Polymer Brush Coating for Robust Substrate Attachment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Consumer articles, such as shaving devices, often have substrates with sub-optimal interfacial properties, including poor touch experience, susceptibility to corrosion, and microbe growth, which existing surface modification techniques fail to adequately address.

Innovation Solution

A polymer layer is applied to the substrate, comprising a crosslinked sublayer with charged moieties opposite to the substrate's charge, allowing ionic attraction for robust attachment without covalent bonding, and polymer brushes are grafted from this sublayer to modify interfacial properties like friction, wetting, and adhesion.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a polymer coating is applied to improve interfacial properties, then surface characteristics are enhanced, but the attachment robustness deteriorates when using simple ionic attraction

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveattachment robustnessVSAvoidcoating structure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The polymer coating is divided into two distinct functional layers: a crosslinked sublayer containing charged moieties that provides robust ionic attachment to the substrate, and a supra-layer containing polymer chains that modifies interfacial properties. This segmentation allows each layer to specialize in its function, achieving both strong attachment and surface modification without requiring complex chemical bonding throughout the entire coating structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The coating combines different polymer components with distinct functions into a composite structure. The crosslinked sublayer uses polymers with charged groups for electrostatic attachment, while the supra-layer uses polymer chains for interfacial property modification. This composite approach enables the coating to achieve multiple functions simultaneously while maintaining structural simplicity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

2Reliability

If covalent bonding is used to attach coating to substrate, then attachment robustness is improved, but manufacturing complexity and chemical reaction requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveattachment robustnessVSAvoidcoating application simplicity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The invention replaces chemical bonding mechanisms (covalent bonding) with physical bonding mechanisms (ionic attraction). The crosslinked sublayer contains charged moieties that electrostatically attract to oppositely charged substrate surfaces, providing robust attachment without requiring chemical reactions. This substitution simplifies manufacturing by eliminating the need for chemical reaction steps while maintaining strong attachment.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Reliability

If existing surface modification techniques are used, then some interfacial properties are improved, but comprehensive performance against corrosion, microbe growth, and touch experience deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinterfacial performanceVSAvoidcorrosion and microbe susceptibility

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The polymer coating is designed to provide multiple functions simultaneously through its two-layer structure. The crosslinked sublayer provides robust attachment and corrosion resistance, while the supra-layer with polymer chains provides modified interfacial properties including reduced friction, improved wetting, and resistance to microbe growth. This multi-functional design addresses comprehensive performance requirements that single-function techniques cannot meet.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

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 layer enhances the interfacial properties of consumer articles, improving their performance by providing a robust attachment, modifying surface characteristics, and enhancing user experience through reduced friction and improved hygiene.

Implementation Method 1

The provision of a crosslinked sublayer with a plurality of charged moieties forming ionic attraction, attachment points to the substrate surface is believed to provide a robust attachment to the surface because of the accumulated attractive force of a plurality of charged groups in the crosslinked sublayer.

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectIonic attraction: Ion Repulsion/Attraction

Implementation Method 2

polymer chains grafted from the sublayer... polymer chains are anchored by one end to the crosslinked sublayer (that is, they terminally attach to the crosslinked sublayer at a point of polymerization initiation) and then grown by polymerization.

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPolymerization: Photopolymerisation

Data Source

PatentEP3363835B1Article comprising a polymer layer

Publication Date: 2023.10.11 THE GILLETTE CO

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AI summary

There is provided an article comprising, a substrate having a charged surface; and a polymer layer on said substrate surface; wherein said polymer layer comprises, a crosslinked sublayer comprising charged moieties having a charge opposite to that of said charged surface; and a supra-layer comprising polymer chains grafted from the sublayer and extending away from said substrate surface. Preferably the polymer chains are polymer brushes.