High integrity protective coatings

1. A composite article comprising: at least one high integrity protective coating, said high integrity protective coating comprising at least one organic-inorganic composition barrier coating layer and at least one planarizing layer, wherein the barrier coating layer comprises a substantially organic zone and a substantially inorganic zone and an organic-inorganic interface zone between the substantially organic zone and the substantially inorganic zone.

2. The composite article of claim 1 , wherein the planarizing layer thickness is in the range of about I nanometer to about 100 microns.

3. The composite article of claim 2 , wherein the planarizing layer thickness is in the range of about 100 nanometer to about 10 micron.

4. The composite article of claim 3 , wherein the planarizing layer thickness is in the range of about 500 nm to about 5 microns.

5. The composite article of claim 1 , further comprising a substrate.

6. The composite article of claim 5 , wherein said substrate with said high integrity protective coating exhibits an R a value less than about 4 nanometers.

7. The composite article of claim 5 , wherein said substrate with said high integrity protective coating exhibits an R a value less than about 2 nanometers.

8. The composite article of claim 5 , wherein said substrate with said high integrity protective coating exhibits an R a value less than about 0.75 nanometers.

9. The composite article of claim 5 , wherein said substrate with said leveling coating exhibits an R p value less than about 5.5 nanometers.

10. The composite article of claim 5 , wherein said substrate with said high integrity protective coating has an oxygen transmission rate of less than about 0.1 cm 3 /(m 2 day), as measured at 25° C. and with a gas containing 21 volume-percent oxygen.

11. The composite article of claim 5 , wherein said substrate with said high integrity protective coating has a water vapor transmission rate of less than about 1 ×10 −2 g/(m 2 day), as measured at 25° C. and with a gas having 100-percent relative humidity.

12. The composite article of claim 5 , wherein said substrate with said high integrity protective coating has a light transmittance greater than 85% in a selected wavelength range between about 400 nanometers to about 700 nanometers.

13. The composite article of claim 5 , wherein the substrate is polycarbonate.

14. The composite article of claim 1 , wherein the planarizing layer comprises a resin based composition.

15. The composite article of claim 14 , wherein said planarizing layer comprises an epoxy resin based composition.

16. The composite article of claim 1 , wherein said planarizing layer comprises an acrylic resin based composition.

17. The composite article of claim 1 , wherein said planarizing layer further comprises a flexibilizing agent.

18. The composite article of claim 1 , wherein said planarizing layer further comprises a surfactant.

19. The composite article of claim 1 , wherein said planarizing layer comprises a UV radiation cured composition.

20. The composite article of claim 1 , wherein said planarizing layer comprises a thermally cured composition.

21. The composite article of claim 1 , wherein said high integrity protective coating is disposed over at least one surface of said substrate.

22. The composite article of claim 1 , wherein said high integrity protective coating encapsulates said substrate.

23. The composite article of claim 1 , wherein at least one high integrity protective coating is disposed over at least one surface of at least one element of the composite article.

24. The composite article of claim 1 , wherein at least one high integrity protective coating encapsulates the composite article.

25. The composite article of claim 1 , wherein at least one high integrity protective coating encapsulates at least one element of the composite article.

26. The composite article of claim 1 , wherein at least one element is an optoelectronic element.

27. The composite article of claim 1 , wherein the optoelectronic element is an organic element.

28. The composite article of claim 1 , wherein the optoelectronic element is electroluminescent.

29. The composite article of claim 1 , wherein the optoelectronic element is photoresponsive.

30. A composite article, comprising: a protective coating comprising: a barrier coating layer comprising a substantially organic zone and a substantially inorganic zone and an organic-inorganic interface zone between the substantially organic zone and the substantially inorganic zone, and a planarizing layer comprising an epoxy resin based composition and a flexibilizing agent.

31. The article as defined in claim 30 , wherein the interface zone is a transition zone having a thickness that is in a range of from about 5 nanometers to about 30 nanometers.

32. The article as defined in claim 30 , wherein the planarizing layer further comprises a UV catalyst, and the planarizing layer is UV radiation curable.