Abstract: The invention relates to the application of a coating to a substrate in which the coating includes a polymer material and the coating is selectively fluorinated and/or cured to improve the liquid repellance of the same. The invention also provides for the selective fluorination and/or curing of selected areas of the coating thus, when completed, providing a coating which has regions of improved liquid repellance with respect to the remaining regions and which remaining regions may be utilized as liquid collection areas.

Abstract: There is described a method for the vapour phase deposition of an intrinsically conducting polymer onto a substrate, which method comprises providing a precursor for the polymer and coupling the precursor together to form the required polymer, wherein the precursor is provided in the form of an atomised spray and substrates produced by such methods.

Abstract: There is described a method for heavymetal capture, which method comprises the step of bringing the heavy metal into contact with a chemically functionalized surface prepared by a plasma process, the surface being provided with organic functional groups able to coordinate with and thereby capture the heavy metal.

Abstract: A method for forming a conducting nanocomposite layer on a substrate, the method comprising depositing a precursor on the substrate by plasma deposition, wherein the precursor comprises (i) a metal or metalloid centre, and (ii) one or more organic ligands, and wherein the conditions of the plasma deposition are tailored such that an organic matrix is retained in the resulting conducting nanocomposite layer.

Abstract: The invention relates to the application of a coating to a substrate in which the coating includes a polymer material and the coating is selectively fluorinated and/or cured to improve the liquid repellance of the same. The invention also provides for the selective fluorination and/or curing of selected areas of the coating thus, when completed, providing a coating which has regions of improved liquid repellance with respect to the remaining regions and which remaining regions may be utilized as liquid collection areas.

Abstract: A method of coating a contact lens comprising the steps of forming an initiator layer on the surface of the contact lens by plasma deposition of at least one initiator monomer and polymerising a propagation monomer onto the initiator layer to form a coating layer of a polymeric material on the contact lens and a method of coating a medical device comprising the steps of forming an initiator polymer layer on at least a part of the medical device by plasma deposition of at least one initiator monomer and polymerising at least one zwitterionic monomer onto the initiator layer to form a coating layer of a polymeric material on the medical device.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and apparatus for applying and forming a coating on a substrate surface by the application of at least one atomized coating forming material onto the substrate to form the coating. The atomized coating forming material, upon leaving a suitable atomizer which can be an ultrasonic nozzle or nebulizer for example, passes through an exciting medium and, upon leaving the exciting medium, passes to the substrate. The substrate is positioned remotely from the exciting medium.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and apparatus for the formation of a coating on a substrate. The coating is formed by the deposition of a coating forming material onto the substrate in an atomised form via a nozzle, nebulizer or the like. The material is applied and directed to pass through an exciting medium such as a plasma. The exciting medium is generated and formed in a pulsed manner. The coating forming material passes onto the substrate which can be positioned within the exciting medium or externally of the same.