Abstract: A plasma is produced in a treatment space by diffusing a plasma gas at atmospheric pressure and subjecting it to an electric field created by two metallic electrodes separated by a dielectric material, a vapor precursor is mixed with the plasma, and a substrate material is coated by vapor deposition of the vaporized substance at atmospheric pressure in the plasma field. The use of vaporized silicon-based materials, fluorine-based materials, chlorine-based materials, and organo-metallic complex materials enables the manufacture of coated substrates with improved properties with regard to moisture-barrier, oxygen-barrier, hardness, scratch- and abrasion-resistance, chemical-resistance, low-friction, hydrophobic and/or oleophobic, hydrophilic, biocide and/or antibacterial, and electrostatic-dissipative/conductive characteristics.

Abstract: A release agent is flash evaporated and deposited onto a support substrate under conventional vapor-deposition conditions and a conductive metal oxide, such as ITO, is subsequently sputtered or deposited by reactive electron beam onto the resulting release layer in the same process chamber to form a very thin film of conductive material. The resulting multilayer product is separated from the support substrate, crushed to brake up the metal-oxide film into flakes, and heated or mixed in a solvent to separate the soluble release layer from the metallic flakes. Thus, by judiciously controlling the deposition of the ITO on the release layer, transparent flakes may be obtained with the desired optical and physical characteristics.

Abstract: A coated porous sheet material comprising a gas permeable sheet material selected from the group consisting of flash spun plexifilamentary nonwoven sheet, spunbonded-film-spunbonded composite sheet, spun-laced polyester/wood pulp composite sheet and paper and a polymeric coating on at least one side thereof, wherein the permeability of the coated sheet material is substantially equivalent to the permeability of an equivalent sheet material without the coating. The coated porous sheet material is suitable for use in heat sealable packages.

Abstract: A heterogeneous blend of small electron-donor organic molecules and polymerizable monomers is flash evaporated to provide a molecular-level vapor-phase mixture, which is then condensed and cured in-line as a homogeneous liquid layer on a flexible web containing an anodic layer. The procedure is repeated with an electron-acceptor organic substance, which is deposited over the electron-donor layer. A metallic cathode is then deposited over the electron-acceptor layer and the composite OLED product is packaged. The electrical characteristics and the thickness of the metallic cathode and the composition of the polymer layers are selected such as to produce the gasification of elemental carbon generated by dielectric breakdowns and the oxidation of any exposed cathodic surface, thereby providing a built-in mechanism to prevent the propagation of the damage caused by electrical shorts.

Abstract: A method of applying a polymer to a glass surface includes applying atmospheric plasma to a glass surface, applying a film of polymerizable fluid to the surface and curing the film with high-energy radiation. Apparatus for applying atmospheric plasma includes positive and ground electrodes, and an emitter strip of porous material with a plasma gas diffusing between the electrodes and through the emitter strip onto the glass surface.

Abstract: A heterogeneous blend of small electron-donor organic molecules and polymerizable monomers is flash evaporated to provide a molecular-level vapor-phase mixture, which is then condensed and cured in-line as a homogeneous liquid layer on a flexible web containing an anodic layer. The procedure is repeated with an electron-acceptor organic substance, which is deposited over the electron-donor layer. A metallic cathode is then deposited over the electron-acceptor layer and the composite OLED product is packaged. The electrical characteristics and the thickness of the metallic cathode and the composition of the polymer layers are selected such as to produce the gasification of elemental carbon generated by dielectric breakdowns and the oxidation of any exposed cathodic surface, thereby providing a built-in mechanism to prevent the propagation of the damage caused by electrical shorts.

Abstract: A plasma is produced in a treatment space by diffusing a plasma gas at atmospheric pressure and subjecting it to an electric field created by two metallic electrodes separated by a dielectric material, a vapor precursor is mixed with the plasma, and a substrate material is coated by vapor deposition of the vaporized substance at atmospheric pressure in the plasma field. The use of vaporized silicon-based materials, fluorine-based materials, chlorine-based materials, and organo-metallic complex materials enables the manufacture of coated substrates with improved properties with regard to moisture-barrier, oxygen-barrier, hardness, scratch- and abrasion-resistance, chemical-resistance, low-friction, hydrophobic and/or oleophobic, hydrophilic, biocide and/or antibacterial, and electrostatic-dissipative/conductive characteristics.

