Abstract: Durable and optically transparent superhydrophobic surfaces have a coating of ceramic nanoparticles attached to a transparent substrate that are bound to the substrate through a flexible linker and a fluorocarbon moiety is bound to the surface of the ceramic nanoparticles. The nanoparticles provide the topography required for superhydrophobic surfaces and the fluorocarbon attached to the surface renders the particles hydrophobic. The nanoparticles can be metal oxide nanoparticles of dimensions that do not scatter light and the flexible linker can be constructed by an agent that has a group for bonding to the substrate and a reactive group to form a bond with a complementary second reactive group attached to a second agent that has a group for bonding to the nanoparticles.

Abstract: The object of the invention is the provision of methods for controlled production of continuous multi-component filaments or discreet structures using a multi-component liquid jet issuing from an orifice. A multi-component jet consists of two or more liquids. The liquids may be miscible or immiscible, and form a co-axially propagating flow along the central axis of a flow cell. The working distance between the exit orifice and a substrate can be as large as 50 mm, so that in-flight processing of the jet is possible. The coaxial flow consists of an outer sheath liquid and an inner sample liquid or composite of liquids. The flow cell and the exit channel of the deposition head are heated so that the pressurized sheath liquid temperature is raised to near or above the boiling point of the sheath liquid at the local atmospheric pressure. The jet exits the deposition head through the orifice, and the outer liquid is evaporated as the jet falls at atmospheric pressure.

Abstract: A self-cleaning object comprises a substrate with a surface of a first material that has a high dielectric constant overlaid with an ultrathin layer of a second material with a lower dielectric constant than the first material. This self-cleaning object repels liquids or particulate solids that have a lower dielectric constant than the dielectric constant of the ultrathin layer. Another self-cleaning object comprises a substrate with a surface of a first material that has a very low dielectric constant overlaid with an ultrathin layer of a second material with a low dielectric constant that is higher than the first material. This self-cleaning object attracts gases and repels liquids or particulate solids.

Abstract: The object of the invention is the provision of methods for controlled production of continuous multi-component filaments or discreet structures using a multi-component liquid jet issuing from an orifice. A multi-component jet consists of two or more liquids. The liquids may be miscible or immiscible, and form a co-axially propagating flow along the central axis of a flow cell. The working distance between the exit orifice and a substrate can be as large as 50 mm, so that in-flight processing of the jet is possible. The coaxial flow consists of an outer sheath liquid and an inner sample liquid or composite of liquids. The flow cell and the exit channel of the deposition head are heated so that the pressurized sheath liquid temperature is raised to near or above the boiling point of the sheath liquid at the local atmospheric pressure. The jet exits the deposition head through the orifice, and the outer liquid is evaporated as the jet falls at atmospheric pressure.

Abstract: A method for automatically associating information with content in a solution network which includes identifying information used by a customer when attempting to resolve an issue, determining when the customer contacts a customer service technician based upon the issue, resolving the issue using content stored on the solution network, and automatically associating the information used by the customer with the content used to resolve the issue is disclosed.