Abstract: The present invention provides a coating comprising cinnamaldehyde, a cinnamaldehyde derivative, an essential oil, or an essential oil-derived compound; and a polyphenol, polyethyleneimine or poly(4-vinylaniline). The invention also provides a coating comprising cinnamaldehyde, a cinnamaldehyde derivative, an essential oil, or an essential oil-derived compound; a metal, metal-salt or metal-compound; and a polyphenol or a polyphenol-containing substance or solution. Substrates including the coatings applied thereto, and methods of preparing the coatings are also provided.

Abstract: The invention to which this application relates is apparatus and a method for applying coatings to improve the ability to provide Oleophobic and/or Hydrophilic surfaces on an item and the coating includes particles and/or nano particles to enhance the performance characteristics of the coating.

Abstract: The invention provides a coating which exhibits fast oleophobic-hydrophilic switching behaviour with, for example, equilibration of high oil contact angle (hexadecane=80°) and low water contact angle (<10°) values which occur within 10 s of droplet impact. These optically transparent surfaces display excellent anti-fogging and self-cleaning properties. The magnitude of oleophobic-hydrophilic switching can be further enhanced by the incorporation of surface roughness and in one embodiment the coating is applied to a surface in the form of a mesh in order to form an effective filter.

Abstract: The invention to which this application relates is apparatus and a method for applying coatings to improve the ability to provide Oleophobic and/or Hydrophilic surfaces on an item and the coating includes particles and/or nano particles to enhance the performance characteristics of the coating.

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: The invention provides a coating which exhibits fast oleophobic-hydrophilic switching behaviour with, for example, equilibration of high oil contact angle (hexadecane=80°) and low water contact angle (<10°) values which occur within 10 s of droplet impact. These optically transparent surfaces display excellent anti-fogging and self-cleaning properties. The magnitude of oleophobic-hydrophilic switching can be further enhanced by the incorporation of surface roughness and in one embodiment the coating is applied to a surface in the form of a mesh in order to form an effective filter.

Abstract: A method for the production of substrate coated with a poly(ionic liquid), which method comprises the steps of: •(i) providing a monomer (I) which comprises both a polymerisable functional group and a nitrogen centre; •(ii) providing a substrate; •(iii) contacting the substrate with the monomer (I) in an exciting medium, in order to cause polymerisation of the monomer and deposition of the resultant precursor polymer (II) on the substrate; and •(iv) subsequently contacting the precursor polymer (II) with a cation-generating agent, in order to convert it into a poly(ionic liquid) (III) containing an imidazolium cation.

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: 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: 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: The invention features a method of creating a polymer brush bearing covalently bound polymeric side chains, comprising the steps of: (a) deposition, onto a substrate, of a halogen containing initiator film or a precursor which is derivatized into a halogen containing initiator film; (b) surface ATRP growth, from the halogen containing initiator film formed in step (a), of a polymeric brush backbone incorporating side groups; (c) growth, from the polymeric brush backbone formed in step (b), of polymeric side chains on the polymeric brush backbone, to form a polymer brush in which the polymeric side chains constitute the bristles of the brush.

Abstract: A method of photopatterning rewritable reactive groups onto surfaces using typically a plasmachemical deposition of functionalized materials, followed by molecular printing of inks. Subsequent treatment of the reactive groups allows for surface rewriting and also the method allows for the creation of either positive or negative image multifunctional rewritable patterned surfaces.

Abstract: A delivery system for an active substance, comprising a substrate on which the substance is loaded for subsequent release, wherein: (i) the substrate has been at least partially coated with a polymer using plasma deposition (preferably pulsed plasma deposition); (ii) the active substance is present as a guest molecule within a cyclodextrin inclusion complex; and (iii) the inclusion complex is bound to the polymer through a chemical linkage formed between a hydroxyl group on the cyclodextrin and a functional group on the polymer. The system may be used to control the release of an active substance such as a perfume. Also provided are methods for preparing (a) the delivery system and (b) a functionalised substrate for use as part of the system, in which the polymer is suitably reacted with a cyclodextrin using an S N 2 nucleophilic substitution reaction, in particular a Williamson ether synthesis reaction.

Abstract: A method for applying a zinc oxide coating to a substrate, comprising the steps of: (i) applying a nitrogen-containing aromatic heterocycle functionalised coating to the substrate; (ii) contacting the nitrogen-containing aromatic heterocycle functionalised coating with an agent comprising palladium(II) and/or platinum(II), resulting in a coating comprising complexed palladium(II) and/or platinum(II); (iii) reducing the complexed palladium(II) and/or platinum(II) in the coating to palladium(0) and/or platinum(0); and (iv) contacting the coating comprising complexed palladium(0) and/or platinum(0) with a zinc salt in the presence of a reducing agent under aqueous conditions to form a zinc oxide coating on the substrate.

Abstract: A method for producing polymer coatings by surface initiated polymerization from a plasma deposited coating is provided. The modification of surfaces by polymer attachment is a versatile and efficient means of controlling interfacial properties, such as surface energy (i.e. wetting behavior), permeability, bio-activity, and chemical reactivity. The present invention provides a method whereby a plasma deposited coating is applied to a substrate and the polymer coating formed by surface initiated polymerization is formed on the coating rather than the substrate itself. This means that the growth of the polymer using the grafting from procedure can be performed efficiently and independently of the substrate from.

Abstract: A method is provided for applying a reactive thiol containing coating to a substrate. The method includes subjecting the substrate to a plasma discharge in the presence of a compound of formula (I) or formula (Ia): where X is an optionally substituted straight or branched alkylene chain(s) or aryl group(s); R1, R2 or R3 are optionally substituted hydrocarbyl or heterocyclic groups, and m is an integer greater than 0; Rn is a number of optionally substituted hydrocarbyl or heterocyclic groups, where n is 0-5.

Abstract: A method is provided for applying a reactive aldehyde containing coating to a substrate. The method includes subjecting a substrate to a plasma discharge in the presence of a compound of formula (I): Where X is an optionally substituted straight or branched alkylene chain(s) or aryl group(s); R1, R2 or R3 are optionally substituted hydrocarbyl or heterocyclic groups, and m is an integer greater than 0.

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 for producing polymer coatings by surface initiated polymerization from a plasma deposited coating is provided. The modification of surfaces by polymer attachment is a versatile and efficient means of controlling interfacial properties, such as surface energy (i.e. wetting behavior), permeability, bio-activity, and chemical reactivity. The present invention provides a method whereby a plasma deposited coating is applied to a substrate and the polymer coating formed by surface initiated polymerization is formed on the coating rather than the substrate itself. This means that the growth of the polymer using the grafting from procedure can be performed efficiently and independently of the substrate from.