Polysilazane Cured Coating with Fast VUV Densification

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for producing polysilazane coatings face challenges in achieving high gas barrier properties in a short time frame due to the need for prolonged exposure to vacuum ultraviolet light, leading to inefficiencies in production and increased costs.

Innovation Solution

A method involving the application of a polysilazane compound followed by irradiation with Xe excimer light at specific illuminance levels and in a nitrogen atmosphere, allowing for rapid densification and formation of a modified polysilazane cured coating with enhanced gas barrier properties.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If perhydropolysilazane coating is irradiated with vacuum ultraviolet light to convert it into silicon nitride coating for high water vapor barrier properties, then the water vapor transmission rate decreases to 10^-3 g/m2/day or lower, but the irradiation time becomes several minutes or more which reduces productivity

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewater vapor barrier propertyVSAvoidcoating formation speed
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the chemical composition parameters of the polysilazane compound by introducing carbon-containing groups (such as methyl, ethyl, or phenyl groups) attached to the silicon or nitrogen atoms in the Si-N backbone. This compositional modification enables the coating to achieve high water vapor barrier properties (WVTR ≤ 10^-3 g/m2/day) with significantly reduced VUV irradiation time (1 minute or less), resolving the contradiction between barrier performance and productivity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If perhydropolysilazane coating is irradiated with vacuum ultraviolet light for sufficient time to achieve high density and low water vapor transmission rate, then the gas barrier property improves, but the energy consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvegas barrier propertyVSAvoidenergy consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent modifies the chemical structure parameters of the polysilazane compound by incorporating carbon-containing substituents on the Si-N backbone. This structural parameter change enables the coating to achieve high gas barrier properties with reduced VUV irradiation energy input, as the modified structure requires less energy for densification and crosslinking during the curing process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

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 enables the production of a polysilazane cured coating with gas barrier properties equivalent to conventional methods but in a significantly shorter time, using less energy and improving resource efficiency.

Implementation Method 1

When a perhydropolysilazane (PHPS) coating is irradiated with vacuum ultraviolet light (VUV), not only the Si-H bonds and N-H bonds are broken, but also the Si-N bonds in the main chain are repeatedly broken and rebonded, causing atomic rearrangement.

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectVacuum ultraviolet light irradiation: Photodissociation

Implementation Method 2

When heated in air, it reacts with oxygen and converts to a SiO2 coating

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectOxidation reaction: Oxidation

Data Source

PatentEP4711430A1Method for producing modified polysilazane cured coating, and modified polysilazane cured coating
Publication Date: 2026.03.18 SHIN ETSU CHEMICAL CO LTD
  • EP4711430A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4711430A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4711430A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A method for producing a modified polysilazane cured coating, which makes it possible to densify a coating made of a polysilazane compound in a short period of time and produce a coating having a sufficiently low water vapor transmission rate in a short period of time, and a modified polysilazane cured coating obtained by the production method are provided. In curing the polysilazane compound, a coating containing the polysilazane compound is irradiated with vacuum ultraviolet light (VUV) at an irradiation intensity within a specific range. Specifically, the method includes an application step for applying a base material with a solution containing a polysilazane compound represented by the following general formula (1) to form a coating, and a curing step for irradiating the coating with Xe excimer light to modify the polysilazane compound and form a cured coating of the modified polysilazane compound, and the illuminance of the Xe excimer light in the curing step is set to a range of 280 to 450 mW/cm2.