Fluorine-Free Polymeric Nanocoating via Plasma Polymerisation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing protective coatings, particularly those using fluorocarbons, have environmental drawbacks, safety concerns, and inefficiencies, and do not provide adequate resistance to liquids and durability for substrates.
Innovation Solution
A method for forming a polymeric nanocoating on a substrate using unsaturated monomeric species with aromatic and carbonyl moieties, and a crosslinking reagent, which are free from fluorine, to create a conformal barrier coating with enhanced barrier properties and durability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If fluorocarbon-based plasma polymerisation is used to form water repellent coatings, then water repellence and coating thickness are improved, but environmental impact worsens due to HF by-product production and safety concerns increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes fluorocarbon components from the coating system entirely. Instead of using fluorocarbon-based monomers that produce HF by-products, the invention employs alternative monomers (acrylic, epoxy, urethane, or silicone resins) that do not contain fluorine, thereby eliminating the harmful HF by-product while maintaining water repellent properties through different chemical mechanisms
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameters of the coating monomers from fluorocarbon-based to non-fluorocarbon-based materials. This parameter change maintains the functional property of water repellence while fundamentally altering the chemical reaction pathway to eliminate harmful by-products, thus resolving the contradiction between effectiveness and environmental safety
2Length of stationary object
If conventional wet chemistry techniques are used to apply protective coatings, then coating thickness and coverage are improved, but manufacturing efficiency worsens due to longer processing times
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces conventional wet chemistry application methods (brushing, spraying, dipping) with plasma polymerisation technology. This substitution enables conformal coating deposition through plasma-driven chemical reactions, achieving uniform thickness control and complete surface coverage while significantly reducing processing time and improving manufacturing efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes plasma phase transitions to deposit coatings. By transitioning monomers into plasma phase and then converting them into solid coating layers through plasma polymerisation, the process achieves rapid coating formation with precise thickness control, eliminating the time-consuming steps associated with conventional wet chemistry methods
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 coating provides improved resistance to liquids, durability, and environmental safety, while avoiding the drawbacks of fluorocarbon-based coatings, with a thickness ranging from 1 to 15,000 nm and a pin-hole-free structure.
Implementation Method 1
a method for forming a polymeric nanocoating on a substrate, the method comprising exposing the substrate to a plasma comprising one or more unsaturated monomeric species
Implementation Method 2
form water repellent coatings via plasma polymerisation processes
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
The present invention relates to a method for forming a polymeric nanocoating on a substrate as well as substrates bearing the polymeric nanocoating. The method comprises exposing the substrate to a plasma comprising one or more unsaturated monomeric species for a period of time sufficient to allow the coating to form on the substrate. The one or more unsaturated monomeric species comprise (i) an aromatic moiety and (ii) a carbonyl moiety. The one or more unsaturated monomeric species also comprise a crosslinking reagent.