Abstract: This invention provides methodology for the measurement of both low and high levels of scattered radiation produced by decorative and barrier coatings and plastics. Measurements of low levels are especially important for coatings used in automotive applications. The method is based on the illumination of the sample with radiation and collection of only the portion of the radiation scattered from the coating before, during and after the testing step and relating the optical signal from the tested portion of the sample material to the untested portion of the material and/or a standard. Through the practice of the invention, a large number of coating samples, as in an array, may be analyzed for their optical quality, principally haze, either after coating and curing, and/or after subjection of such coatings samples to elongation stresses, and/or abrasion testing, solvent exposure, hydrolytic stability testing, and temperature exposure.

Abstract: Systems and methods for creating a combinatorial coating library including a coating system operatively coupled to at least one of a plurality of materials suitable for forming at least one coating layer on a surface of one or more substrates and a curing system operative to apply at least one of a plurality of curing environments to each of a plurality of regions associated with the at least one coating layer. The curing system including a scanning mirror system having a mirrored surface positionable relative to an incoming radiation beam, wherein the mirrored surface is positionable to direct the incoming radiation beam to a selected one of the plurality of regions associated with the coating layer. The combinatorial coating library comprising a predetermined combination of at least one of the plurality of materials and at least one of the plurality of curing environments associated with each of the plurality of regions.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for characterizing the barrier properties of an array of coatings. The method including providing a plurality of acoustic wave devices, wherein each of the plurality of acoustic wave devices comprises at least one surface, and providing a plurality of coating materials suitable for forming a plurality of coatings on the at least one surface of each of the plurality of acoustic wave devices. The method also including coating each of the plurality of acoustic wave devices with at least one of the plurality of coating materials to form a plurality of coated acoustic wave devices and measuring a predetermined output parameter of each of the plurality of coated acoustic wave devices.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for characterizing the barrier properties of an array of coatings. The method including providing a plurality of acoustic wave devices, wherein each of the plurality of acoustic wave devices comprises at least one surface, and providing a plurality of coating materials suitable for forming a plurality of coatings on the at least one surface of each of the plurality of acoustic wave devices. The method also including coating each of the plurality of acoustic wave devices with at least one of the plurality of coating materials to form a plurality of coated acoustic wave devices and measuring a predetermined output parameter of each of the plurality of coated acoustic wave devices.

Abstract: Systems and methods for creating a combinatorial coating library including a coating system operatively coupled to at least one of a plurality of materials suitable for forming at least one coating layer on a surface of one or more substrates and a curing system operative to apply at least one of a plurality of curing environments to each of a plurality of regions associated with the at least one coating layer. The curing system including a scanning mirror system having a mirrored surface positionable relative to an incoming radiation beam, wherein the mirrored surface is positionable to direct the incoming radiation beam to a selected one of the plurality of regions associated with the coating layer. The combinatorial coating library comprising a predetermined combination of at least one of the plurality of materials and at least one of the plurality of curing environments associated with each of the plurality of regions.

Abstract: Systems and methods are presented for creating a combinatorial coating library. These systems and methods include a coating system operatively coupled to at least one of a plurality of materials suitable for forming at least one coating layer on a surface of one or more substrates and a curing system operative to apply at least one of a plurality of curing environments to each of a plurality of regions associated with the at least one coating layer and their use. The combinatorial coating library prepared comprises a predetermined combination of at least one of the plurality of materials and at least one of the plurality of curing environments associated with each of the plurality of regions.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for quantifying structural defects of a coating composition on a given substrate, where certain structural defect-inducing tests are performed. In this method, a coating formulation is doped with a colorimetric or luminescent material. Concentration of the material depends on the quantum efficiency, excitation and emission wavelengths, and employed detection techniques, and can range from about 1 fM to about 1 mM. Before, during and/or after such tests, the coating is illuminated with a wavelength of radiation at which the reflected or transmitted color or emitted luminescence of the material in the coating is detectable with an optical detector or by visual inspection. In this fashion, the percentage of failure of the coating can be quantified as well as the level of interdiffusion of coating into substrate or substrate into coating. The method of the invention is thus particularly well-suited for the combinatorial analysis of an array of coating samples.

Abstract: This invention provides methodology for the measurement of both low and high levels of scattered radiation produced by decorative and barrier coatings and plastics. Measurements of low levels are especially important for coatings used in automotive applications. The method is based on the illumination of the sample with radiation and collection of only the portion of the radiation scattered from the coating before, during and after the testing step and relating the optical signal from the tested portion of the sample material to the untested portion of the material and/or a standard. Through the practice of the invention, a large number of coating samples, as in an array, may be analyzed for their optical quality, principally haze, either after coating and curing, and/or after subjection of such coatings samples to elongation stresses, and/or abrasion testing, solvent exposure, hydrolytic stability testing, and temperature exposure.

Abstract: Computerized systems and methods for planning, preparing, tracking, and analyzing a plurality of chemical reactions including a planner for planning how much of each of a plurality of materials is to be delivered to each of a plurality of reaction vessels; a delivery device for delivering a predetermined amount of each of the plurality of materials to each of the plurality of reaction vessels; a reaction device for reacting the plurality of materials disposed within each of the plurality of reaction vessels; a measuring device for testing and measuring the reacted contents of each of the plurality of reaction vessels; and an analyzer for analyzing the reacted contents of each of the plurality of reaction vessels to determine the amount of at least one component present in the reacted contents and to determine the relative performance of the materials disposed within each of the plurality of reaction vessels.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for quantifying structural defects of a coating composition on a given substrate, where certain structural defect-inducing tests are performed. In this method, a coating formulation is doped with a colorimetric or luminescent material. Concentration of the material depends on the quantum efficiency, excitation and emission wavelengths, and employed detection techniques, and can range from about 1 fM to about 1 mM. Before, during and/or after such tests, the coating is illuminated with a wavelength of radiation at which the reflected or transmitted color or emitted luminescence of the material in the coating is detectable with an optical detector or by visual inspection. In this fashion, the percentage of failure of the coating can be quantified as well as the level of interdiffusion of coating into substrate or substrate into coating. The method of the invention is thus particularly well-suited for the combinatorial analysis of an array of coating samples.

Abstract: A method for the remediation of a site contaminated with at least one halogenated hydrocarbon, comprising inoculating the site with a microbial consortium which comprises microbes which under anaerobic conditions collectively dehalogenated the at least one halogenated hydrocarbon to one or more non-halogenated compounds. Suitable microbial consortia may be obtained by laboratory culturing of naturally-occurring soil microbes in the presence of a halogenated hydrocarbon.