Coupling agents, coating systems containing the same, related methods and uses

Abstract

A coupling agent (10A) is provided, which is configured to bond to the surfaces of different substrates (12-1, 12-2) and has at least two non-identical functional groups R 1 and R 2 The functional group provides the coupling agent with improved receptivity to the adhesion of subsequent chemical substances, such as surface coatings, to the surface of dissimilar substrates. Further provided are coating systems containing the coupling agent, methods for adapting dissimilar substrates to a surface coating, and related uses of the coupling agent and / or coating system.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention generally relates to compounds and methods for surface modification of dissimilar substrates, with the aim of improving the adhesion of coatings on the substrate. In particular, the present invention relates to polyfunctional precursor compounds that make substrates having different site-specific surface properties suitable for further coating. [Background technology]

[0002] Chemical deposition methods in the gas phase, such as chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and atomic layer deposition (ALD), are well-established techniques for depositing various thin film materials in a highly conformal manner.

[0003] Among these, ALD is based on alternating self-saturated surface reactions, in which different reactants (precursors), provided as molecular compounds or elements in a non-reactive (inert) gas carrier, are sequentially pulsed into a reaction space containing a substrate. Following the deposition of the reactants, the substrate is purged with an inert gas. A conventional ALD cycle (deposition cycle) proceeds with two half-reactions (pulsed supply and purging of the first precursor; pulsed supply and purging of the second precursor), which self-limits (self-saturates) the formation of a layer of material called a deposited layer, typically with a thickness of 0.05 to 0.2 nm. This cycle is repeated as many times as necessary to obtain a film of a desired thickness. The typical substrate exposure time for each precursor is in the range of 0.01 to 1 second. Common ALD precursors include, for example, metal oxides, elemental metals, metal nitrides, metal sulfides, metal halides, metal alkylamides, and water.

[0004] Therefore, ALD provides an effective method for providing a conformal coating across the entire substrate without modifying the core material. However, problems arise when ALD coatings are deposited on complex heterogeneous substrates with multiple diverse growth surfaces, such as those used in biomedical applications. These substrates may simultaneously include surfaces made from ceramics, polymers, metals, and other materials. The chemical reactivity of these layers also differs, which results in different nucleation behavior of any ALD film deposited on a sample, causing localized variations in stress and adhesion, ultimately leading to coating failure when the film is subjected to stress (e.g., when the functionality of the sample is tested by exposing it to its operating environment and / or by applying electricity to it). Poor adhesion of the coating results in insufficient reliability of the coated article (which is absolutely unacceptable in the case of medical devices and especially implants), and low and inconsistent yields of the process.

[0005] The use of region-selective deposition methods and self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) as chemically selective mask layers is well known. However, SAMs studied to date appear to exhibit selective reactivity with respect to individual materials, which does not address the challenges outlined above. Furthermore, attempts to adapt flexible substrates to coatings with high elastic modulus, such as those deposited by molecular layer deposition techniques, in order to achieve good adhesion while maintaining flexibility, have not been successful.

[0006] In this regard, updates in the field of developing coating systems for diverse and / or multi-component substrates are still desired, considering the challenges associated with achieving adequate adhesion of coatings on substrates used in the manufacture of biomedical devices and / or (bio)electronic solutions. [Overview of the Initiative]

[0007] The object of the present invention is to solve or at least mitigate each of the problems arising from the limitations and drawbacks of the related technology. This object is achieved by various embodiments of the coupling agent as defined in independent claim 1.

[0008] In one embodiment, the coupling agent is configured to bond to dissimilar substrates, including non-identical surface regions and / or surface regions made of different materials, thereby providing the surface regions with improved receptivity for adhesion of a subsequent coating. Thus, the coupling agent can be considered a surface modifier that adapts a substrate surface, which in its unmodified form has different capabilities to interact with molecules reaching it, to fix those molecules with bonding ability, bonding strength, and reactivity such that an essentially uniform coating layer is formed across the entire dissimilar substrate. The term “receptivity” is used herein to define the ability of a molecule or compound to interact with another molecule or compound to form a stable chemical bond.

[0009] Therefore, the coupling agent equalizes the differences in the receptivity of the surface regions of different substrates to the molecules of the subsequent coating. In one embodiment, the coupling agent is configured to bond to the surface regions of substrates made from two or more different materials.

[0010] In embodiments, the coupling agent is configured to bond to materials selected from metals and metal alloys, polymers, ceramics, composite materials, and combinations thereof.

[0011] In one embodiment, the coupling agent is configured to impart essentially equal reactivity to the coating material across the entire surface of the substrate.

[0012] In one embodiment, the coupling agent is configured to bond to heterogeneous substrates including surface regions made of at least two different materials. In such a case, the coupling agent comprises at least two non-identical functional groups, each functional group having a specific reactivity to the material of the corresponding substrate surface region. The coupling agent is configured to modify the surface of the heterogeneous substrates to give the substrate surface region improved (more uniform) receptivity for adhesion of a subsequent coating. This is accomplished by at least one of the functional groups of the coupling agent reacting with the material of the corresponding substrate surface region (i.e., the surface region where its functional group has a specific reactivity), while at least one other functional group of the coupling agent remains available to react with molecules of the subsequent coating.

[0013] In one embodiment, the coupling agent comprises at least two non-identical functional groups, each of which is independently selected to have site-specific reactivity to a specific substrate surface region, also called the target surface region. In another embodiment, the coupling agent comprises at least three non-identical functional groups, each of which is independently selected to have site-specific reactivity to a specific substrate surface region.

[0014] In one embodiment, the coupling agent has at least two non-identical functional groups R 1 and R 2 A molecule is represented by a hydrocarbon skeleton structure X to which R is bonded, where X is selected from the group consisting of (i) a linear or branched structure containing an alkane, alkene, or alkyne having 2 to 12 carbon atoms, (ii) an aromatic structure containing a cycloalkane or cycloalkene having 3 to 12 carbon atoms, or (iii) a benzene derivative, and has at least two non-identical functional groups R 1 and R 2Any one of is independently selected from the group consisting of a thiol group (-SH), an amine group (-NH2), a hydroxyl group (-OH), a carboxyl group (-COOH), an aldehyde group (-CHO), a phosphate group (H2PO3), a C1-C6 alkyl group, a halogen group, and a silane group (-SiR'3), wherein R' is represented by hydrogen or an alkoxy group (-OR"), and R" is C1-C6 alkyl or hydrogen. Silane coupling can further be used to couple any other suitable functional groups or moieties to the hydrocarbon backbone structure X.

[0015] In another aspect, according to what is defined in independent claim 8, there is provided a coating system for a substrate comprising non-identical surface regions and / or surface regions made of different materials.

[0016] In one embodiment, the coating system comprises or consists of a coupling agent according to several previously defined embodiments, and comprises: a coupling layer configured to impart, to target substrate surface regions that are inherently heterogeneous when deposited on the substrate surface, improved acceptability for adhesion of a subsequent deposited layer in terms of (adhesion) uniformity; and one or more deposited layers deposited over the coupling layer and formed through a chemical vapor deposition process, preferably through atomic layer deposition (ALD).

