Abstract: Prepare a polymeric foam article having a thermoplastic polymer matrix defining multiple cells therein, wherein the polymeric foam article has the following characteristics: (a) the thermoplastic polymer matrix contains dispersed within it nano-sized nucleating additive particles that have at least two orthogonal dimensions that are less than 30 nanometers in length; (b) possesses at least one of the following two characteristics: (i) has an effective nucleation site density of at least 3×1014 sites per cubic centimeter of pre-foamed material; and (ii) has an average cell size of 300 nanometers or less; and (c) has a porosity percentage of more than 50 percent by rapidly expanding at a foaming temperature a foamable polymer composition containing the nucleating additive and a blowing agent containing at least one of carbon dioxide, nitrogen and argon.

Abstract: Prepare a polymeric foam article having a thermoplastic polymer matrix defining multiple cells therein, wherein the polymeric foam article has the following characteristics: (a) the thermoplastic polymer matrix contains dispersed within it nano-sized nucleating additive particles that have at least two orthogonal dimensions that are less than 30 nanometers in length; (b) possesses at least one of the following two characteristics: (i) has an effective nucleation site density of at least 3×1014 sites per cubic centimeter of pre-foamed material; and (ii) has an average cell size of 300 nanometers or less; and (c) has a porosity percentage of more than 50 percent by rapidly expanding at a foaming temperature a foamable polymer composition containing the nucleating additive and a blowing agent containing at least one of carbon dioxide, nitrogen and argon.

Abstract: A process for improving the barrier performance of a plasma coated object comprising a polyolefin is disclosed. The process involves ensuring that the surface of the object to be coated is smooth as characterized by having a root-mean-square surface roughness that varies by less than the thickness of the coating to be applied, typically less than 100 nm. The invention also relates to a process for improving the stain resistance of polyolefin based articles comprising plasma polymerizing an organosilicon compound under conditions to deposit a polyorganosiloxane layer onto the article and/or (b) plasma polymerizing a organosilicon compound under conditions to deposit a silicon oxide layer directly on the article or onto a polyorganosiloxane layer prepared according to step (a).

Abstract: A dielectric coating is provided which has both a dielectric constant greater than 2.5 and a hydrophobic surface. The dielectric coating may be provided by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) of organosilane, organosiloxane, organosilazane, organometallic, and/or hydrocarbon precursors. Methods are also provided for altering the contact angle of a liquid in contact with the dielectric coating, e.g., for electrowetting applications.

Abstract: An improved electrode useful for modifying a substrate using corona discharge dielectric barrier discharge or glow discharge plasma treatment or coating a substrate using plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition under atmospheric or near atmospheric pressure conditions, the electrode having a body defining a cavity therein, the body having at least one inlet passageway there through in gaseous communication with the cavity so that a gas mixture can be flowed into the cavity by way of the at least one inlet passageway, the electrode having at least one outlet passageway there through in gaseous communication with the cavity so that a gas that is flowed into the cavity can flow out of the cavity by way of the at least one outlet passageway, the at least one outlet passageway being a slot.

Abstract: A process for preparing a coating on an object by plasma polymerizing a first compound under conditions to deposit a layer onto the object, the object comprising a nanocomposite polymer. In addition, the object so coated.

Abstract: A process for preparing an adherent coating on an object (as well as the coated object) by first plasma polymerizing a first organosilicon compound under conditions to deposit a polyorganosiloxane layer onto the object; and/or then plasma polymerizing a second organosilicon compound under conditions to deposit a silicon oxide layer on the polyorganosiloxane layer or directly on the object, the object comprising a polymer composition comprising (i) from 99 to 50 weight percent of a polymer having more than 90 weight percent monomer units containing three carbons and optionally monomer units selected from the group consisting of alpha olefins containing two carbons and/or from four to twelve carbons, and (ii) from 1 to 50 weight percent of a second copolymer comprising monomer units selected from the group consisting of alpha olefins containing two carbons and alpha olefins containing from four to twelve carbons and optionally up to 10 weight percent of a diene monomer containing less than thirteen carbons; or

Abstract: The present invention describes a method and an apparatus for plasma coating the inside surface of a container to provide an effective barrier against gas transmission. The method provides a way to deposit rapidly and uniformly very thin and nearly defect-free layers of polyorganosiloxane and silicon oxide on the inner surface of a container to achieve more than an order of magnitude increase in barrier properties.

Abstract: The invention is a system for time shifting live, streamed video and/or audio distributed via a global computer network, e.g., the Internet. The invention is preferably implemented as client-server software, with the possibility of both the client and the server running on the same PC. Alternatively, the system software may be embedded within a digital VCR information appliance, giving the system the ability to time shift and display Internet content as well as broadcast video content received via cable or satellite.

Abstract: To maintain communications between first and second processing systems interconnected by a communications network, computer programing having first and second sets of instructions are stored at the first processing system. The computer programing is initialized at the first processing system to perform a task associated with the first set of instructions. In accordance with the second set of instructions, a first signal is automatically transmitted from the first processing system to the second processing system responsive to the initialization of the computer programming.

Abstract: In a computerized method for messaging, a Web page includes an embedded tag specifying a message extension program. The Web page is requested from a Web server by a Web browser of a first client computer connected to the Web server computer by a communications network. The extension program corresponding to the message tag is retrieved. A multimedia message is recorded as digital signals in a file of the client computer using the extension program. The file is sent to a second client computer as an electronic mail message.

Abstract: In a computerized method for collecting speech data, Web pages of client computers connected to the Internet are enabled to acquire speech signal and information characterizing the speech. The addresses of the enabled Web pages are stored in a list in a memory of a Web server computer. Based on predetermined criteria and the list, some of the enabled client computers are selected to acquire the speech signal and information. The acquired speech signal and information are transmitted to the server computer to generate, train, and evaluate acoustic-phonetic models.