Abstract: A thermally-stable cationic photoinitiator capable of flash vaporization under vacuum and temperature conditions of an available flash-evaporation chamber is selected. The photoinitiator is mixed with a cation-polymerizable monomer and/or oligomer of interest and the mixture is flash evaporated and condensed in conventional manner as a film on a cold substrate. The resulting vacuum-deposited, homogeneous layer is cured with a high-energy radiation source that causes the cationic photoinitiator to liberate acidic species that catalyze the crosslinking of the monomer/oligomer compounds in its deposited film form. As a result of the homogeneous, pinhole-free nature of the vacuum deposition process, the thin-film polymer product does not suffer from the disadvantages attendant to prior-art atmospheric processes for cationically-cured polymers.

Abstract: A thermally-stable cationic photoinitiator capable of flash vaporization under vacuum and temperature conditions of an available flash-evaporation chamber is selected. The photoinitiator is mixed with a cation-polymerizable monomer and/or oligomer of interest and the mixture is flash evaporated and condensed in conventional manner as a film on a cold substrate. The resulting vacuum-deposited, homogeneous layer is cured with a high-energy radiation source that causes the cationic photoinitiator to liberate acidic species that catalyze the crosslinking of the monomer/oligomer compounds in its deposited film form. As a result of the homogeneous, pinhole-free nature of the vacuum deposition process, the thin-film polymer product does not suffer from the disadvantages attendant to prior-art atmospheric processes for cationically-cured polymers.

Abstract: A radiation curable monomer and a dystuff are mixed in a curable formulation and fed into a hot evaporator under vacuum. The blend is flash evaporated through a nozzle and recondensed onto a moving substrate in contact with a temperature-controlled rotating drum. The condensed film is then crosslinked with a high-energy ultraviolet or electron-beam radiation source to effect cross-linking of the monomer. The resulting product consists of a crosslinked polymer matrix incorporating dyestuff molecules within its structure, which dramatically enhances the durability, solvent resistance, heat stability and migration fastness of the product. These properties can be further improved by chemically bonding the dyestuff molecules with the crosslinked polymer network, which can be accomplished by judiciously functionalizing the dyestuff with appropriate functional groups designed to polymerize or to react with the curable monomer.

Abstract: A porous metallic layer is incorporated in one of the electrodes of a plasma treatment system. A plasma gas is injected into the electrode at substantially atmospheric pressure and allowed to diffuse through the porous layer, thereby forming a uniform glow-discharge plasma. The film material to be treated is exposed to the plasma created between this electrode and a second electrode covered by a dielectric layer. Because of the micron size of the pores of the porous metal, each pore also produces a hollow cathode effect that facilitates the ionization of the plasma gas. As a result, a steady-state glow-discharge plasma is produced at atmospheric pressure and at power frequencies as low as 60 Hz. According to another aspect of the invention, vapor deposition is carried out in combination with plasma treatment by vaporizing a substance of interest, mixing it with the plasma gas, and diffusing the mixture through the porous electrode.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for plasma modifying a substrate are disclosed along with associated techniques for applying coatings to the substrate. Particular utility has been found using a hollow cathode to generate the plasma along with magnetic focusing means to focus the plasma at the surface of a substrate.

Abstract: A monomer is selected to produce a polymeric film having desirable characteristics for a particular application. The monomer is polymerized under controlled conditions to produce a solid oligomer having those characteristics at a molecular weight suitable for evaporation under vacuum at a temperature lower than its thermal decomposition temperature. The process of polymerization to produce the oligomer is carried out under conditions that yield a finite molecular-chain length with no residual reactive groups. The solid oligomer so produced is liquefied and extruded as a film onto a revolving drum in the evaporation section of a conventional vapor deposition chamber, and it is then cryocondensed on a cold substrate to form a solid thin film having the same desirable characteristic selected in the solid oligomer constituting the starting material.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for plasma modifying a substrate are disclosed along with associated techniques for applying coatings to the substrate. Particular utility has been found using a hollow cathode to generate the plasma along with magnetic focusing means to focus the plasma at the surface of a substrate.

Abstract: This invention is directed to the synthesis of high bulk density high gas absorption capacity adsorbents for gas storage applications. Specifically, this invention is concerned with novel gas absorbents with high gravimetric and volumetric gas adsorption capacities which are made from fullerene-based materials. By pressing fullerene powder into pellet form using a conventional press, then polymerizing it by subjecting the fullerene to high temperature and high inert gas pressure, the resulting fullerene-based materials have high bulk densities and high gas adsorption capacities. By pre-chemical modification or post-polymerization activation processes, the gas adsorption capacities of the fullerene-based adsorbents can be further enhanced. These materials are suitable for low pressure gas storage applications, such as oxygen storage for home oxygen therapy uses or on-board vehicle natural gas storage.

Abstract: The fabrication of linear and non-linear optical materials including photoconductive, photorefractive, and optical limiting polymer composite films from radiation curable homogeneous solutions or heterogeneous slurries via vacuum flash evaporation techniques is disclosed.