[0017] In one embodiment, the coupling layer of the coating system is a self-assembled monolayer (SAM).

[0018] In an embodiment, the deposited layer of the coating system is composed of any compound selected from the group consisting of aluminum(III) oxide (Al₂O₃), titanium(IV) oxide (TiO₂), hafnium(IV) oxide (HfO₂), tantalum(V) oxide (Ta₂O₅), zirconium(IV) oxide (ZrO₂), niobium(V) oxide (Nb₂O₅), yttrium oxide (Y₂O₃), magnesium oxide (MgO), zinc oxide (ZnO), silicon dioxide (SiO₂), aluminum nitride (AlN), titanium nitride (TiN), gallium nitride (GaN), niobium nitride (NbN), silicon nitride (SiNₓ), and any combination of the foregoing. Other oxide or nitride compounds may also be used where appropriate. In some configurations, the deposited layer may further consist of carbides, selenides, sulfides, tellurides, and pure metals. In some other configurations, the coating system may include a hybrid metal-organic film containing inorganic clusters, such as the aforementioned metal oxide clusters, bound to organic molecules such as polymers.

[0019] In one embodiment, at least one deposited layer of the coating system is a molecular layer deposition (MLD) film. In some configurations, the MLD film is a pure organic film or a hybrid organic-inorganic polymer film, for example poly(aluminum trioxysilyl heptanoate) (Al-TOSH).

[0020] In one embodiment, the MLD film in the coating system is deposited over the coupling layer.

[0021] In one embodiment, the deposited layers are arranged as a stack on / over a coupling layer that is likewise arranged relative to a substrate. In some embodiments, the stack is formed of a plurality of inorganic ALD layers, which in some examples are alternately arranged with MLD films. In embodiments, the total thickness of the coating system is provided in the range of about 5 nm to about 500 nm, preferably in the range of about 10 nm to about 300 nm, more preferably in the range of about 50 nm to about 150 nm.

[0022] In another embodiment, a method for adapting a dissimilar substrate to a surface coating is provided, as defined in independent claim 17.

[0023] In embodiments, the method comprises depositing a coupling agent containing at least two non-identical functional groups having specific reactivity to the material of the corresponding substrate surface region onto a substrate including surface regions made of at least two different materials, wherein at least one of the functional groups of the coupling agent reacts with the material of the corresponding substrate surface region, leaving at least one functional group of the coupling agent available for subsequent reactions with molecules of the subsequent coating, thereby forming a coupling layer that provides more uniform receptivity for adhesion of the subsequent coating to essentially dissimilar substrate surface regions.

[0024] In embodiments, the coupling agent is represented by compounds of formulas (I), (II), and (III), as described in detail below herein.

[0025] In a further embodiment, the use of coupling agents according to previously defined embodiments is provided for modifying the surface of a dissimilar substrate to give the dissimilar substrate surface greater uniform receptivity for adhesion of a subsequent coating, as defined in independent claim 20. The substrate surface to be modified includes the outer and / or inner surface of the substrate. The term “inner surface” is used in this context to define the surface within cavities, pores, or perforations within the substrate. For example, in the case of a porous substrate, the surface to be modified may be localized within the pores. Substrates with complex 3D shapes may include both outer and inner surfaces.

[0026] In yet another embodiment, an article is provided according to independent claim 21, the article having non-identical surface areas and / or surface areas made of different materials, and further comprising dissimilar substrates surface-modified with a coupling agent according to the previously defined embodiment. In the embodiment, the article is configured as a medical device, a printed circuit board (PCB), a PCB assembly (PCBA), and / or an electrical component.

[0027] The usefulness of the present invention arises for various reasons depending on each specific embodiment.

[0028] The present invention provides a novel compound, called a coupling agent or surface modifier, that provides improved receptivity for the adhesion of a subsequent coating, such as an ALD film, to the surface regions of essentially dissimilar substrates by chemiadsorption. The compound is substantially a disubstituted, trisubstituted, or polysubstituted molecule configured to bond to the surface of various (substrate) materials by its functional groups and thus homogenize diverse substrate surfaces in terms of its ability to further interact with ALD precursor chemicals. In this way, the potential failure sites that appear due to delamination can be reduced.

[0029] The substrate surface may include metals, ceramics, and synthetic or naturally derived polymers, as well as composites and combinations thereof, which have different chemical reactivity with the subsequent coating. By providing the coupling agents disclosed herein, it is possible to overcome problems associated with the different nucleation behavior of ALD films deposited on diverse substrates, as well as failures associated with lattice mismatch. The coupling agents can avoid localized fluctuations in residual stress and adhesion that commonly cause coating failure in the operating environment.

[0030] The coupling agents described herein are applicable to use with any type of substrate and enable the deposition of either a hard or soft coating.

[0031] In this disclosure, materials having a layer thickness of less than 1 micrometer (μm) are referred to as "thin films."

[0032] The terms “film” and “coating” are used interchangeably in this disclosure to define a layer or more of a material covering the surface of a substrate. When these terms are used together, for example, in the expression “coating film,” the same meaning is maintained.

[0033] The term “stack” is used in this disclosure to refer to a layered structure comprising two or more layers arranged on top of each other. Unless otherwise expressly indicated, a stack includes layers deposited by chemical deposition methods, including ALDs, their analogues and variations (e.g., plasma-enhanced ALDs or photon-enhanced ALDs), and in some examples, MLDs.

[0034] The term “article” is used in this disclosure to refer to individual physical objects that are mounted as separate (inseparable) entities (e.g., medical screws) or as a kit of parts and are coated by the methods disclosed herein. Articles may be mounted with or without electronic components. Exemplary articles with electronic components include so-called smart implants (implants containing measuring devices for measuring various physical parameters within the body), sensors, and the like. In some examples, articles may be provided as part of a system or a larger entity. Uncoated articles may be referred to in this disclosure as “substrates.”

[0035] In this disclosure, the term “medical device” is used to mean any device (such as an instrument, machine, or apparatus) intended for use in a medical purpose. Specific uses of coated articles configured as medical devices, such as in orthopedics, are presented herein.

[0036] In this disclosure, the terms “reactive fluid” and “precursor fluid” refer to a fluid flow containing at least one compound (precursor compound, hereinafter referred to as “precursor”) in an inert (gas) carrier. In some examples, the precursor fluid includes a precursor compound supplied simultaneously with another precursor compound in an inert gas carrier.

[0037] In this disclosure, the term “molecule” refers to a group of two or more atoms held together by a chemical bond. A molecule containing only one type of atom is called an “element.” A molecule containing a combination of different types of atoms is called a “compound.” Thus, a molecule refers to the smallest particle of an element or compound that can be divided without changing its chemical and physical properties.

[0038] The term "chemioadsorption" is used in this disclosure to refer to chemical adsorption, which is a process that creates ionic or covalent chemical bonds between molecules of an adsorbent (where "adsorbent" is a substance that undergoes a chemical reaction on a surface through the process of adsorption) and specific surface locations on a substrate material (adsorbent), resulting in the molecules of the adsorbent becoming fixed to the substrate surface.

