Prosecution Insights
Last updated: July 17, 2026
Application No. 18/221,998

DEVICES AND METHODS INVOLVING STABLE OR STRETCHABLE POLYMER

Non-Final OA §102§103§112
Filed
Jul 14, 2023
Priority
Jul 14, 2022 — provisional 63/389,304
Examiner
JACKSON, MONIQUE R
Art Unit
1787
Tech Center
1700 — Chemical & Materials Engineering
Assignee
The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
35%
Grant Probability
At Risk
1-2
OA Rounds
1y 1m
Est. Remaining
79%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants only 35% of cases
35%
Career Allowance Rate
320 granted / 923 resolved
-30.3% vs TC avg
Strong +44% interview lift
Without
With
+44.2%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
4y 2m
Avg Prosecution
56 currently pending
Career history
1006
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
0.2%
-39.8% vs TC avg
§103
74.4%
+34.4% vs TC avg
§102
5.5%
-34.5% vs TC avg
§112
10.4%
-29.6% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 923 resolved cases

Office Action

§102 §103 §112
CTNF 18/221,998 CTNF 77565 DETAILED ACTION Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status 07-03-aia AIA 15-10-aia The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA. The amendment filed 3/18/2026 has been entered. Claims 2-5 and 9 have been canceled. Claims 1, 6-8, and 10-27 are pending in the application. The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action. Election/Restrictions Applicant's election with traverse of Group II, Claims 10-11 (as well as Currently Amended Claims 12-27) in the reply filed on 3/18/2026 is acknowledged, and although the Examiner does not fully concede to Applicant’s arguments, given that Claims 12-27 of Group III have been amended to now depend upon Claim 10 of Group II, and in the interest of compact prosecution, the restriction requirement dated 1/21/2026 is hereby withdrawn by the Examiner. Drawings 06-22 AIA The drawings are objected to because “Flurinated” in Fig. 4B is misspelled . Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance. Claim Objections 07-29-01 AIA Claim 20 is objected to because of the following informalities: “ a surface reactive site s ” (emphasis added) on line 3 should read “surface reactive sites” or “a surface reactive site” or similar phrase . Appropriate correction is required. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112 07-30-02 AIA The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b): (b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention. The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA), second paragraph: The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention. Claims 1 and 6-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention. Claim 1 recites the limitation "the form of a composite layer or film" in lines 2-3. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim, and given that a “composite” layer or film may be provided in more than one “form”, it is unclear as to what is meant to be encompassed by “the form” and/or whether “the form” is meant to refer to a specific form of a composite layer or film. Claim 1 further recites, “to enhance performance of the surface region in terms of one or more parameters corresponding to one or more of: operational stability of the surface region, and a manner of degree to which an electronic device is protected by the surface region , wherein the surface region includes a polymer film , and encapsulation performance associated with the surface region includes a stretchable material protecting an electronic device” (emphasis added) on lines 3-8, however, it is unclear whether the limitations following the “wherein” on line 6 are separate parameters of the “one or more parameters” as recited on lines 4-6, or are meant to further limit the “one or more parameters” already recited on lines 4-6, or are meant to further limit the overall method aside from or in addition to said one or more parameters. Hence, one having ordinary skill in the art would not be reasonably apprised of the scope of the claimed invention and could not interpret the metes and bounds of the claim so as to understand how to avoid infringement. Dependent claims 6-8 do not remedy the above and hence are indefinite for the same reasons. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 07-07-aia AIA 07-07 The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action: A person shall be entitled to a patent unless – 07-08-aia AIA (a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention. 07-12-aia AIA (a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention. 