University College Dublin

Citrox Biosciences Limited

National University of Ireland

Wendt Gmbh

Denis Dowling

Howard Thomas

Marie G Katsikogianni

Mohamed Awais

James N Barry

Peter Dobbyn

Peter A Dennis

A surface preparation method () for a composite material () having an original surface (), the material () comprising fibres () within a matrix (), comprises removing () a surface portion of the matrix () by plasma ablation so as to reveal and activate () a new surface () with at least a portion of a plurality of the fibres () exposed thereon, without creating a residual heat-affected zone.

Surface preparation

Polymeric materials are described which have a bioflavonoid coating, the bioflavonoid content of the coating comprising at least naringin and neohesperidin. The use of such coated polymeric materials is also described as well as the process for making the coated polymeric materials.

Bioflavonoid coated materials

A barrel reactor () comprises a rotatable barrel (); a first roller () located outside of the barrel () and arranged to facilitate rotation of the barrel, wherein the roller () comprises at least part of a first electrode; and a second electrode (). A plasma is formed between the electrodes (). The second electrode () may also comprise a roller and the barrel () may be mounted on the rollers (). The spacing between, or positions of, the electrodes () may be adjusted so as to accommodate different barrels () and/or to change the plasma distribution within the barrel ().

Barrel reactor with electrodes

A photovoltaic electrode is made by the following steps: (a) depositing on a substrate a dispersion comprising powdered semiconductor particles in a dispersion medium; (b) removing the majority of the dispersion medium to leave the powdered semiconductor particles in a deposition layer on the substrate; (c) creating a plasma using microwave energy excitation; (d) exposing the deposition layer to said microwave-excited plasma for a sufficient time to sinter the nanoparticles thereby adhering them to the substrate; and (e) absorbing a dye into said sintered deposition layer. The electrode thus obtained exhibits improved performance relative to conventional sintered electrodes.

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Dublin, Ireland

Denis Dowling