[0039] The term "material" is used herein to refer to a physical object or substance from which something can be made or constructed.

[0040] In this disclosure, the term “body” (in the context of expressions such as “implantable in the body”) is used primarily in reference to humans. However, the concepts of the present invention are fully applicable to articles such as medical devices designed and / or used for non-human mammals or other animals.

[0041] In this specification, the expression "a number of" refers to any positive integer starting from 1, for example, 1, 2, or 3. On the other hand, the expression "a plurality of" refers to any positive integer starting from 2, for example, 2, 3, or 4.

[0042] The terms “first” and “second” are not intended to indicate any order, quantity, or importance, but rather, unless otherwise specified, are used simply to distinguish one element from another. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0043] [Figure 1A] A schematic diagram illustrates a process for surface-modifying dissimilar substrates with a coupling agent, according to an embodiment. [Figure 1B] A schematic diagram illustrates a process for surface-modifying dissimilar substrates with a coupling agent, according to an embodiment. [Figure 1C] A schematic diagram illustrates a process for surface-modifying dissimilar substrates with a coupling agent, according to an embodiment. [Figure 2A] A schematic diagram illustrates a process for surface-modifying dissimilar substrates with a coupling agent, according to an embodiment. [Figure 2B] A schematic diagram illustrates a process for surface-modifying dissimilar substrates with a coupling agent, according to an embodiment. [Figure 2C] A schematic diagram illustrates a process for surface-modifying dissimilar substrates with a coupling agent, according to an embodiment.

[0044] [Figure 2D] One process step for surface-modifying dissimilar substrates with a coupling agent, according to several embodiments, is schematically shown.

[0045] [Figure 3A] A schematic diagram of a coating system deposited on a substrate according to the embodiment is shown. [Figure 3B] A schematic diagram of a coating system deposited on a substrate according to the embodiment is shown. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0046] The present invention relates to a novel compound that is selectively reactive to a plurality of diverse materials, where the material-specific reactions occur simultaneously. This is achieved by providing a coupling agent 10A configured to simultaneously bond to several materials that are non-identical in composition and / or in terms of one of the following: bonding ability, bonding strength, and reactivity. Bonding ability is defined as the ability of a molecule (element or compound) to bond to or adhere to another molecule, and bonding strength or bonding affinity is defined as the strength of the bonding interaction between two molecules. Reactivity is then defined as the relative ability of a molecule to enter into and / or undergo a chemical reaction with another molecule.

[0047] In embodiments, the coupling agent 10A is a chemical compound which binds to substrate surface regions made of different materials (see regions 12-1, 12-2, 12-3 and 10-4 having different filling patterns shown in Figures 1A-1C and 2A-2D) and / or to substrate surface regions having different properties with respect to interaction with a substance intended as a coating (applied to the target surface of the substrate), thereby giving these surface regions improved receptivity to the adhesion of further substances in terms of uniformity. In embodiments, compound 10A may be configured to cover the entire substrate surface with all non-identical surface regions as described above by binding to different substances essentially simultaneously and / or with essentially the same bonding strength through the process of chemiosorption (chemical adsorption). In this regard, compound 10A enables improved chemiosorption of different substances to the substrate as described above, and further gives the essentially dissimilar target surface regions 12-1, 12-2, 12-3 and 12-4 more uniform receptivity to the chemiosorption of the subsequent coating.

[0048] Therefore, compound 10A acts as an adapter molecule that enhances the ability of the substrate surface to which the subsequent coating adheres. As described above, depending on the material from which the substrate is made, the substrate surface may include the outer and / or inner surfaces (the latter being particularly applicable to profiled, porous, and / or perforated substrates, as well as substrates with complex 3D shapes). By bonding to surface regions with different properties, compound 10A imparts to those regions essentially equal or similar reactivity to further materials intended as coatings. Overall, bonding compound 10A to the substrate surface makes it possible to achieve a uniform and continuous coating across the entire substrate surface.

[0049] In the embodiment, compound 10A prepares the substrate surface for bonding a coating formed through a gas-phase chemical deposition process, such as atomic layer deposition (ALD) or molecular layer deposition (MLD).

[0050] A process for surface-modifying a substrate 12 with a coupling agent 10A, carried out according to one embodiment, is schematically shown in Figures 1A to 1C and Figures 2A to 2D.

[0051] The base material includes or comprises metals, metal alloys, ceramics, and synthetic or naturally derived polymers, as well as composites and combinations thereof, which have different chemical reactivity with respect to subsequent coatings. The base material may include or comprise a biomaterial, as defined herein, one of metallic, ceramic, and / or polymeric materials used in contact with the human body in biomedical applications, including but not limited to medical, dental, medical devices, biosensors, implants, drug delivery systems, and tissue engineering scaffolding materials. The base material may further include or comprise synthetic fibers.

[0052] In some configurations, the base material includes, but is not limited to, metals and metal alloys, polymers, ceramics, and composite materials. Metal alloys are provided as mixtures of a metallic element with other metals and / or nonmetals, where the nonmetal may be, for example, silicon or carbon. Common metal alloys include steel, which is provided as a series of iron alloys containing chromium (for forming stainless steel), nickel, silicon, carbon, and other elements. The base material may further include any one of semiconductors, biomaterials, smart materials, and nanoengineering materials.

[0053] Examples of metal substrates, though not limited to them, include transition metal elements such as titanium (Ti), vanadium (V), chromium (Cr), manganese (Mn), iron (Fe), cobalt (Co), nickel (Ni), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), yttrium (Y), zirconium (Zr), niobium (Nb), molybdenum (Mo), ruthenium (Ru), rhodium (Rh), palladium (Pd), silver (Ag), hafnium (Hf), tantalum (Ta), tungsten (W), rhenium (Re), osmium (Os), iridium (Ir), platinum (Pt), and gold (Au), base metal elements such as aluminum (Al), alkali metal elements such as lithium (Li), and alkaline earth metal elements such as magnesium (Mg). In some configurations, the base material is a so-called noble metal, generally defined as a platinum group metal, namely metallic elements belonging to the group of ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, osmium, iridium, platinum, and also gold and silver. In some classifications, copper, rhenium, and mercury are also classified as noble metals. The aforementioned metallic elements can be provided in a metallic base material either alone (pure metallic base material) or as part of an alloy composition.

[0054] In this disclosure, ceramic materials or "ceramics" primarily refer to metallic and nonmetallic oxides, nitrides, and carbide compounds. In embodiments, ceramic substrates include aluminum oxide (alumina, Al2O3), silicon dioxide (silica, SiO2), silicon carbide (SiC), and silicon nitride (Si3N4). In some examples, the ceramic substrate may include or consist of clay materials (e.g., porcelain) or glass. The use of other ceramic substrates is not excluded.