07-15-03-aia AIA Claim s 10, 12, 19-20, 23, and 27 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Didar (US2024/0375145A1). Didar discloses omniphobic materials that are physically and chemically modified at their surface to create hierarchically structured materials with both nanoscale and microscale structures that provide the omniphobic properties (Abstract), wherein such materials are flexible (Paragraph 0056), exhibit repellency to liquids and/or biological fluids (Paragraphs 0058-0061, as in instant claim 23), and may be utilized as wearable devices such as wearable biosensors comprising optical sensing components (Paragraphs 0005 and 0168). Didar specifically discloses that the material comprises an elastomeric polymer that is activated by oxidation of the surface and then coated with a lubricant-tethering molecule, particularly a fluorocarbon or fluorosilane such as trichloro(1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorooctyl)silane (TPFS) or 1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorooctyltriethoxy silane (PFOTS), to create at least one lubricant-tethering molecular layer on the activated surface (Paragraphs 0006-0019), with working examples specifically utilizing a flexible substrate or film of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) elastomeric polymer that is subjected to plasma activation to induce hydroxyl groups on the surface of the PDMS film and then reacted with TPFS to provide a stable self-assembled monolayer or molecular layer of the TPFS molecules uniformly dispersed on and covalently attached to the PDMS film as shown in Fig. 1 (Examples) that is then subjected to lubricant infusion (“one or more subsequent modifications” as in instant claim 19); and given that the stable molecular layer of TPFS “densifies” the activated surface forming a “dense molecular layer” thereon and that the resulting flexible composite film is “stretchable” to some arbitrary extent and enhances “operational stability” of the surface due to the (per)fluorinated molecules or chains covalently attached to the surface region (as in instant claim 20) as evidenced by the working examples, the Examiner takes the position that Didar discloses the claimed invention with sufficient specificity to anticipate instant claims 10, 12, 19-20, 23, and 27 . 07-15 AIA Claim s 1, 10, 12, 18-21, 23, and 26-27 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102( a)(1 ) as being anticipated by Lawin (US2021/0002493A1). Lawin discloses an article having a surface, particularly comprising a thermoset elastomer or rubber (e.g., a stretchable polymer material), wherein the surface is subjected to surface functionalization or modification to impart any desired property or reactivity to the thermoset elastomer surface, without affecting the bulk properties thereof, by attachment of a modifier via a surface reagent that comprises at least one unsaturated bond that attaches to the thermoset elastomer surface to form a functionalized surface and at least one reactive functional group to which the modifier attaches thereby forming a modified surface comprising the modifier covalently attached to the surface of the thermoset elastomer, with suitable modifiers including polymeric and non-polymeric modifiers such as biomolecules, bioactive molecules, organic or inorganic small molecules, perfluorinated molecules, thiol substituted molecules, silanes, functional silanes, organic semiconductors, and combinations thereof (Entire document, particularly Abstract, Paragraphs 0001, 0006, 0139-0149, 0276, 0308, 0316, 0334, Examples, and Claims 117-130). Lawin discloses that “[d]esirable surface properties and combinations of surface properties can include but are not limited to anti-fouling (of any type) hydrophilic, barrier, wet lubricious (low coefficient of friction when wet with water), dry lubricious (low coefficient of friction between two dry or relatively dry surfaces) adhesive, non-adhesive, bioreactive, and biocompatible;” wherein “[f]or example, low fouling and low coefficient of friction materials may be useful in microfluidics, diagnostic tests, sensors and devices in the fields of medical products, bioprocesses or bioseparations such as membranes for microbial suspension, hormone separation, protein fractionation, cell separation, waste water treatment, oligosaccharide bioreactors, and protein ultrafiltration,” while “[s]olar cells i.e. dye-sensitized solar cell, organic light emitting diodes, field effect transistors, fuel cells are other areas that could benefit from the use of surface modified parts” (Paragraph 0005). Lawin discloses that “[i]n specific examples, after modification of the surface reagent that is attached to rubber, surface modification by polysiloxane for attaining a low coefficient of friction and a perfluorinated molecule for greater inertness and stability can be achieved” (Paragraph 0005), wherein Lawin also discloses that a specific example of a perfluorinated molecule is perfluorodecanethiol (e.g., PFDT, as utilized in the instant invention) which can be attached to a functionalized surface (Paragraph 0305 and Claim 130), with working Example 34 specifically directed to modification of butyl rubber by PFDT after functionalization with dipentaerythritol allyl ether (DPA), wherein more specifically, a butyl rubber coupon (e.g., a stretchable film) is first functionalized by DPA, represented by Compound 17b wherein j=1, to provide non-conjugated carbon-carbon double bonds on the surface of the butyl rubber (or in a surface region of a composite film), to which 1H, 1H, 2H, 2H-perfluorodecanethiol is covalently attached (e.g., via reaction Scheme 4a for a thiol-ene reaction, Paragraph 0279, Examples, particularly Examples 11-13, 17 and 34); and given that the resulting modified butyl rubber would be a “stretchable composite film” comprising a “molecular layer” or “dense molecular layer” of PFDT covalently attached to a surface or surface region of the butyl rubber as a stretchable polymer material thereby densifying the surface region and enhancing performance by providing “greater inertness and stability” as disclosed by Lawin while remaining “stretchable”, the Examiner takes the position that Lawin discloses the claimed invention with sufficient specificity to anticipate instant claims 1, 10, 12, and 26-27 . With respect to instant claim 18, although Lawin does not specifically recite the claimed “substantially” maintained “same level of stretchability and charge transport mobility” as recited in instant claim 18, given that Lawin clearly discloses that the bulk properties are maintained and that the surface region is modified in essentially the same method as in the instant invention with the same perfluorinated molecules as utilized in the instant invention, the Examiner takes the position that said maintained properties would be inherent to the modified rubber of Lawin and hence Lawin anticipates instant claim 18. With respect to instant claim 19, given that the DPA molecules are “uniformly dispersed on the surface region or into the surface region” of the functionalized surface and are to provide a base surface or platform for one or more subsequent modifications (e.g., with PFDT), and/or that the PFDT is similarly “uniformly dispersed on the surface region” and can provide “a base surface or platform” for subsequent modifications, the Examiner takes the position that Lawin discloses the claimed invention with sufficient specificity to anticipate instant claim 19. With respect to instant claim 20, given that the functionalized surface disclosed by Lawin is reacted with the perfluorinated PFDT molecules forming a fluorinated layer thereon attached to the surface reactive sites/double bonds in the same manner as in the instant invention and providing greater stability as disclosed by Lawin, the Examiner takes the position that Lawin discloses the claimed invention with sufficient specificity to anticipate instant claim 20. With respect to instant claim 21, given that “the electronic device” is not positively recited as being part of the claimed “apparatus” of instant claim 12 from which claim 21 depends, and that claim 21 also does not positively recite that the claimed invention includes the “electronic device” such that the limitation appears to be directed to the intended end use of the claimed “apparatus”, the Examiner takes the position that Lawin anticipates the claimed invention as recited in instant claim 21, especially given that as noted above, Lawin clearly discloses that the invention is useful for a solar cell, organic light emitting diodes, and sensors. With respect to instant claim 23, it is again noted that Lawin specifically discloses that the surface may be functionalized with covalent perfluorinated chains grafted onto the surface region as in the working examples, and although Lawin does not specifically recite that the perfluorinated chains “are to protect against or mitigate diffusion of water or other liquid into the surface region, thereby enhancing permeability reduction of the surface region”, the Examiner takes the position that given that the PFDT molecules would inherently provide such properties, Lawin anticipates instant claim 23 . Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103 07-20-aia AIA The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action: A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made. 07-21-aia AIA Claim s 1, 6-8, and 10-27 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zheng (US2023/0067079A1) in view of Lawin (US2021/0002493A1) . The applied reference Zheng has a common joint inventor with the instant application. Based upon the earlier effectively filed date of the reference, it constitutes prior art under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2). Zheng teaches skin-inspired, stretchable polymer electronics that are wearable and/or implantable, such as stretchable transistors, flexible LED screen, soft sensors, etc. (as in instant claims 21-22; Paragraphs 0014 and 0067) comprising a stretchable composite film (as in instant claims 1, 10, and 12) particularly configured as a stretchable transistor such as for use as an organic