Abstract: A curable silicone composition comprising (A) an alkenyl-containing organopolysiloxane comprising (A-1) a dialkylpolysiloxane that has an average of at least two alkenyl groups in each molecule), and (A-2) an alkenyl-containing, resin-form organopolysiloxane that comprises the SiO4/2 unit, R12R2SiO1/2 unit, and R13SiO1/2 unit; (B) an organopolysiloxane that has an average of at least three silicon-bonded hydrogen atoms in each molecule, wherein component (B) is an organopolysiloxane comprising (B-1) an organopolysiloxane that contains at least 0.7 mass % silicon-bonded hydrogen and that comprises SiO4/2 units and HR32SiO1/2 units in a ratio ranging from 1.50 to 2.50 moles of HR32SiO1/2 units per 1 mole of SiO4/2 units, at 50 to 100 mass % of component (B), and (B-2) a straight-chain organopolysiloxane that contains at least 0.3 mass % silicon-bonded hydrogen, at 0 to 50 mass % of component (B); and (C) a hydrosilylation reaction catalyst.

Abstract: A method of bonding an adherent to a substrate, wherein a primer is applied to the substrate by plasma deposition and the adherent is bonded to the primer treated surface of the substrate, and the primer contains functional groups which chemically bond to functional groups in the adherent.

Abstract: A method of forming a coating on a powdered substrate, which method comprises introducing an atomized liquid and/or solid coating forming material and separately transporting a powdered substrate to be coated into an atmospheric plasma discharge and/or an ionized gas stream resulting therefrom, and exposing the powdered substrate to the atomized liquid and/or solid coating forming material.

Abstract: A method of bonding an adherent to a substrate, wherein a primer is applied to the substrate by plasma deposition and the adherent is bonded to the primer treated surface of the substrate, and the primer contains functional groups which chemically bond to functional groups in the adherent.

Abstract: A non-equilibrium atmospheric pressure plasma incorporating an atomised surface treatment agent is generated by applying a radio frequency high voltage to at least one electrode positioned within a dielectric housing while causing a process gas to flow from the inlet of the housing past the electrode to the outlet. The voltage applied is sufficiently high to generate a non-equilibrium atmospheric pressure plasma extending from the electrode at least to the outlet of the housing. The electrode may be combined with an atomiser for the surface treatment agent within the housing. The electrode may comprise a radioactive material. The surface to be treated can be positioned adjacent to the plasma outlet so that the surface is in contact with the plasma, and moved relative to the plasma outlet.

Abstract: A method of forming a gel and/or powder of a metallic oxide, metalloid oxide and/or a mixed oxide or resin thereof from one or more respective organometallic liquid precursor(s) and/or organometalloid liquid precursor(s) by oxidatively treating said liquid in a non-thermal equilibrium plasma discharge and/or an ionised gas stream resulting therefrom and collecting the resulting product. The non-thermal equilibrium plasma is preferably atmospheric plasma glow discharge, continuous low pressure glow discharge plasma, low pressure pulse plasma or direct barrier discharge. The metallic oxides this invention particularly relates to are those in columns 3a and 4a of the periodic table namely, aluminium, gallium, indium, tin and lead and the transition metals. The metalloids may be selected from boron, silicon, germanium, arsenic, antimony and tellurium.

Abstract: A method is provided for forming an active material containing coating on a substrate. The substrate is suitably a wipe, cloth or sponge for household use, or a water-soluble household cleaning unit dose product. The method comprises the steps of: i) introducing one or more gaseous or atomised liquid and/or solid coating-forming materials which undergo chemical bond forming reactions within a plasma environment and one or more active materials which substantially do not undergo chemical bond forming reactions within a plasma environment, into an atmospheric or low pressure plasma discharge and/or an excited gas stream resulting therefrom, and ii) exposing the substrate to the resulting mixture of atomised coating-forming and at least one active material which are deposited onto the substrate surface to form a coating.

Abstract: An atmospheric plasma generation assembly (100) having a body (17) containing a reactive agent introducing means, a process gas introducing means and one or more multiple parallel electrode arrangements adapted for generating a plasma. Each electrode arrangement having at least one partially dielectric coated electrode (3, 4) said assembly being adapted such that the only means of exit for a process gas and atomised liquid or solid reactive agent introduced into said assembly is through the plasma region (6) between the aforementioned electrodes (3, 4). The assembly is adapted to move relative to a substrate (1) substantially adjacent to the aforementioned electrodes outermost tips (23). The assembly may also comprise an extractor unit surrounding the plasma generating assembly, comprising an extractor body (8) which is adapted to isolate the assembly from external atmosphere and provide a means of removing exhaust process gas, reactive agents and by-products.

Abstract: A method of forming a gel and/or powder of a metallic oxide, metalloid oxide and/or a mixed oxide or resin thereof from one or more respective organometallic liquid precursor(s) and/or organometalloid liquid precursor(s) by oxidatively treating said liquid in a non-thermal equilibrium plasma discharge and/or an ionised gas stream resulting therefrom and collecting the resulting product. The non-thermal equilibrium plasma is preferably atmospheric plasma glow discharge, continuous low pressure glow discharge plasma, low pressure pulse plasma or direct barrier discharge. The metallic oxides this invention particularly relates to are those in columns 3a and 4a of the periodic table namely, aluminium, gallium, indium, tin and lead and the transition metals. The metalloids may be selected from boron, silicon, germanium, arsenic, antimony and tellurium.

Abstract: An atmospheric pressure plasma assembly (1) comprising a first and second pair of vertically arrayed, parallel spaced-apart planar electrodes (36) with at least one dielectric plate (31) between said first pair, adjacent one electrode and at least one dielectric plate (31) between said second pair adjacent one electrode, the spacing between the dielectric plate and the other dielectric plate or electrode of each of the first and second pairs of electrodes forming a first and second plasma regions (25,60) characterised in that the assembly further comprises a means of transporting a substrate (70,71,72) successively through said first and second plasma regions (25,60) and an atomiser (74) adapted to introduce an atomised liquid or solid coating making material into one of said first or second plasma regions.

Abstract: A method of forming a coating on a powdered substrate, which method comprises introducing an atomized liquid and/or solid coating forming material and separately transporting a powdered substrate to be coated into an atmospheric plasma discharge and/or an ionized gas stream resulting therefrom, and exposing the powdered substrate to the atomized liquid and/or solid coating forming material.