[0055] Preferably, the polymer substrate is a heat-resistant plastic or resin, such as a thermoplastic resin. The composite substrate is typically composed of two or more of the above-mentioned materials, namely metals and their alloys, ceramics, and polymers. Examples of composite materials include glass fiber reinforced polymers (glass fibers), carbon fiber reinforced polymers, and ceramic-metal composites (cermets).

[0056] In the embodiment, the substrate has a surface with surface regions or parts 12-1, 12-2, 12-3, and 12-4 made from two or more non-identical materials. The surface modification process for heterogeneous substrates including surface regions made from two and three different materials is schematically shown in Figures 1A-1C and 2A-2C, respectively. This process can be further modified for substrates made from multiple materials, as shown in Figure 2D.

[0057] Accordingly, Figure 1A shows the deposition of compound 10A on a substrate 12 including surface regions 12-1 and 12-2 made from at least two different materials. Then, Figure 2A shows the deposition of compound 10A on a substrate 12 including surface regions 12-1, 12-2 and 12-3 made from at least three different materials. For example, but not limited to, the substrate 12 may be made primarily from a composite material (region 12-1) and may include metallic portions (regions 12-2 and 12-3) made from copper and / or platinum. Any other configurations including the substrate materials described herein are conceivable.

[0058] Compound 10A comprises at least two non-identical functional groups R 1 , R 2 , wherein each functional group is independently selected such that it has specific reactivity with the material of the corresponding surface regions 12-1, 12-2, 12-3, 12-4...12-x, but does not have specific reactivity with the remaining portion of the substrate surface (see FIG. 1B, FIG. 2B and FIG. 2D). In the example shown in FIG. 1B, compound 10A has two functional groups R 1 and R 2 configured to have specific reactivity with substrate surface regions 12-1 and 12-2, respectively.

[0059] In some configurations, compound 10A comprises two or more non-identical functional groups R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , R 4 (see FIG. 2B, FIG. 2D). The functional groups are selected to have specific reactivity with different substrate surface regions, such as those shown as 12-1, 12-2, 12-3 and 12-4, respectively.

[0060] For example, when functional group R 1 reacts with the material of surface region 12-1 with sufficiently high affinity, it has lower or no affinity for any one of materials 12-2, 12-3 and / or 12-4. The functional groups R are selected to avoid cross-reaction and / or polymerization.

[0061] Coupling agent 10A is preferably represented by a molecule comprising a hydrocarbon backbone structure X to which at least two non-identical functional groups R 1 and R 2 are bonded, and X is preferably selected from the group consisting of: (i) a linear or branched structure comprising an alkane, alkene or alkyne having 2 to 12 carbon atoms, (ii) an aromatic structure comprising a cycloalkane (also known as naphthene) or cycloalkene having 3 to 12 carbon atoms, or (iii) benzene or a derivative thereof.

[0062] The hydrocarbon skeleton structure X may contain at least one heteroatom (an atom other than carbon), which may include but not be limited to nitrogen (N), oxygen (O), phosphorus (P), or sulfur (S). Aromatic structures can be represented by homocyclic and heterocyclic ring systems. Monocyclic, dicyclic, tricyclic, and polycyclic structures are possible.

[0063] at least two functional groups R 1 and R 2 Each of these may be bonded to the hydrocarbon skeleton structure X by carbon atoms or via heteroatoms including, but not limited to, nitrogen (N), oxygen (O), phosphorus (P), or sulfur (S). In embodiments, the functional groups are bonded to the hydrocarbon skeleton X via side chains containing 0 to 2 carbon atoms.

[0064] at least two functional groups R 1 and R 2 Any one of these is independently selected from the group consisting of a thiol group (-SH), an amine group (-NH2), a hydroxyl group (-OH), a carboxyl group (-COOH), an aldehyde group (-CHO), a phosphate group (H2PO3), a C1-C6 alkyl group, a halogen group, and a silane group (-SiR'3), where R' is represented by hydrogen or an alkoxy group (-OR"), and R'' is a C1-C6 alkyl group or hydrogen. Silane coupling may be further used to couple any other suitable functional group or part to the hydrocarbon backbone structure X. The halogen group is preferably represented by fluorine; however, chlorine or other halogen substituents, for example, are not excluded.

[0065] In one embodiment, the coupling agent 10A is represented by a molecule of general formula (I), (II), or (III): [ka] (wherein X is a structure having a hydrocarbon skeleton selected from the group consisting of (i) a linear or branched structure containing an alkane, alkene or alkyne having 2 to 12 carbon atoms, (ii) an aromatic structure containing a cycloalkane or cycloalkene having 3 to 12 carbon atoms, or (iii) benzene or its derivatives, n is 0, 1 or 2, R 1 , R 2 , R 3 and R 4 One of the following is independently selected from the group consisting of a thiol group (-SH), an amine group (-NH2), a methyl group (-CH3), a hydroxyl group (-OH), a carboxyl group (-COOH), an aldehyde group (-CHO), a phosphate group (H2PO3), a halogen group, and a silane group (-SiR'3), where R' is represented by hydrogen or an alkoxy group (-OR"), and R'' is a C1-C6 alkyl group or hydrogen.

[0066] Therefore, compound 10A comprises a hydrocarbon skeleton structure X having a substantially rigid carbon main chain with or without side chains (where n indicates the number of carbon atoms in the side chains). The addition of short side chains (n=1 or 2) imparts flexibility and increases the volatility of molecule 10A.

[0067] For example, thiol groups are reactive with noble metals. Amine groups are reactive with copper or steel, and hydroxyl groups are reactive with metal oxides. On the other hand, silanes, for example, react with hydroxyl groups (water molecules) to form strong covalent bonds, while methyl groups (-CH3) and halogens, for example, allow for further adjustment of volatility and / or reactivity.

[0068] In one embodiment, the coupling agent 10A is represented by a molecule of the general formula (II) shown above, which includes the main chain structure X as described above, where R 1 , R 2 and R 3Each of these is independently represented by a) a thiol group (-SH), b) an amine group (-NH2) or a phosphate group (H2PO3), and c) a hydroxyl group (-OH), a carboxyl group (-COOH), an aldehyde group (-CHO), or a silane group (-SiR'3), where R' is represented by hydrogen or an alkoxy group (-OR"), and R'' is a C1-C6 alkyl group or hydrogen.

[0069] In one embodiment, the coupling agent 10A is represented by a molecule of the general formula (III) shown above, which includes the main chain structure X as described above, where R 1 , R 2 , R 3 and R 4 Each of these is independently represented by a) a thiol group (-SH), b) an amine group (-NH2) or a phosphate group (H2PO3), c) a hydroxyl group (-OH), a carboxyl group (-COOH), an aldehyde group (-CHO) or a silane group (-SiR'3), and d) a C1-C6 alkyl group (e.g., a methyl group (-CH3)) or a halogen group, preferably fluorine, where R' is represented by hydrogen or an alkoxy group (-OR"), and R'' is a C1-C6 alkyl group or hydrogen.