field-effect transistor (OFET, as in instant claims 6 and 15-16), and comprising a stretchable material for semiconductor or dielectric layers thereof comprising a covalently-embedded in-situ rubber matrix (iRUM) (as in instant claim 14) comprising a polymer material having non-conjugated C=C bonds and that exhibits crystalline packing (as in instant claim 11) and a polymer semiconductor such as poly-thieno[3,2-b]thiophene-diketopyrrolopyrrole (DPPTT) interpenetrating with the crosslinked rubber matrix (as in instant claims 6-8, 13-17, and 24-25), wherein “[t]he iRUM approach achieves all desirable merits (high electronic performance, softness, mechanical stability and ease of manufacturing) for polymer electronic materials” (Paragraph 0032) and that “[w]hen applied in stretchable transistors, the iRUM-semiconductor film retained its mobility after stretching to 100% strain, and exhibited record-high mobility retention of 1 cm 2 V −1 s −1 after 1000 stretching-releasing cycles at 50% strain” (e.g., as in instant claims 7-8 and 16; Entire document, particularly Abstract; Paragraphs 0015-0017, 0055-0057; and Claims 1-20); and although Zheng teaches that the highly accessible and reactive C=C double bonds located on the surfaces of iRUM films “provide additional opportunities to engineer the semiconductor-dielectric interface” via pre- and/or post-modification and interfacial engineering through chemical functionalization given that these double bonds are able to undergo various chemical reactions such as a thiol-ene reaction (Paragraphs 0050 and 0066) and that in general, surface functionalization is known in the art (Paragraphs 0017 and 0025), Zheng does not specifically teach providing a dense molecular layer of covalently-attached molecules in a surface region of the composite film such that the surface region or at least a portion of the polymer material of the stretchable composite film is densified though the covalently-attached molecules as in instant claims 1 and 10, to enhance performance of the surface region such as with respect to operational stability of the surface as in instant claim 1 (and instant claim 12). However, as discussed in detail above and incorporated herein by reference, Lawin teaches an article having a surface, particularly comprising a thermoset elastomer or rubber (e.g., a stretchable polymer material as in Zheng), wherein the surface is subjected to surface functionalization or modification to impart any desired property or reactivity to the thermoset elastomer surface, without affecting the bulk properties thereof, by attachment of a modifier via a surface reagent that comprises at least one reactive functional group to which the modifier attaches thereby forming a modified surface comprising the modifier covalently attached to the surface of the thermoset elastomer, with suitable modifiers including polymeric and non-polymeric modifiers such as biomolecules, bioactive molecules, organic or inorganic small molecules, perfluorinated molecules, thiol substituted molecules, silanes, functional silanes, organic semiconductors, and combinations thereof (Entire document, particularly Abstract, Paragraphs 0001, 0006, 0139-0149, 0276, 0308, 0316, 0334, Examples, and Claims 117-130). Lawin teaches that “[d]esirable surface properties and combinations of surface properties can include but are not limited to anti-fouling (of any type) hydrophilic, barrier, wet lubricious (low coefficient of friction when wet with water), dry lubricious (low coefficient of friction between two dry or relatively dry surfaces) adhesive, non-adhesive, bioreactive, and biocompatible;” wherein “[f]or example, low fouling and low coefficient of friction materials may be useful in microfluidics, diagnostic tests, sensors and devices in the fields of medical products, bioprocesses or bioseparations such as membranes for microbial suspension, hormone separation, protein fractionation, cell separation, waste water treatment, oligosaccharide bioreactors, and protein ultrafiltration,” while “[s]olar cells i.e. dye-sensitized solar cell, organic light emitting diodes, field effect transistors [as in Zheng], fuel cells are other areas that could benefit from the use of surface modified parts” (Paragraph 0005). Lawin teaches that “[i]n specific examples, after modification of the surface reagent that is attached to rubber, surface modification by…a perfluorinated molecule for greater inertness and stability can be achieved” (Paragraph 0005), wherein Lawin also teaches that a specific example of a perfluorinated molecule is perfluorodecanethiol (e.g., PFDT, as utilized in the instant invention) which can be attached to a functionalized surface (Paragraph 0305 and Claim 130), with working Example 34 specifically directed to modification of butyl rubber by PFDT after functionalization with dipentaerythritol allyl ether (DPA), wherein more specifically, a butyl rubber coupon (e.g., a