Abstract: A substrate or coating is provided that includes a protease with enzymatic activity toward a component of a biological stain. Also provided is a process for facilitating the removal of a biological stain is provided wherein an inventive substrate or coating including a protease is capable of enzymatically degrading of one or more components of the biological stain to facilitate biological stain removal from the substrate or said coating.

Abstract: An omnidirectional multilayer thin film is provided. The multilayer thin film includes a multilayer stack having a first layer of a first material and a second layer of a second material, the second layer extending across the first layer. The multilayer stack reflects a narrow band of electromagnetic radiation having a full width at half maximum (FWHM) of less than 300 nanometers (nm) and a color/hue shift of less than 30 degrees when the multilayer stack is exposed to broadband electromagnetic radiation and viewed from angles between 0 and 45 degrees. In some instances, the multilayer stack has a total thickness of less than 2 microns (?m). Preferably, the multilayer thin film has a total thickness of less than 1.5 ?m and more preferably less than 1.0 ?m.

Abstract: Disclosed is a multilayer structure wherein a first layer of a first material having an outer surface and a refracted index between 2 and 4 extends across an outer surface of a second layer having a refractive index between 1 and 3. The multilayer stack has a reflective band of less than 200 nanometers when viewed from angles between 0° and 80° and can be used to reflect a narrow range of electromagnetic radiation in the ultraviolet, visible and infrared spectrum ranges. In some instances, the reflection band of the multilayer structure is less than 100 nanometers. In addition, the multilayer structure can have a quantity defined as a range to mid-range ratio percentage of less than 2%.

Abstract: An omnidirectional reflector that reflects a band of electromagnetic radiation of less than 100 nanometers when viewed from angles between 0 and 45 degrees is provided. The omnidirectional reflector includes a multilayer stack having a plurality of layers of high index of refraction material and a plurality of layers of low index of refraction material. In addition, the plurality of high index of refraction material layers and low index of refraction material layers are alternately stacked on top of or across each other and provide a non-periodic layered structure.

Abstract: Protein-polymer composite materials are provided according to embodiments of the present invention that include an admixture of a polymer resin, a surfactant and a non-aqueous organic solvent. An aqueous solution containing bioactive proteins is mixed with the admixture. The emulsion is mixed with a crosslinker to produce a curable composition. The curable composition is cured, thereby producing the protein-polymer composite material that is useful for facilitating removal of bioorganic stains.

Abstract: A non-dichroic omnidirectional structural color multilayer structure. The non-dichroic omnidirectional structural color multilayer structure has an absorbing layer, a first layer extending across the absorbing layer, and a second layer extending across the first layer. The multilayer structure can reflect a narrow band of electromagnetic radiation that has a width of less than 500 nanometers and a center wavelength shift of less than 200 nanometers when the multilayer structure is viewed from angles between 0 and 45 degrees. In addition, the absorbing layer can block electromagnetic radiation reflected off of a surface that is proximate to the multilayer structure and thereby afford for a “pure” color that is not contaminated by reflected light from surrounding surfaces.

Abstract: A multilayer stack displaying a red omnidirectional structural color. The multilayer stack includes a reflector layer, a dielectric layer extending across the reflector layer, and an absorbing layer extending across the dielectric layer. The dielectric layer reflects more than 70% of incident white light that has a wavelength greater than 580 nanometers (nm). In addition, the absorbing layer absorbs more than 70% of the incident white light with a wavelength less than 580 nm. In combination, the reflector layer, dielectric layer, and absorbing layer form an omnidirectional reflector that reflects a narrow band of electromagnetic radiation with a center wavelength between 580-680 nm, has a width of less than 200 nm wide and a color shift of less than 100 nm when the reflector is viewed from angles between 0 and 45 degrees.

Abstract: Protein-polymer composite materials are provided according to embodiments of the present invention that include an admixture of a polymer resin, a surfactant and a non-aqueous organic solvent. An aqueous solution containing bioactive proteins is mixed with the admixture. The emulsion is mixed with a crosslinker to produce a curable composition. The curable composition is cured, thereby producing the protein-polymer composite material that is useful for facilitating removal of bioorganic stains.

Abstract: An omnidirectional reflector that reflects a band of electromagnetic radiation of less than 100 nanometers when viewed from angles between 0 and 45 degrees is provided. The omnidirectional reflector includes a multilayer stack having a plurality of layers of high index of refraction material and a plurality of layers of low index of refraction material. In addition, the plurality of high index of refraction material layers and low index of refraction material layers are alternately stacked on top of or across each other and provide a non-periodic layered structure.

Abstract: A sanitary article is provided that includes a dried polymeric matrix with embedded enzyme. The presence of the enzyme in the polymeric matrix allows the sanitary article to absorb a bodily discharge fluid thereby allowing the embedded enzyme to function in the production of antibacterial compounds or by directly reducing the presence of viable bacteria in the discharge fluid. The enzyme activity promotes reduced odor in the sanitary article.