[0070] Some exemplary embodiments of compound 10A are shown in Table 1 below, where A and B represent compound 10A comprising a 2C-alkene- or 2C-alkyne backbone (X) having at least two different functional groups R1 and R2, respectively, and C and D represent compound 10A comprising an aromatic backbone (X) consisting of at least 3 and at least 5 carbon atoms, respectively. When implemented with "C", the aromatic skeleton may contain 3 to 12 carbon atoms (m=1 to 10); when implemented with "D", it may similarly contain 5 to 12 carbon atoms (m=1 to 8). Compound A(ii) may contain more than two functional groups, e.g., R1 to R4 (not shown).

[0071] [Table 1] In some examples, compound 10A is a disubstituted, trisubstituted, or polysubstituted benzene derivative (Table 1, E and D). An exemplary embodiment using coupling agent 10A configured as a tetrasubstituted benzene derivative is shown in Figure 2D.

[0072] Instead of a benzene ring, the tetrasubstituted compound in Figure 2D may include a linear or branched main chain, a naphthenic ring system, or a cycloalkene ring system. In a preferred embodiment, compound 10A may be applied to / covered on a substrate by vapor deposition (in situ vapor exposure). However, suitable ex situ methods such as spraying or absorption from a solution are not excluded.

[0073] Figures 1C and 2C show the functional group R of compound 10A. 1 , R 2 and R 3 This shows the formation of the coupling layer 10 by reacting each of these with the substrate surface regions 12-1, 12-2, and 12-3, respectively. The coupling layer 10 adapts the substrate, which has multiple diverse surface regions (also called "growth surfaces"), to subsequent deposition (growth) of the ALD coating.

[0074] Therefore, the coupling layer 10 formed on the substrate has a finite thickness and can be defined as an interface region formed between the interaction between the compound 10A, particularly its functional groups, and the substrate below.

[0075] Therefore, at least one of the functional groups of the coupling agent 10A reacts with the material of the corresponding substrate surface region, forming a coupling layer 10 that provides improved receptivity for the adhesion of the subsequent coating to the essentially heterogeneous target substrate surface region in terms of uniformity. By binding to the target substrate, the coupling layer 10 (coupling agent 10A) modifies the essentially heterogeneous surface of the substrate so that conditions favorable for the chemiadsorption of the subsequent coating are established, as at least one of the functional groups of the coupling agent 10A remains available for subsequent reactions. Thus, the coupling agent 10A / coupling layer 10 improves the substrate's ability to chemiadsorb adsorbent molecules more uniformly. The remaining functional group(s) remain unbound to the substrate material. Preferably, these remaining groups are selected to have reactivity with the precursor molecules of the subsequent coating layers 21, 22, as described below herein.

[0076] In one embodiment, the coupling layer 10 is provided as a self-assembled monolayer (SAM).

[0077] The coupling layer 10 formed by the deposition of the coupling agent 10A on the substrate surfaces 12-1, 12-2, 12-3, 12-4...12-x forms an interface layer between the substrate 12 and the subsequent coating. The coating placed on the substrate (pre-coated) with the coupling agent is shown in Figures 3A and 3B.

[0078] In a preferred embodiment, the coating is deposited over the coupling layer 10 and includes one or more deposited layers 21, 22 formed by a chemical deposition process in the gas phase, preferably ALD.

[0079] The basic mechanism of ALD growth is known to those skilled in the art. ALD is a special chemical deposition method based on the sequential introduction of at least two reactive precursor species into at least one substrate. However, it should be understood that, for example, when using photon-enhanced ALD or plasma-enhanced ALD, one of these reactive precursors may be substituted by energy. Thin films grown by ALD are dense, continuous, and have a uniform thickness.

[0080] In ALD, at least one substrate is exposed to time-separated precursor pulses, typically within a reaction vessel, to deposit material onto the substrate surface, also known as the “growth surface,” by a sequential self-saturated surface reaction. In the context of this disclosure, the term ALD includes all applicable ALD-based techniques and any equivalent or closely related techniques, such as the following ALD subtypes: plasma-assisted ALD, PEALD (plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition), molecular layer deposition (MLD), and photon-enhanced atomic layer deposition (also known as photo-ALD or flash-enhanced ALD).

[0081] The deposition setup may be based on, for example, an ALD setup described in U.S. Patent No. 8,211,235 (Lindfors), or on any setup available from Picosun Oy in Finland, such as the Picosun R-200, P-300, or P-1000 ALD systems. Nevertheless, the features that form the basis of the concept of the present invention can be incorporated into any other chemical deposition reactor embodied, for example, as an ALD, PEALD, molecular layer deposition (MLD), or chemical vapor deposition (CVD) apparatus.

[0082] An exemplary ALD reactor includes a reaction chamber that establishes a reaction space (deposit space) in which a coating is deposited on an article / substrate. The reactor further includes several instruments configured to mediate a fluid flow (an inert fluid and a reactive fluid containing precursor compounds P1, P2) within the reaction chamber. These instruments are provided as multiple suction / supply lines and associated switching and / or control devices such as valves, measuring and detection devices, etc.

[0083] The basic ALD deposition cycle consists of four sequential steps: pulse A, purge A, pulse B, and purge B. The reactive fluid entering the reaction chamber during pulses A and B is preferably a gaseous substance containing predetermined precursor chemicals (P1, P2) carried by an inert carrier (gas). The supply of precursor chemicals to the reaction space and film growth on the substrate are controlled by the aforementioned control devices, such as a three-way ALD valve, a mass flow controller, or any other device suitable for this purpose.

[0084] The deposition cycle described above may be repeated until the deposition sequence produces a thin film or coating of the desired thickness. The deposition cycle may be simpler or more complex. For example, the cycle may include three or more reactant vapor pulses separated by a purging step, or certain purging steps may be omitted. On the other hand, photoenhanced ALD has various options, such as having only one active precursor in the corresponding set, along with various options for purging. All these deposition cycles form a timed deposition sequence controlled by a logic unit or microprocessor.

[0085] It should be noted that atomic layer deposition (MLD) uses inorganic materials to produce thin films, while molecular layer deposition (MLD) methods allow for the deposition of organic films or organic-inorganic hybrid films. MLD films are softer and therefore less brittle than ALD films. For this reason, MLD films are often used as so-called decoupling layers to separate conformal inorganic (ALD) films from and / or from the substrate and to minimize the propagation of defects through the coating film. Defects typically include mechanical damage such as cracks and scratches, as well as localized delamination and / or other damage induced by various factors such as exposure to moisture and / or ions, UV light, heat, oxygen, etc.

[0086] The coupling layer 10 and one or more deposited layers 21, 22 form a coating system 100, 110 according to another aspect of the present invention.

[0087] Figures 3A and 3B show exemplary embodiments of the coating system formed on the substrate 12. Figure 3A shows a coating system 100 including a coupling layer 10 and a coating film formed as an ALD deposition stack, and Figure 3B shows a coating system 110 including a coupling layer 10 and a coating film formed as an ALD-MLD hybrid stack. The ALD deposition layer is generally designated by reference numeral 21 (n(21-y); 21-1, 21-2, 21-3, 21-4 and 21-5), and the MLD deposition layer is generally designated by reference numeral 22 (n(22-y); 22-1, 22-2, 22-3 and 22-4).