stretchable film) is first functionalized by DPA, represented by Compound 17b wherein j=1, to provide non-conjugated carbon-carbon double bonds on the surface of the butyl rubber (or in a surface region of a composite film), to which 1H, 1H, 2H, 2H-perfluorodecanethiol is covalently attached, e.g., via reaction Scheme 4a for a thiol-ene reaction (as noted in Zheng with respect to post-modification of the highly accessible double bonds; Lawin: Paragraph 0279, Examples, particularly Examples 11-13, 17 and 34); which would provide a “molecular layer” or “dense molecular layer” of PFDT molecules (as in instant claims 7-8, 16-17, and 23-24) uniformly dispersed on and covalently attached to a surface or surface region of the stretchable composite film via the highly accessible (non-conjugated) double bonds (as in instant claim 26) thereby densifying the surface region and enhancing performance by providing “greater inertness and stability” while maintaining properties of the bulk as taught by Lawin (as in instant claims 1, 10, 12, 18-20, and 27). Hence, given that Zheng teaches that the accessible double bonds on the surface of the stretchable film can be utilized for post-modification such as via a thiol-ene reaction as utilized in Lawin, and that Lawin is generally of the same field of endeavor given that the surface modification can include organic semiconductors as well as attached molecules to impart any desired property or reactivity to the thermoset elastomer surface such that various electronic devices including field effect transistors as in Zheng may benefit from the surface modification/functionalization of Lawin, with surface modification utilizing fluorinated molecules, particularly 1H, 1H, 2H, 2H-perfluorodecanethiol (as utilized in the instant invention) achieving greater stability as taught by Lawin with stability being of similar concern with respect to Zheng, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Lawin with respect to surface modification with PFDT via a thiol-ene reaction providing a molecular layer of PFDT on the surface with the teachings of Zheng with respect to post-modification of the accessible double bonds such as via a thiol-ene reaction to arrive at the instantly claimed invention, and given that the resulting modified stretchable semiconductor or composite film and/or stretchable OFET and/or stretchable electronic device of Zheng in view of Lawin would be the same as in the instant invention, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to reasonably expect the resulting modified film, OFET, and/or device of Zheng in view of Lawin to exhibit the same structure and properties as instantly claimed including enhanced operation stability of the surface region and/or encapsulation performance as in instant claim 1, particularly stability and maintained charge carrier mobility as in instant claims 6-8 which are also tested by and of concern of Zheng (Entire document, particularly Abstract, Paragraphs 0031, 0047, 0056, Examples); such that absent any clear showing of criticality and/or unexpected results, the claimed invention as recited in instant claims 1, 6-8, and 10-27 would have been obvious over the teachings of Zheng in view of Lawin. This rejection under 35 U.S.C. 103 might be overcome by: (1) a showing under 37 CFR 1.130(a) that the subject matter disclosed in the reference was obtained directly or indirectly from the inventor or a joint inventor of this application and is thus not prior art in accordance with 35 U.S.C.102(b)(2)(A); (2) a showing under 37 CFR 1.130(b) of a prior public disclosure under 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(B); or (3) a statement pursuant to 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) establishing that, not later than the effective filing date of the claimed invention, the subject matter disclosed and the claimed invention were either owned by the same person or subject to an obligation of assignment to the same person or subject to a joint research agreement. See generally MPEP § 717.02 . 07-21-aia AIA Claim s 1, 6-8, and 10-27 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zheng ( A molecular design approach towards elastic and multifunctional polymer electronics , Entire document, cited on the IDS dated 5/13/2024, hereinafter referred to as “Zheng 2021”) or Zheng ( Molecular Design of Stretchable Polymer Semiconductors: Current Progress and Future Directions , hereinafter referred to as “Zheng 2022” – Abstract only cited on the IDS dated 5/13/2024 and hence listed on the attached PTO-892 with a complete copy attached) in view of Lawin (US2021/0002493A1). Similar to Zheng above, each of Zheng 2021 and Zheng 2022 teaches stretchable polymer films, particularly stretchable semiconductor films, and stretchable electronic materials for wearable and implantable applications, such as for stretchable transistors (e.g., OFET), wherein the stretchable