discharge space formed between at least one first electrode surface and at least one second electrode surface. The method comprises at least the steps of supplying a gaseous substance to said discharge space and powering said first and said second electrode surface for generating said plasma. Said step of supplying a gaseous substance to the discharge space comprises providing at least one intermediate gas supply stream from at least one of said first and second electrode surfaces. The step of supplying said gaseous substance to the discharge space further comprises providing a main gas supply stream for forcing the at least one intermediate gas supply stream in a direction along the first and second electrode surfaces.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of and arrangement for removing contaminants from a surface of a substrate by subjecting said substrate surface to an atmospheric pressure glow plasma. Said plasma is generated in a discharge space comprising a plurality of electrodes, by applying an alternating plasma energizing voltage to said electrodes causing a plasma current and a displacement current. Said plasma is stabilised by controlling said displacement current during plasma generation such that modification of properties of said substrate surface is prevented.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method and arrangement for controlling a glow discharge plasma in a gas or gas mixture under atmospheric conditions, in a plasma discharge space comprising at least two spaced electrodes in which at least one plasma pulse having an absolute pulse maximum is generated by applying an AC plasma energizing voltage to the electrodes causing a plasma current and a displacement current. The plasma is controlled by providing a relative decrease of the displacement current after the pulse maximum. In a preferred embodiment, the energizing voltage is applied through a series circuit including a choke coil and a non-saturable inductor.

Abstract: Method for generating an atmospheric pressure glow plasma (APG), wherein said plasma is generated in a discharge space between a plurality of electrodes. A dielectric is present on at least one of said electrodes, said dielectric having a boundary surface with said plasma enabling interactions between said plasma and said surface. Said dielectric is arranged for releasing electrons contributing to said plasma from said surface by said interactions.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for generating and sustaining a glow discharge plasma in a plasma discharge space comprising at least two spaced electrodes. The method and apparatus are arranged for performing the steps of introducing in the discharge space a gas or gas mixture under atmospheric pressure conditions, energizing the electrodes by applying an AC energizing voltage (Va) to the electrodes, and controlling the energizing voltage (Va) such that at plasma generation a sharp relative decrease of displacement current is provided.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a pigment coated paper base. Further this invention is directed to a printing paper comprising a pigment coated paper base provided with one or more polymer layers. According to the invention there is provided a pigment coated paper base comprising a paper base and a pigmented coating, in which said paper base is provided with an a combination of an alkyl ketene dimer and an epoxidized fatty acid amide as a sizing agent. The paper base of the present invention is a multipurpose paper base that is suitable for use in a wide range of printing applications.

Abstract: The invention relates to compositions suitable for plasma substitution comprising as a plasma expander a recombinant gelatin-like protein. Characteristic is that the gelatin-like protein can be a monomer or a polymer like a dimer, trimer or a tetramer of a human recombinant gelatin-like protein having an isolectric point of less than 8. The resulting gelatin-like proteins provide a method to control the clearance rate of a plasma expander by its molecular weight. Preferably the gelatin-like proteins have a low hydroxyproline content which prevents the composition from gelling and thus allows the use of high-molecular weight proteins in order to establish a suitable colloid osmotic pressure. An additional advantage of the gelatin-like proteins is that these avoid the risk of anaphylactic shock that exists in conjunction with the use of commercially available preparations.

Abstract: Silver halide emulsions for photographic uses contain a nucleation peptiser having at least one region A of up to 100 amino acids. Region A can either consist of (i) at least two silver-binding amino acids and up to 98 amino acids between the two silver-binding amino acids, or can consist of (ii) a stretch of from 9 to 100 amino acids having a polarity corresponding to an average transfer free energy ?F equal to or higher than +1.0 kcal/mol. The nucleation peptizer also has at least one region B (separated from region A) having at least 50 amino acids and having a polarity corresponding to an average transfer free energy equal to or lower than ?1.0 kcal/mol and not containing methionine residues. The emulsion may also contain a growth peptiser having similar characteristics to the nucleation peptiser, but having a longer A region and a greater overall length.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a recording medium, in particular an ink-jet recording medium of photographic quality that has excellent lightfastness. According to the present invention an ink-jet recording medium is provided, comprising a support and an ink-receiving layer adhered to said support, wherein the ink-receiving layer is a multilayer comprising a top layer, which top layer comprises a modified gelatin, and at least one intermediate layer in between said support and said top layer, wherein said intermediate layer comprises a mixture of a PVA-based polymer and a water soluble polymer. The present invention is further directed to methods for obtaining and using such a medium.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a paper support for photographic printing paper having a topside and a backside, at least said topside being provided with a pigmented coating based on clay and/or other pigment, said coating having a clay content of less than 3.3 g/m2, which topside of the pigmented coating has an average surface roughness RA of 1.0 ?m or less, and is provided with at least one pigmented polymer resin layer.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a recording medium, in particular an ink-jet recording medium of photographic quality that has excellent ink absorption speed, good drying characteristics and a good image printing quality. According to the present invention an ink-jet recording medium is provided, comprising a support to which at least an underlayer and an overlayer is supplied in which the overlayer contains at least one type of modified gelatin and the IEP of the overlayer is different from the IEP of the underlayer. The present invention is further directed to methods for obtaining and using such a medium.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a recording medium, in particular an ink-jet recording medium of photographic quality that has excellent color stability while keeping good ink absorption speed, good drying characteristics and a good image printing quality. According to the present invention an ink-jet recording medium is provided, comprising a support to which at least an underlayer and an overlayer is supplied, wherein one layer comprising an optical brightener is further away from said support than another layer which comprises a UV absorbing agent. The present invention is further directed to methods for obtaining and using such a medium.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a recording medium, in particular an ink-jet recording medium of photographic quality that has excellent ink absorption speed, good drying characteristics and a good image printing quality. According to the present invention, an ink-jet recording medium is provided, comprising a support and an ink-receiving layer which has an asymmetric membrane structure comprising a dense top layer adjacent to a microporous sublayer, said ink-receiving layer comprising at least one water-swellable polymer. The present invention is further directed to methods for obtaining such a medium.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a recording medium, in particular an ink-jet recording medium of photographic quality that has excellent ink absorption speed, good drying characteristics and a good image printing quality. According to the present invention, an ink-jet recording medium is provided, comprising a support to which at least an underlayer and an overlayer is supplied in which the underlayer is a multilayer of sublayers, comprising a mixture of gelatin and at least one type of water soluble polymer, wherein the sublayer farthest away from said support comprises a lower ratio of gelatin/water soluble polymer, compared to the ratio in the sublayer(s) nearer to the support. The present invention is further directed to methods for obtaining and using such a medium.

Abstract: Method and arrangement (1) for generating an atmospheric pressure glow plasma APG (7), where in a plurality of electrodes, (4, 5) are arranged defining a discharge space (10) for forming said plasma (7). The electrodes (4,5) are connected to a power supply (8) providing an AC-voltage having a frequency of at least 50 kHz to the electrodes (4,5). A gaseous substance (6) is provided in said discharge space and comprises t least one of a group of argon, nitrogen and air.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a recording medium, in particular an ink-jet recording medium of photographic quality that has excellent ink absorption speed, good drying characteristics and a good image printing quality. According to the present invention, an ink-jet recording medium is provided, comprising a support to which at least an underlayer and an overlayer is supplied in which the overlayer contains at least one specific type of modified gelatin. The present invention is further directed to methods for obtaining and using such a medium.