Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company

3m Innovative Properties Company

John F Kistner

Thomas M Milbourn

Patricia M Savu

Marc Dudley Radcliffe

Daniel C Snustad

Larry A Lien

Donald R Hotchkiss

Robert G Pleban

Charles W Fairbanks

Novel polymeric compounds having pendent fluoroaliphatic groups, pendent organic-solubilizing groups, and pendent groups capable of reacting with an epoxy silane; which have been reacted with an epoxy silane have been discovered. These compounds are easy to apply, abrasion and impact resistant, and provide durable, low surface energy, streak reducing surfaces on coating dies, edge guides, and other coating and fluid contacting surfaces.

Durable, low surface energy compounds and articles, apparatuses, and

A process for treating silicon-containing organic polymeric surfaces (e.g., spent, fluorosilane-containing, low-energy coatings) including applying a treatment composition comprising a fluorochemical compound. Preferably, the fluorochemical compound is a fluorinated silane having the following formula:

Fluorochemical treatments to provide low-energy surfaces

A process for controlling the cone tilt angle of a tilted smectic liquid crystal composition comprises the step of combining (a) at least one liquid crystal composition comprising at least one smectic or latent smectic liquid crystal compound comprising (i) an aliphatic fluorocarbon terminal portion comprising a terminal fluoroalkyl or fluoroether group and an alkylene group having at least two carbon atoms and containing at least one catenary ether oxygen atom, (ii) an aliphatic hydrocarbon terminal portion, and (iii) a central core connecting the terminal portions; and (b) at least one liquid crystal composition comprising at least one smectic or latent smectic liquid crystal compound; with the provisos that at least one of the compositions (a) and (b) comprises at least one chiral liquid crystal compound and that the combining of compositions (a) and (b) provides an optically active, tilted chiral smectic liquid crystal composition. The process enables control of cone tilt angle and thereby control of the brightness characteristics of liquid crystal display devices.

Process for controlling cone tilt angle in mixtures of smectic liquid

An automated coating apparatus includes a coating unit for applying a curable liquid material to the entire edge-to-edge surface area of one side of a flexible sheet. The sheet is then received on a rotatable drum adjacent the curing device, and moved back and forth next to the curing device to cure the liquid material. The drum includes a plurality of apertures in communication with a regenerative blower for retaining the sheet on the drum during the curing operation without contacting the uncured liquid material on the opposite face of the sheet. The curvature of the drum functions to essentially counteract the tendency of the sheet to curl during the curing operation.

Apparatus and method for coating flexible sheets while inhibiting curl

A one-part coating composition for the backside of photographic prints and photographic prints so coated are described. The white coating is reflective, flexible, and water resistant.

One-part white reflective coating

A radiation-curable composition suitable for use as a protective coating for a photographic element comprises a polymerizable acrylic compound, a polymerizable epoxy-functional silane compound, a free-radical photoinitiator capable of initiating polymerization of said acrylic compound, and 0 to 2 percent of the total composition on a weight basis of a cationic photoinitiator capable of initiating polymerization of said epoxy-functional silane compound, said composition containing epoxy functionality only in a silane compound.

Protective coating for phototools

A coating composition for the backside of photographic prints and photographic prints so coated are described. The white coating is reflective, flexible, and water resistant.

White reflective coating

Abrasion resistant films formed by the copolymerization of epoxy-terminated silanes and an aliphatic monoepoxy resin display reduced odor and increased water-repellency.

Abrasion resistant coatings

Abrasion resistant films formed by the copolymerization of epoxy-terminated silanes and limonene monoxide display water repellency that reduces damage to the integrity of the film.

Water-repellent, abrasion resistant coatings

Molding compositions useful for molding water-extended hydrophilic articles are provided which are tough, soft and form-stable and comprise, generally, an amide-endcapped hydrophilic alkylene oxide polymer, a crosslinking agent, water, and a filler. The composition is cured by means of an acid catalyst. The compositions are useful in the preparation of denture liners which exhibit excellent adhesion to denture plates and provide structural stability, toughness and softness.

Growing community of inventors

Woodbury, MN, United States of America

John F Kistner