semiconductor film similarly comprises covalently-embedded iRUM comprising a polymer material having non-conjugated C=C bonds and that exhibits crystalline packing (as in instant claim 11), and a polymer semiconductor such as DPPTT interpenetrating with the crosslinked rubber matrix (as in instant claims 6-8, 13-17, and 24-25) and achieves desirable properties for polymer electronic materials and maintains high charge mobilities of equal to or greater than 1 cm 2 V −1 s −1 (Entire documents); and although each of Zheng 2021 and Zheng 2022 provides a clear teaching and/or suggestion that other functionalities may be incorporated such as described by Zheng 2022 in Section 4, or as described by Zheng 2021 with respect to the available double bonds being able to undergo various chemical reactions on page 6, and that in general, surface functionalization is known in the art, Zheng 2021 or Zheng 2022 does not teach providing a dense molecular layer of covalently-attached molecules in a surface region of the composite film such that the surface region or at least a portion of the polymer material of the stretchable composite film is densified though the covalently-attached molecules as in instant claims 1 and 10, to enhance performance of the surface region such as with respect to operational stability of the surface as in instant claim 1 (and instant claim 12) . However, as discussed in detail above and incorporated herein by reference, Lawin teaches an article having a surface, particularly comprising a thermoset elastomer or rubber (e.g., a stretchable polymer material as in Zheng 2021 or Zheng 2022), wherein the surface is subjected to surface functionalization or modification to impart any desired property or reactivity to the thermoset elastomer surface, without affecting the bulk properties thereof, by attachment of a modifier via a surface reagent that comprises at least one reactive functional group to which the modifier attaches thereby forming a modified surface comprising the modifier covalently attached to the surface of the thermoset elastomer, with suitable modifiers including polymeric and non-polymeric modifiers such as biomolecules, bioactive molecules, organic or inorganic small molecules, perfluorinated molecules, thiol substituted molecules, silanes, functional silanes, organic semiconductors, and combinations thereof (Entire document, particularly Abstract, Paragraphs 0001, 0006, 0139-0149, 0276, 0308, 0316, 0334, Examples, and Claims 117-130). Lawin teaches that “[d]esirable surface properties and combinations of surface properties can include but are not limited to anti-fouling (of any type) hydrophilic, barrier, wet lubricious (low coefficient of friction when wet with water), dry lubricious (low coefficient of friction between two dry or relatively dry surfaces) adhesive, non-adhesive, bioreactive, and biocompatible;” wherein “[f]or example, low fouling and low coefficient of friction materials may be useful in microfluidics, diagnostic tests, sensors and devices in the fields of medical products, bioprocesses or bioseparations such as membranes for microbial suspension, hormone s eparation, protein fractionation, cell separation, waste water treatment, oligosaccharide bioreactors, and protein ultrafiltration,” while “[s]olar cells i.e. dye-sensitized solar cell, organic light emitting diodes, field effect transistors [as in Zheng 2021 or Zheng 2022], fuel cells are other areas that could benefit from the use of surface modified parts” (Paragraph 0005). Lawin teaches that “[i]n specific examples, after modification of the surface reagent that is attached to rubber, surface modification by…a perfluorinated molecule for greater inertness and stability can be achieved” (Paragraph 0005), wherein Lawin also teaches that a specific example of a perfluorinated molecule is perfluorodecanethiol (e.g., PFDT, as utilized in the instant invention) which can be attached to a functionalized surface (Paragraph 0305 and Claim 130), with working Example 34 specifically directed to modification of butyl rubber by PFDT after functionalization with dipentaerythritol allyl ether (DPA), wherein more specifically, a butyl rubber coupon (e.g., a stretchable film) is first functionalized by DPA, represented by Compound 17b wherein j=1, to provide non-conjugated carbon-carbon double bonds on the surface of the butyl rubber (or in a surface region of a composite film), to which 1H, 1H, 2H, 2H-perfluorodecanethiol is covalently attached, e.g., via reaction Scheme 4a for a thiol-ene reaction (Lawin: Paragraph 0279, Examples, particularly Examples 11-13, 17 and 34); which would provide a “molecular layer” or “dense molecular layer” of PFDT molecules (as in instant claims 7-8, 16-17, and 23-24) uniformly dispersed on and covalently attached to a surface or surface region of the stretchable composite film via non-conjugated double bonds (as in instant claim 26) thereby densifying