Fluoropolyether Surface Coating for Durable Touch Panel Repellency
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional water/oil-repellent coatings for touch panel displays suffer from poor durability and adhesion, leading to rapid fouling and difficulty in maintaining a clean surface.
Innovation Solution
A fluoropolyether-group-containing polymer with hydroxyl or hydrolyzable groups, forming a cured coating that enhances adhesion and provides excellent water/oil-repellency and abrasion resistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If fluoropolyether-group-containing compounds are applied to substrate surface, then water/oil-repellent property and chemical resistance are improved, but adhesion to substrate deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The invention uses a composite material comprising fluoropolyether-group-containing polymer (providing water/oil-repellency) and silane coupling agent (providing adhesion). This composite coating simultaneously achieves both water/oil-repellent property and strong adhesion to substrate, resolving the contradiction between these two properties.
Solution Approach 2:
The silane coupling agent acts as an intermediary between the fluoropolyether-group-containing polymer and the substrate. It forms chemical bonds with both the substrate surface and the polymer, mediating the adhesion interface and enabling strong bonding while maintaining the water/oil-repellent properties of the fluoropolymer.
2Ease of operation
If conventional water/oil-repellent coatings are formed on touch panel, then easy stain wipe-off is achieved, but antifouling performance deteriorates during service
Solution Approach 1:
The composite coating combines fluoropolyether-group-containing polymer (providing easy stain wipe-off) with silane coupling agent (providing durable antifouling performance). The silane component forms a tough, adherent base that maintains antifouling properties during service, while the fluoropolymer layer provides easy cleanability.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the chemical composition parameters of the coating by incorporating silane coupling agents with specific functional groups. This parameter change transforms the coating from a simple fluoropolymer layer to a composite system with enhanced durability and sustained antifouling performance throughout service life.
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 polymer-based coating improves substrate adhesion and wettability, offering superior eraser and steel wool abrasion resistance, ensuring long-lasting water/oil-repellent properties.
Implementation Method 1
In the presence of airborne moisture or the like, the hydrolyzable silyl groups undergo self-condensation reaction to form a coating.
Implementation Method 2
The hydrolyzable silyl groups form chemical and physical bonds with the surface of glass or metal, whereby the coating becomes a tough coating having durability.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided are: a fluoropolyether-group-containing polymer capable of forming cured coating films excellent in terms of water and oil repellency and wear resistance; a surface treatment agent comprising the polymer and/or a product of partial (hydrolytic) condensation of the polymer; and an article surface-treated with the treatment agent. The fluoropolyether-group-containing polymer is represented by formula (1) or (2). Rf1-[N(V)β(E)γ]α (1) Rf1-[Q-(G)δ-(E')ε-B]α (2) (In formulae (1) and (2), Rf1 is a mono- or divalent residue of a fluorooxyalkylene-group-containing polymer; N is a tri- to octavalent organic group; V is a monovalent group containing a hydroxyl or hydrolyzable group; E is a monovalent group including an oxyalkylene group and a hydroxyl or hydrolyzable group; α is 1 or 2; β and γ are each 1-6, β + γ being 2-7; Q is a single bond or a divalent organic group; G is a divalent group containing a hydroxyl or hydrolyzable group; E' is a divalent group including an oxyalkylene group and a hydroxyl or hydrolyzable group; B is H, an alkyl group, or a halogen atom; δ is 1-10; and ε is 1-10.)