Copoly(imide oxetane) coatings with fluorine surface migration

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing polymeric materials with low surface energy often compromise mechanical, thermal, and optical properties when modified to achieve low adhesion surfaces, and current methods for achieving low surface energy are either ineffective or difficult to process.

Innovation Solution

Copoly(imide oxetane) materials are developed using a minor amount of amino terminated fluorinated oxetane-derived oligomers, allowing sufficient fluorine-containing segments to migrate to the surface, thereby achieving low surface energies while maintaining the properties of polyimides.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If polymeric materials are modified to achieve low surface energy, then surface adhesion properties are improved, but mechanical, thermal, and optical properties deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesurface adhesionVSAvoidmechanical, thermal, and optical properties

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by concentrating the surface-modifying fluorinated oxetane oligomer specifically at the polymer surface through controlled incorporation at 0.01-5 wt% in the bulk material. This localized surface modification achieves low surface energy and reduced adhesion properties without compromising the bulk mechanical, thermal, and optical properties of the polyimide matrix.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a composite material system combining polyimide base polymer with fluorinated oxetane oligomer additives. This composite approach allows the polyimide to maintain its superior bulk properties while the fluorinated oligomer provides surface-level low energy characteristics, resolving the contradiction between surface performance and bulk property preservation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

2Object-affected harmful factors

If sufficient modifier is added to achieve desired surface modification, then surface energy is reduced, but bulk properties of the polymeric material are diminished

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesurface energyVSAvoidbulk properties

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies partial action by incorporating only a small fraction (0.01-5 wt%) of fluorinated oxetane oligomer into the polyimide matrix, which is sufficient to achieve the desired surface energy modification without excessively altering the bulk material properties. This controlled partial incorporation prevents degradation of mechanical strength while achieving surface functionality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Stability of the object's composition

If modifier is well dispersed within the polymer matrix, then homogeneity is improved, but surface properties are not enhanced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedispersion homogeneityVSAvoidsurface properties

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The fluorinated oxetane oligomer exhibits self-service behavior by automatically migrating to the polyimide surface during processing and curing. This self-migration phenomenon ensures that the modifier concentrates at the surface where it is needed for low energy properties, rather than remaining uniformly dispersed in the bulk, thereby achieving surface enhancement without requiring excessive additive amounts.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The copoly(imide oxetane) materials effectively tailor surface properties with minimal impact on mechanical, thermal, and optical properties, enhancing the viability of polyimides for various applications and providing low surface energy even at low oxetane oligomer content.

Implementation Method 1

allowing sufficient fluorine-containing segments to migrate to the surface, thereby achieving low surface energies while maintaining the properties of polyimides

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectSurface migration: Diffusion

Data Source

PatentUS11760738B2Anisotropic copoly(imide oxetane) coatings and articles of manufacture, copoly(imide oxetane)s containing pendant fluorocarbon moieties, oligomers and processes therefor

Publication Date: 2023.09.19 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AS REPRESENTED BY THE ADMINISTRATOR NAT AERONAUTICS & SPACE ADMINISTRATION

AI summary

Copoly(imide oxetane) materials are disclosed that can exhibit a low surface energy while possessing the mechanical, thermal, chemical and optical properties associated with polyimides. The copoly(imide oxetane)s are prepared using a minor amount of fluorinated oxetane-derived oligomer with sufficient fluorine-containing segments of the copoly(imide oxetane)s migrate to the exterior surface of the polymeric material to yield low surface energies. Thus the coatings and articles of manufacture made with the copoly(imide oxetane)s of this invention are characterized as having an anisotropic fluorine composition. The low surface energies can be achieved with very low content of fluorinated oxetane-derived oligomer. The copolymers of this invention can enhance the viability of polyimides for many applications and may be acceptable where homopolyimide materials have been unacceptable.