[0088] Refer to Figure 3A. Accordingly, the coating system 100 in Figure 3A includes an ALD coating film comprising a coupling layer 10 formed with the coupling agent 10A described herein, and a plurality of (n) ALD layers 21-y (ALD deposition layers are not shown). The number of ALD layers may vary depending on the number of deposition cycles required to deposit a coating of a predetermined thickness. For example, a 5 nm coating may be deposited in 50 to 80 deposition cycles, and a 500 nm coating may be deposited in 5000 to 8000 deposition cycles.

[0089] ALD coating films can be provided as a homogeneous film (all deposited layers having the same composition) or as a (nano)laminate (not shown) having deposited layers with different compositions. In the latter case, a wide variety of configurations are possible, with different compositions and / or arrangements within the stack of deposited layers. Thus, in an ALD film, one or more deposited layers having a first composition may be arranged alternately with one or more layers having a second composition to form a stack. In some configurations, the ALD film may include deposited layers having a third, fourth, or further composition that is not identical to either of the first and / or second compositions. In such cases, the deposited layers may be arranged in a repeating pattern, each pattern comprising 1 to 10, preferably 1 to 4, deposited layers composed of non-identical chemical compounds.

[0090] The inorganic deposition layer 21 (ALD deposition layer) may individually consist of oxide compounds or nitride compounds. Oxide compounds include, but are not limited to, aluminum(III) oxide (Al2O3), titanium(IV) oxide (TiO2), hafnium(IV) oxide (HfO2), tantalum(V) oxide (Ta2O5), zirconium(IV) oxide (ZrO2), niobium(V) oxide (Nb2O5), yttrium oxide (Y2O3), magnesium oxide (MgO), zinc oxide (ZnO), and silicon dioxide (SiO2). Nitride compounds include, but are not limited to, titanium nitride (TiN), aluminum nitride (AlN), gallium nitride (GaN), niobium nitride (NbN), silicon nitride (Si3N4), and any combination thereof. The use of any other suitable oxide or nitride compounds is not excluded. The sedimentary layer(s)21 may further consist of carbides, selenides, sulfides, and tellurides, as well as pure metals such as aluminum, titanium, and zirconium.

[0091] Exemplary ALD coating stacks are (n)-repeated binary (sub) stacks; ternary (sub) stacks or quaternary (sub) stacks, such as Al2O3-SiO2, Al2O3-HfO2, Al2O3-ZrO2, Al2O3-Ta2O5, Al2O3-TiO2, Al2O3-MgO, Al2O3-ZnO, HfO2-SiO2, ZrO2-SiO2, MgO-SiO2, ZnO-SiO2, etc. Coatings can also be formed using a single inorganic material such as alumina or silica, which can be formed using stacks such as Al2O3-HfO2-ZrO2, TiO2+[(Al2O3-TiO2)], MgO-Al2O3-SiO2-ZnO, Al2O3-SiO2-Al2O3-TiO2, Al2O3-HfO2-Al2O3-ZrO2, Al2O3-Ta2O5-Al2O3-HfO2, etc. The ternary and quaternary substacks may have the same or different thicknesses (e.g., 5nm / 5nm / 5nm / 5nm repeated n times, or 5nm / 20nm / 5nm / 20nm repeated n times).

[0092] Figure 3B shows a coating system 110 comprising an ALD-MLD film formed on a substrate 12, which includes a coupling layer 10 formed of a coupling agent 10A as described herein, and a plurality of ALD deposits 21-1, 21-2, 21-3, 21-4, and 21-5 alternating with MLD deposits 22-1, 22-2, 22-3, and 22-4. The configuration of Figure 3B is particularly useful for coating flexible substrates.

[0093] In the hybrid coating stack of Figure 3B, the deposited layer 21 (ALD) may be formed using the same compounds as those described with respect to Figure 3A. On the other hand, the MLD films 22 (22-1, 22-2, 22-3, 22-4) may be provided as pure organic films or organic-inorganic hybrid films. While the production of pure organic (polymer) structures employs combinations of two or more organic precursors, hybrid organic-inorganic films are typically synthesized using combinations of inorganic compounds and organic polymers. Common organic precursors are, for example, polymer molecules containing -OH, -COOH, CONH2, -CHO, -NH2, -SH, and -CN functional groups. In embodiments, the hybrid MLD film includes a metal alkoxide film formed from a metal precursor and various organic alcohols, collectively referred to as "metal cones." Common metal cone membranes include alcones, titanicones, and zinc cones, which are based on the reaction of various organic alcohols, such as ethylene glycol (EG) or glycerol; aromatic organic diols such as hydroquinone (benzene-1,4-diol), with trimethylaluminum (TMA), titanium tetrachloride, and diethylzinc, respectively.

[0094] In the embodiment, the MLD film is deposited covering the coupling layer 10. The MLD film deposited on or directly covering the coupling layer 10 preferably has a low modulus of elasticity in order to efficiently separate the coating from the substrate. An MLD film having a modulus of elasticity 5 to 10 lower than that of alumina can be advantageously utilized. In Figures 3A and 3B, the MLD film deposited directly covering the coupling layer is designated by reference numeral 22. In the embodiment, the coupling layer 10 formed with the coupling agent 10A forms an interface layer between the substrate 12 having various diverse growth surfaces 12-1, 12-2, 12-3 and the MLD (decoupling) film 22. The decoupling MLD layer 22 is typically a film of 15 to 30 nm thickness.

[0095] For example, the hybrid coating structure in Figure 3B may utilize hybrid MLD films 22, 22-1, 22-2, 22-3, and 22-4 formed from poly(aluminum trioxysilylheptanoate) (Al-TOSH) based on the reaction of TMA with ozone-activated 7-octenyltrichlorosilane SAM. The MLD films deposited in direct contact with the coupling layer 10 may have the same or different composition as the other MLD layers (22-1, 22-2, 22-3, and 22-4) in the multilayer coating (Figure 3B).

[0096] Preferably, stacks formed from multiple of the deposited layers 21, 22 within the coating have a thickness in the range of about 10 nm to about 1000 nm, and therefore the coating structures presented herein may be referred to as “nanocoatings” or “nanolaminates.” Coating stacks comprising deposited layers 21, 22 having a thickness in the range of 10 nm to 500 nm, preferably in the range of 20 nm to 300 nm, and more preferably in the range of 50 nm to 150 nm can be manufactured. The most typical, and in some cases most preferred, range for deposited coatings is 10 to 300 nm, i.e., including 25 nm, 50 nm, 100 nm, 150 nm, 200 nm, 250 nm, 300 nm, and any value in between. Nevertheless, nanolaminate structures having a thickness greater than 300 nm (up to about 1000 nm) can be manufactured in a predetermined number of deposition cycles.

[0097] Overall, since the thickness of the coupling layer 10 is generally within the range of a single molecular layer, i.e., within the range of approximately 0.5 to 1 nm, the above values ​​accurately define the thickness of the coating systems 100 and 110.

