Uniform Thin Coating Film for Complex Microwell Structures

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Solution Overview

Problem

Structural bases with complex structures, such as microwell plates, face issues with non-uniform coating thickness leading to biomaterial adhesion and interference with optical measurements due to excess film thickness.

Innovation Solution

A copolymer with specific anionic and cationic structures forms a coating film with a maximum to minimum thickness difference of not more than 1000 Å, inhibiting biomaterial adhesion and minimizing optical interference.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If a coating agent is applied to structural bases with complicated structures (such as micrawell plates), then the surface can be coated, but the coating thickness becomes non-uniform due to accumulation at edges or bottoms of wells

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecoating thickness uniformityVSAvoidstructural base complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the chemical parameters of the coating agent by incorporating specific anionic groups (carboxyl, sulfonic acid, phosphoric acid groups) and cationic groups (amino groups) in controlled ratios. This chemical composition adjustment enables the coating agent to achieve uniform thin coating (difference between maximum and minimum thickness ≤1000 Å) on complicated structures without accumulation, resolving the contradiction between coating uniformity and structural complexity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses composite coating agents containing both anionic and cationic polymer components. The synergistic interaction between these oppositely charged components creates a coating formulation that can uniformly coat complicated structures. The composite nature of the coating agent allows it to adapt to complex geometries while maintaining thickness uniformity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

2Reliability

If the coating film thickness is increased to prevent biomaterial adhesion, then adhesion inhibition is improved, but optical measurement accuracy deteriorates due to interference from excess thickness

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebiomaterial adhesion inhibitionVSAvoidoptical measurement accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent optimizes the thickness parameter of the coating film to a specific range (difference between maximum and minimum thickness ≤1000 Å). This precise parameter control achieves sufficient biomaterial adhesion inhibition while keeping the film thin enough to avoid interfering with optical measurement wavelengths, thereby resolving the contradiction between adhesion prevention and measurement accuracy

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS12534637B2Coating film having thinly-spreading and irregularity-conforming properties, and structural base having such film

Publication Date: 2026.01.27 NISSAN CHEM CORP

AI summary

The invention provides a structural base that includes a coating film on at least a portion of the surface thereof, the coating film having a difference between the maximum film thickness and the minimum film thickness of not more than 1000 Å. A method of the invention produces such structural bases. The coating film includes a copolymer including a repeating unit containing a group represented by formula (a), and a repeating unit containing a group represented by formula (b):wherein Ua1, Ua2, Ub1, Ub2, Ub3 and An− are as defined herein.