Atmospheric Low-Temperature Plasma Coating for Pathogen Inhibition
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current wet coating techniques for modifying surfaces to inhibit biological pathogens are inefficient, leading to issues such as long drying times, environmental waste, uneven coating, and potential health risks due to poor adhesion and homogeneity.
Innovation Solution
An atmospheric low-temperature plasma coating method using a plasma gas ionized at about atmospheric pressure, with citric acid as a precursor to form a bio-active layer that inhibits the transfer of biological pathogens by inactivation, immobilization, or proliferation reduction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If wet coating techniques are used to apply coating material to surfaces, then the coating material can be applied using simple liquid solution methods, but the coating results in long drying times, large environmental waste, uneven coating thickness, and poor adhesion requiring post-rinsing that removes much of the coating material
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical state of the coating material from liquid (wet coating) to vapor phase (plasma coating). By introducing the coating material as a plasma precursor and utilizing plasma chemistry, the coating is deposited in a controlled vapor phase process that enables precise thickness control, uniform coverage, and immediate bonding without drying time, thereby resolving the contradiction between application simplicity and coating precision
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical/chemical wet coating process with a plasma-based physical vapor deposition process. Instead of applying liquid coating through brushing, spraying, or dipping followed by drying and curing, the invention uses plasma activation to deposit the coating material directly from vapor phase, eliminating the need for drying, rinsing, and post-treatment steps while achieving superior coating quality
2Ease of manufacture
If wet coating techniques are used to apply coating material to surfaces, then the coating can be applied using liquid solutions, but much of the coating material is rinsed away during post-rinsing indicating poor adhesion and creating health risks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces wet chemical coating with plasma-based physical vapor deposition. The plasma process creates strong chemical bonds between the coating material and substrate through reactive species in the plasma, ensuring permanent adhesion that does not require rinsing and eliminates health risks associated with rinsing away coating material
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the deposition mechanism from liquid-phase adsorption to vapor-phase chemisorption through plasma. This parameter change ensures that the coating material bonds chemically to the substrate during deposition, creating a durable, permanent coating that remains intact during any subsequent rinsing operations
3Manufacturing precision
If atmospheric low-temperature plasma coating is used to form a thin coating on a surface, then the coating is thin, durable, homogeneous and conformal with strong bonding, but the process requires plasma generation equipment and controlled atmospheric pressure conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent operates plasma coating at atmospheric pressure rather than vacuum conditions. This parameter change eliminates the need for vacuum chambers and complex pressure control systems, allowing the plasma coating process to be performed with simpler equipment while maintaining the advantages of thin, uniform, and well-adhered coatings
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 method provides a durable, homogeneous, and conformal bio-active layer that effectively inhibits the transfer of biological pathogens, offering high throughput and versatility in treating various surface shapes and sizes without the need for additional UV radiation or complex biochemical processes.
Implementation Method 1
ionizing a plasma gas at low temperature and at about atmospheric pressure, thereby creating a plasma
Implementation Method 2
exposing the surface to said plasma comprising said precursor, thereby forming a coating onto said surface
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
The present invention concerns a method for providing a bio-active layer on a surface, comprising the steps of: a) ionizing a plasma gas at low temperature of 150°C or lower, and at about atmospheric pressure, thereby creating a plasma; b) introducing a precursor into said plasma; c) exposing the surface to said plasma comprising said precursor, thereby forming a coating onto said surface, characterised in that the precursors comprise a biological pathogen transfer inhibiting compound.