[0098] For example, the deposited coating, as shown in Figure 3A, may include a 15-30 nm decoupling MLD layer 22 (placed over the coupling layer 10) and a 75-200 nm inorganic ALD film 21.

[0099] The deposition processes (ALD, MLD) used to produce the coating films shown in Figures 3A and 3B employ deposition temperatures in the range of approximately 80–200°C (up to 250°C). Deposition in the range of 100–125°C enables or facilitates the coating of heat-sensitive substrates, including polymers and / or electrical circuits. Furthermore, higher deposition temperatures are generally not ruled out.

[0100] Coating systems 100, 110 as shown in Figures 3A and 3B may include, as the top layer, at least one inorganic deposit layer (see 21-5 in Figure 3B), an organic MLD layer or a hybrid MLD layer (not shown), or any additional deposit layer formed by any other suitable method. In some cases, the top layer may be provided with additional functions such as mechanical protection and / or protection from corrosive species, or it may be provided as a dissolution layer to allow for time-controlled dissolution.

[0101] The present invention further relates to the use of the coupling agent 10A described herein for modifying the surface of a dissimilar substrate to give it more uniform receptivity for the adhesion of a subsequent coating. Thus, the coupling agent 10A covers a plurality of different growth regions 12-1, 12-2, 12-3, 12-4 to form a homogeneous film (coupling layer 10), thereby adapting the (overall) substrate surface to interact with the ALD / MLD precursor in an essentially uniform manner.

[0102] Furthermore, the present invention relates to an article comprising a heterogeneous substrate 12 having surface regions 12-1, 12-2, 12-3, 12-4...12-x made from different materials and surface-modified with a coupling agent 10A. In an embodiment, the article comprises a heterogeneous substrate 12 having surface regions (growth surfaces) 12-1, 12-2, 12-3, 12-4...12-x made from at least two different materials, and the coating systems 100, 110 described herein. In an embodiment, the article comprises a heterogeneous substrate 12 having surface regions 12-1, 12-2, 12-3, 12-4...12-x made from at least three different materials, and the coating systems 100, 110.

[0103] In embodiments, the article is configured as a medical device. The medical device may be a diagnostic or surgical tool, a wearable sensor, or an implantable medical device, and may optionally include functional electronic components for developing so-called (bio)electronic solutions. Thus, the article may be configured without electronic components (e.g., a surgical scalpel or orthopedic screw), or the article may include an electrical / electronic system, optionally a self-powered system. Implantable medical devices may be designed to be entirely within the body, or they may be provided outside the body and connected to an internal organ or another body part. Such devices include, but are not limited to, implantable cardiac pacemakers, monitors and defibrillators (e.g., implantable cardioverter-defibrillators, ICDs), cochlear implants, various neurological implants and stimulators, infusion pumps, hemodynamic systems, microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), implantable electromyography (IMES) systems, and various (miniature) sensors, including biosensors for measuring pressure, flow rate, strain, etc., as well as (bio)chemical sensors for use in the treatment of, for example, diabetes and other chemically controlled conditions (e.g., sensors for continuous glucose monitoring (CGM)). The article may further be configured as a control unit for an implant, for example, an artificial implant, in which case the article may be configured to be at least partially present in the body, or may be provided as a parts kit including components and an external controller to be placed in the body (e.g., inside an implant).

[0104] From a functional standpoint, medical articles may include a variety of monitoring and / or measuring devices / sensors, such as devices for measuring the levels of chemicals in biological fluids that function as markers of specific diseases, and devices applicable to the treatment of specific conditions or syndromes via neuromodulation (e.g., stimulants used in the treatment of migraines) or by regulating the levels of chemicals in biological fluids.

[0105] The articles may also be provided as parts or components used in the manufacture of optionally miniaturized sensors and / or semiconductor devices. The articles may further be provided as printed circuit boards (PCBs), PCB assemblies (PCBAs), and / or electrical components used therein. The articles may further be provided as non-invasive (medical) devices or parts thereof (e.g., wearable sensors (sensor systems) or semiconductor components / PCB(A)).

[0106] Those skilled in the art will understand that, with advances in technology, the fundamental concepts of the present invention can be implemented and combined in various ways. Therefore, the present invention and its embodiments are not limited to the examples described herein, but rather may generally be modified within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A coupling agent (10A) configured to bond to a dissimilar substrate (12) comprising surface regions (12-1, 12-2, 12-3, 12-4) made of at least two different materials, wherein the coupling agent (10A) comprises at least two non-identical functional groups, each of which has specific reactivity to the material of the corresponding substrate surface region (12-1, 12-2, 12-3, 12-4), and the coupling agent (10A) is configured to modify the surface of the dissimilar substrate (12) by at least one of the functional groups of the coupling agent reacting with the material of the corresponding substrate surface region, leaving at least one other functional group of the coupling agent available for reaction with molecules of the subsequent coating, thereby giving the substrate surface regions improved receptivity for adhesion of the subsequent coating.

2. The coupling agent according to claim 1, configured to bond to a substrate material selected from metals and metal alloys, polymers, ceramics, and composite materials.

3. At least two non-identical functional groups R １ and R ２ Represented by a molecule containing a hydrocarbon skeleton structure X to which the following are bonded, where X is selected from the group consisting of (i) a linear or branched structure containing an alkane, alkene or alkyne having 2 to 12 carbon atoms, (ii) an aromatic structure containing a cycloalkane or cycloalkene having 3 to 12 carbon atoms, or (iii) benzene or a derivative thereof, and the at least two functional groups R １ and R ２ One of them is either a thiol group (-SH) or an amine group (-NH). ２ ), hydroxyl group (-OH), carboxyl group (-COOH), aldehyde group (-CHO), phosphate group (H ２ PO ３ ), C1-C6 alkyl groups, halogen groups, and silane groups (-SiR' ３ The coupling agent according to claim 1, wherein R' is independently selected from the group consisting of ), R' is represented by hydrogen or an alkoxy group (-OR''), and R'' is a C1-C6 alkyl group or hydrogen.

4. The at least two functional groups R １ and R ２ each are bonded to the hydrocarbon backbone structure X via a carbon atom or a side chain containing 0 to 2 carbon atoms, the coupling agent according to claim 3.

5. A coupling agent according to any one of claims 1 to 4, represented by a molecule of general formula (I): 【Chemistry 1】 (wherein X is a structure having a hydrocarbon skeleton selected from the group consisting of (i) a linear or branched structure containing an alkane, alkene or alkyne having 2 to 12 carbon atoms, (ii) an aromatic structure containing a cycloalkane or cycloalkene having 3 to 12 carbon atoms, or (iii) benzene or its derivatives.) n is 0, 1, or 2. R １ and R ２ One of them is either a thiol group (-SH) or an amine group (-NH). ２ ), hydroxyl group (-OH), carboxyl group (-COOH), aldehyde group (-CHO), phosphate group (H ２ PO ３ ), C1-C6 alkyl groups, halogen groups, and silane groups (-SiR' ３ (Independently selected from the group consisting of ), where R' is represented by hydrogen or an alkoxy group (-OR''), and R'' is a C1-C6 alkyl group or hydrogen.