the surface region and enhancing performance by providing “greater inertness and stability” while maintaining properties of the bulk as taught by Lawin (as in instant claims 1, 10, 12, 18-20, and 27). Hence, given that Lawin is generally of the same field of endeavor given that the surface modification can include organic semiconductors as well as attached molecules to impart any desired property or reactivity to the thermoset elastomer surface such that various electronic devices including field effect transistors as in Zheng 2021 or Zheng 2022 may benefit from the surface modification/functionalization of Lawin, with surface modification utilizing fluorinated molecules, particularly 1H, 1H, 2H, 2H-perfluorodecanethiol (as utilized in the instant invention) achieving greater stability as taught by Lawin with stability being of similar concern with respect to Zheng 2021 or Zheng 2022, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Lawin with respect to surface modification with PFDT via a thiol-ene reaction providing a molecular layer of PFDT on the film surface with the teachings of Zheng 2021 or Zheng 2022 to the stretchable film to arrive at the instantly claimed invention, and given that the resulting modified stretchable semiconductor or composite film and/or stretchable OFET and/or stretchable electronic device of Zheng 2021 or Zheng 2022 in view of Lawin would be the same as in the instant invention, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to reasonably expect the resulting modified film, OFET, and/or device of Zheng 2021 or Zheng 2022 in view of Lawin to exhibit the same structure and properties as instantly claimed including enhanced operation stability of the surface region and/or encapsulation performance as in instant claim 1, particularly stability and maintained charge carrier mobility as in instant claims 6-8 which are also tested by and of concern of Zheng 2021 or Zheng 2022 (Entire documents); such that absent any clear showing of criticality and/or unexpected results, the claimed invention as recited in instant claims 1, 6-8, and 10-27 would have been obvious over the teachings of Zheng 2021 or Zheng 2022 in view of Lawin. Citation of pertinent prior art 07-96 AIA The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Wang ( Facile Approach to Conductive Polymer Microelectrodes for Flexible Electronics ) teaches a method of fabricating hydrophilic–omniphobic patterns on various substrates including stretchable materials utilized for flexible electronics, via chemical modification of a vinyltrichlorosilane-coated surface with hydrophobic 1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorodecanethiol (PFDT) and hydrophilic mercaptoethanol via the sequential thiol–ene photoclick reaction . Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MONIQUE R JACKSON whose telephone number is (571)272-1508. The examiner can normally be reached Mondays-Thursdays from 10:00AM-5:00PM. Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Callie Shosho can be reached at 571-272-1123. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /MONIQUE R JACKSON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1787 Application/Control Number: 18/221,998 Page 2 Art Unit: 1787 Application/Control Number: 18/221,998 Page 3 Art Unit: 1787 Application/Control Number: 18/221,998 Page 4 Art Unit: 1787 Application/Control Number: 18/221,998 Page 5 Art Unit: 1787 Application/Control Number: 18/221,998 Page 6 Art Unit: 1787 Application/Control Number: 18/221,998 Page 7 Art Unit: 1787 Application/Control Number: 18/221,998 Page 8 Art Unit: 1787 Application/Control Number: 18/221,998 Page 9 Art Unit: 1787 Application/Control Number: 18/221,998 Page 10 Art Unit: 1787 Application/Control Number: 18/221,998 Page 11 Art Unit: 1787 Application/Control Number: 18/221,998 Page 12 Art Unit: 1787 Application/Control Number: 18/221,998 Page 13 Art Unit: 1787 Application/Control Number: 18/221,998 Page 14 Art Unit: 1787 Application/Control Number: 18/221,998 Page 15 Art Unit: 1787 Application/Control Number: 18/221,998 Page 16 Art Unit: 1787 Application/Control Number: 18/221,998 Page 17 Art Unit: 1787 Application/Control Number: 18/221,998 Page 18 Art Unit: 1787 Application/Control Number: 18/221,998 Page 19 Art Unit: 1787
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Prosecution Timeline

Jul 14, 2023
Application Filed
Jun 15, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §102, §103, §112 (current)

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Study what changed to get past this examiner. Based on 5 most recent grants.

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Prosecution Projections

1-2
Expected OA Rounds
35%
Grant Probability
79%
With Interview (+44.2%)
4y 2m (~1y 1m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 923 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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