Abstract: A process for forming a siloxane oligomer from a mixture comprising at least one alkoxysilane, at least one phase transfer catalyst having a specified structure, and water is described.

Abstract: A process including forming a siloxane oligomer from a mixture including at least one alkoxysilane, at least one phase transfer catalyst, and water, and adding at least one latent curing catalyst to the siloxane oligomer to form a coating composition is described. Also described is a process for producing a rapidly cured abrasion resistant coating, including providing a coating composition including a siloxane oligomer and a thermal latent curing catalyst, applying the coating composition to an article, and curing the coating composition for less than about 10 minutes to form a coating that has a Bayer ratio of abrasion resistance of at least about 2.0. A coating composition including at least one siloxane oligomer, at least one phase transfer catalyst, and at least one latent curing catalyst is also described.

Abstract: This invention resides in an apparatus and related method for rapidly curing thin film sol-gel coatings, particularly such coatings adhered to low melting temperature plastic substrates, whether rigid or flexible, without deforming the substrate. The curing is achieved using IR heating lamps and dry or humid hot gas flow. This curing densities the sol-gel coating and provides desired optical and mechanical properties. The use of IR lamps and hot-gas nozzles, either singularly or in combination, produces a rapid cure by effectively heating the thin film coating layer. In this manner, a sufficiently high temperature can be attained in the film layer, to densify the sol-gel coating, but for a sufficiently short time duration to avoid melting or otherwise deforming the substrate. The sol-gel coatings can be cured two to three orders of magnitude faster than with conventional oven curing, leading to significant cost reductions and manufacturing efficiency.

Abstract: This invention resides in an apparatus and related method for rapidly curing thin film sol-gel coatings, particularly such coatings adhered to low melting temperature plastic substrates, whether rigid or flexible, without deforming the substrate. The curing is achieved using IR heating lamps and dry or humid hot gas flow. This curing densities the sol-gel coating and provides desired optical and mechanical properties. The use of IR lamps and hot-gas nozzles, either singularly or in combination, produces a rapid cure by effectively heating the thin film coating layer. In this manner, a sufficiently high temperature can be attained in the film layer, to densify the sol-gel coating, but for a sufficiently short time duration to avoid melting or otherwise deforming the substrate. The sol-gel coatings can be cured two to three orders of magnitude faster than with conventional oven curing, leading to significant cost reductions and manufacturing efficiency.