6. A coupling agent according to any one of claims 1 to 4, represented by a molecule of general formula (II): 【Chemistry 2】 (wherein X is a structure having a hydrocarbon skeleton selected from the group consisting of (i) a linear or branched structure containing an alkane, alkene or alkyne having 2 to 12 carbon atoms, (ii) an aromatic structure containing a cycloalkane or cycloalkene having 3 to 12 carbon atoms, or (iii) benzene or its derivatives.) n is 0, 1, or 2. R １ , R ２ and R ３ Each of these independently consists of a) a thiol group (-SH) and b) an amine group (-NH). ２ ) or phosphate group (H ２ PO ３ ), and c) a hydroxyl group (-OH), a carboxyl group (-COOH), an aldehyde group (-CHO), or a silane group (-SiR' ３ It is represented as ), where R' is a hydrogen or alkoxy group (-OR''), and R'' is a C1-C6 alkyl group or hydrogen).

7. A coupling agent according to any one of claims 1 to 4, represented by a molecule of general formula (III): 【Transformation 3】 (wherein X is a structure having a hydrocarbon skeleton selected from the group consisting of (i) a linear or branched structure containing an alkane, alkene or alkyne having 2 to 12 carbon atoms, (ii) an aromatic structure containing a cycloalkane or cycloalkene having 3 to 12 carbon atoms, or (iii) benzene or its derivatives.) n is 0, 1, or 2. R １ , R ２ , R ３ and R ４ Each of these independently consists of a) a thiol group (-SH) and b) an amine group (-NH). ２ ) or phosphate group (H ２ PO ３ ), c) a hydroxyl group (-OH), a carboxyl group (-COOH), an aldehyde group (-CHO), or a silane group (-SiR' ３ ), and d) represented by a C1-C6 alkyl group or halogen group, preferably fluorine, where R' is hydrogen or an alkoxy group (-OR''), and R'' is a C1-C6 alkyl group or hydrogen).

8. A coating system (100, 110) for a substrate (12) including surface regions (12-1, 12-2, 12-3, 12-4) made of different materials, - A coupling layer (10) comprising or consisting of a coupling agent (10A) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the coupling layer is configured such that, when deposited on the surface of the substrate, it provides the surface region of the substrate with improved receptivity for adhesion of subsequent deposited layers, A coating system comprising: one or more deposited layers (21, 22) deposited over the coupling layer and formed through a process of chemical deposition in the gas phase, preferably through atomic layer deposition (ALD).

9. The coating system according to claim 8, wherein the coupling layer (10) is provided as a self-assembled monolayer (SAM).

10. Each individual sedimentary layer (21) contains aluminum(III) oxide (Al ２ O ３ ), titanium(IV)(TiO) ２ ), hafnium(IV) oxide (HfO ２ ), tantalum(V) oxide (Ta ２ O ５ ), zirconium(IV) oxide (ZrO ２ ), niobium(V) oxide (Nb ２ O ５ ), yttrium oxide (Y ２ O ３ ), magnesium oxide (MgO), zinc oxide (ZnO), silicon dioxide (SiO ２ The coating system according to claim 8 or 9, comprising any compound selected from the group consisting of ), aluminum nitride (AlN), titanium nitride (TiN), gallium nitride (GaN), niobium nitride (NbN), and silicon nitride (SiNx).

11. The coating system according to any one of claims 8 to 10, wherein at least one deposited layer (22) of the coating is a molecular layer deposition (MLD) film.

12. The coating system according to claim 11, wherein the MLD film is an organic film or a hybrid organic-inorganic polymer film, for example, poly(aluminum trioxysilylheptanoate) (Al-TOSH).

13. The coating system according to claim 11 or 12, wherein the MLD film is deposited covering the coupling layer (10).

14. A coating system according to any one of claims 8 to 13, comprising a plurality of deposit layers (21, 22) arranged in a stack.

15. The coating system according to claim 14, wherein in the stack, the deposited layers (21) formed of ALD are arranged alternately with the MLD film (22).

16. A coating system according to any one of claims 8 to 15, having a thickness in the range of about 5 nm to about 500 nm, preferably in the range of about 10 nm to about 300 nm, and more preferably in the range of about 50 nm to about 150 nm.

17. A method for adapting a different substrate to a surface coating, wherein the method is The method involves depositing a coupling agent (10A) having at least two non-identical functional groups that have specific reactivity to the material of the corresponding substrate surface region onto a substrate (12) which includes a surface region made of at least two different materials, At least one of the functional groups of the coupling agent reacts with the material in the corresponding substrate surface region, so that at least one functional group of the coupling agent (10A) remains available for reaction with the molecules of the subsequent coating, thereby forming a coupling layer (10) that provides the substrate surface region with improved receptivity for adhesion of the subsequent coating. method.

18. The coupling agent (10A) has at least two non-identical functional groups R １ and R ２ Represented by a molecule containing a hydrocarbon skeleton structure X to which the following are bonded, where X is selected from the group consisting of (i) a linear or branched structure containing an alkane, alkene or alkyne having 2 to 12 carbon atoms, (ii) an aromatic structure containing a cycloalkane or cycloalkene having 3 to 12 carbon atoms, or (iii) benzene or a derivative thereof, and the at least two functional groups R １ and R ２ One of them is either a thiol group (-SH) or an amine group (-NH). ２ ), hydroxyl group (-OH), carboxyl group (-COOH), aldehyde group (-CHO), phosphate group (H ２ PO ３ ), C1-C6 alkyl groups, halogen groups, and silane groups (-SiR' ３ The method according to claim 17, wherein R' is independently selected from the group consisting of ), R' is represented by hydrogen or an alkoxy group (-OR''), and R'' is a C1-C6 alkyl group or hydrogen.

19. The method according to claim 17, wherein the coupling agent is represented by a molecule having the general formulas (I), (II), and (III) described in claims 5, 6, and 7, respectively.

20. Use of a coupling agent according to any one of claims 1 to 7 for modifying the surface of dissimilar substrates to give the dissimilar substrates more uniform receptivity for adhesion of a subsequent coating.

21. An article comprising a dissimilar substrate (12) made of different materials and having surface regions (12-1, 12-2, 12-3, 12-4) surface-modified with a coupling agent according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

22. An article comprising a heterogeneous substrate (12) having surface regions (12-1, 12-2, 12-3, 12-4) made of at least two different materials, and a coating system according to any one of claims 8 to 16.

23. The article according to claim 21 or 22, wherein the dissimilar substrate has a surface region made of a material selected from metals and metal alloys, polymers, ceramics, and composite materials.

24. An article according to any one of claims 21 to 23, comprising a printed circuit board (PCB), a PCB assembly (PCBA), and / or an electrical component.

25. An article according to any one of claims 21 to 24, configured as a medical device.

26. The article according to claim 25, configured as an implantable medical device.

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