Abstract: A multilayer photonic structure may include a plurality of coating layers of high index dielectric material of index of refraction nH and a plurality of coating layers of low index dielectric material of index of refraction nL alternately arranged with a first coating layer and a last coating layer of the multi-layer photonic structure comprise low index material. An index-thickness of each coating layer of the multilayer photonic structure is different than every other coating layer of the multilayer photonic structure. The multilayer photonic structure has a first high reflectivity bandwidth, a second high reflectivity bandwidth and a low reflectivity bandwidth wherein the low reflectivity bandwidth is positioned between the first high reflectivity bandwidth and the second high reflectivity bandwidth.

Abstract: A high-chroma omnidirectional structural color multilayer structure is provided. The structure includes a multilayer stack that has a core layer, a dielectric layer extending across the core layer, and an absorber layer extending across the dielectric layer. An interface is present between the dielectric layer and the absorber layer and a near-zero electric field for a first incident electromagnetic wavelength is present at this interface. In addition, a large electric field at a second incident electromagnetic wavelength is present at the interface. As such, the interface allows for high transmission of the first incident electromagnetic wavelength and high absorption of the second incident electromagnetic wavelength such that a narrow band of reflected light is produced by the multilayer stack.

Abstract: A process for forming thermoelectric nanoparticles includes the steps of providing a core material and a bismuth containing compound in a reverse micelle; providing a tellurium containing compound either in or not in a reverse micelle; reacting the bismuth containing compound with the tellurium containing compound in the presence of a base, forming a composite thermoelectric nanoparticle having a core and shell structure.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a non-quarter wave multilayer structure having a plurality of alternating low index of refraction material stacks and high index of refraction material stacks. The plurality of alternating stacks can reflect electromagnetic radiation in the ultraviolet region and a narrow band of electromagnetic radiation in the visible region. The non-quarter wave multilayer structure, i.e. nLdL?nHdH??0/4, can be expressed as [A 0.5 qH pL(qH pL)N 0.5 qH G], where q and p are multipliers to the quarter-wave thicknesses of high and low refractive index material, respectively, H is the quarter-wave thickness of the high refracting index material; L is the quarter-wave thickness of the low refracting index material; N represents the total number of layers between bounding half layers of high index of refraction material (0.5 qH); G represents a substrate and A represents air.

Abstract: Bioactive coatings that are stabilized against inactivation by weathering are provided including a base associated with a chemically modified enzyme, and, optionally a first polyoxyethylene present in the base and independent of the enzyme. The coatings are optionally overlayered onto a substrate to form an active coating facilitating the removal of organic stains or organic material from food, insects, or the environment.

Abstract: A substrate or coating is provided that includes a lipase with enzymatic activity toward a component of a fingerprint. Also provided is a process for facilitating the removal of fingerprints is provided wherein an inventive substrate or coating including a lipase is capable of enzymatically degrading of one or more components of the fingerprint to facilitate fingerprint removal from the substrate or said coating. Applying heat to the substrate or coating increases the rate of fingerprint removal.

Abstract: A process for stabilizing a bioactive composition includes forming hydrogel matrix pores around protein molecules and reducing a water content within the hydrogel matrix pores while keeping the protein molecules biologically active.

Abstract: A process for manufacturing a nanocomposite thermoelectric material having a plurality of nanoparticle inclusions. The process includes determining a material composition to be investigated for the nanocomposite thermoelectric material, the material composition including a conductive bulk material and a nanoparticle material. In addition, a range of surface roughness values for the insulating nanoparticle material that can be obtained using current state of the art manufacturing techniques is determined. Thereafter, a plurality of Seebeck coefficients, electrical resistivity values, thermal conductivity values and figure of merit values as a function of the range of nanoparticle material surface roughness values is calculated. Based on these calculated values, a nanocomposite thermoelectric material composition or ranges of compositions is/are selected and manufactured.

Abstract: A method for producing a multi-layer photonic structure having at least one group of alternating layers of high index material and low index material may include, determining a characteristic property function for the multi-layer photonic structure, determining a thickness multiplier for the at least one group of alternating layers based on a comparison of the characteristic property function to a target profile, adjusting the characteristic property function with the determined thickness multiplier, and comparing an adjusted characteristic property function to the target profile, wherein, when the adjusted characteristic property function does not approximate the target profile, at least one additional group of layers is added to the multi-layer photonic structure.

Abstract: A process for designing and manufacturing an omnidirectional structural color (OSC) multilayer stack. The process can include providing a digital processor operable to execute at least one module and a table of index of refraction values corresponding to different materials that are usable for manufacturing an OSC multilayer stack. An initial design for the OSC multilayer stack can be provided and at least one additional layer is added to the initial design OSC multilayer stack to create a modified OSC multilayer stack. In addition, the thickness of each layer of the modified OSC multilayer stack is calculated using a merit function module until an optimized OSC multilayer stack has been calculated.