Surfactant composition having stable hydrophilic character

• US 20050084681A1
• Filed: 10/17/2003
• Published: 04/21/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Solventum Intellectual Properties Company (Solventum Corp.)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: Scholz, Matthew T., Levitt, Yolla B.
• Granted Patent: US 7,378,451 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 428/413
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/161 Control and use of surface tension forces, e.g. hydrophobic, hydrophilic
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502707 characterised by the manufacture of the container or its components by shaping or joining plastic parts B29C59/00, B29C65/00; by laminating B32B37/00; manufacture of microstructural devices in general B81C
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 5/005 Stabilisers against oxidation, heat, light, ozone
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 5/05 Alcohols; Metal alcoholates
• CPC Class Codes: C09D 5/024 characterised by the additives
• CPC Class Codes: C09D 7/45 Anti-settling agents
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31504 Composite [nonstructural laminate]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31511 Of epoxy ether

Abstract

Hydrophilic surfactant compositions are disclosed that include a surfactant component and a stabilizer component. The surfactant can be coated on a surface by depositing a surfactant solution on at least a portion of the surface, then drying the surfactant solution to form the dry coating. The surfactant compositions, when applied to a substrate, can provide a hydrophilic surface that retains its hydrophilic character over time, at elevated temperatures, or both.

Claims

1. A hydrophilic surface coated with a surfactant composition comprising:

a surfactant component from about 0.2% to 0.6%;

a stabilizer component from about 0.05% to 0.5%; and

a solvent;

wherein the surfactant composition free of the solvent when dried and coated on a substrate comprises the surfactant and stabilizer in a ratio of 0.2;

1 to 12;

1 wt/wt; and

wherein the hydrophilic characteristics indicated by a Spreading Drop Test retaining at least 85% of the original spreading drop diameter after 3 weeks of aging at 23°

C. and 50% relative humidity.

2. The surfactant composition of claim 1 wherein the solvent comprises a mixture of water and alcohol.

3. The surfactant composition of claim 2 wherein the alcohol is selected from the group consisting of methanol, ethanol, 1-propanol, 2-propanol, and butanol.

4. The surfactant composition of claim 1 wherein the surfactant component is a liquid at temperatures below 25°

C.

5. The surfactant composition of claim 1 wherein the surfactant component is a nonionic surfactant.

6. The surfactant composition of claim 5 wherein the surfactant component is selected from the group consisting of alkoxylated alkyl diol;

alkoxylated alkyacetylenic diol;

alkoxylated glycerin monoester of an alkyl alcohol;

alkoxylated glycerin monoester of an aralkyl alcohol;

alkoxylated alkyl alcohol;

polyalkoxylated aralkyl alcohol;

silicone copolyol;

polyethoxylated phenol;

a fatty acid ester of a polyalkoxylated diol;

a fatty acid ester of a polyalkoxylated triol, and polyalkoxylated perfluoroalkyl-containing surfactant.

7. The surfactant composition of claim 1 wherein the surfactant component is an ethoxylated acetylenic diol.

8. The surfactant composition of claim 1 wherein the stabilizer component has a melting point greater than 25°

C.

9. The surfactant composition of claim 8 wherein the stabilizer component has a melting point of at least 45°

C.

10. The surfactant composition of claim 1 wherein the stabilizer component is selected from the group consisting of anionic perfluoroalkyl-containing surfactant;

alkyl, aralkyl or alkaryl sulfonate;

alkyl, aralkyl or alkaryl sulfate;

alkyl, aralkyl or alkaryl phosphonate;

alkyl, aralkyl or alkaryl phosphate;

aralkyl or alkaryl phosphonate;

alkyl, aralkyl or alkaryl betaine;

aralkyl or alkaryl phosphonate sultaine; and

fatty imidazolines and derivatives thereof.

11. The surfactant composition of claim 10 wherein the stabilizer component is an aralkyl sulfonate.

12. The surfactant composition of claim 10 where the stabilizer component is an alkali metal salt of dodecylbenzene sulfonate.

13. The surfactant composition of claim 1 wherein the hydrophilic characteristics indicated by the spreading drop diameter retaining at least 90% of the original drop diameter after 3 weeks of aging at 23°

C. and 50% relative humidity.

14. The surfactant composition of claim 1 wherein the hydrophilic characteristics indicated by the spreading drop diameter retaining at least 95% of the original drop diameter after 3 weeks of aging at 23°

C. and 50% relative humidity.

23. The coating of claim 13 wherein the hydrophilic characteristics indicated by the spreading drop diameter retaining at least 90% of the original drop diameter after 3 weeks of aging at 23°

C. and 50% relative humidity in a recirculated chamber.

24. The coating of claim 13 wherein the substrate is a film.

15. A coating applied on a non-porous substrate comprising a surfactant component and a stabilizer component in a ratio of 0.2:

1 to 12;

1 wt/wt wherein the hydrophilic characteristics indicated by the spreading drop diameter retaining at least 85% of the original drop diameter after 3 weeks of aging at 23°

C. and 50% relative humidity.

16. The coating of claim 15 wherein the surfactant component is a liquid at temperatures below 25°

C.

17. The coating of claim 15 wherein the surfactant component is a nonionic surfactant.

18. The coating of claim 17 wherein the surfactant component is selected from the group consisting of alkoxylated alkyl diol;

alkoxylated alkyacetylenic diol;

alkoxylated glycerin monoester of an alkyl alcohol;

alkoxylated glycerin monoester of an aralkyl alcohol;

alkoxylated alkyl alcohol;

polyalkoxylated aralkyl alcohol;

silicone copolyol;

polyethoxylated phenol;

a fatty acid ester of a polyalkoxylated diol;

a fatty acid ester of a polyalkoxylated triol, and polyalkoxylated perfluoroalkyl-containing surfactant.

19. The coating of claim 18 wherein the surfactant component is an ethoxylated acetylenic diol.

20. The coating of claim 15 wherein the stabilizer component has a melting point greater than 25°

C.

21. The coating of claim 15 wherein the stabilizer component is a selected from the group consisting of anionic perfluoroalkyl-containing surfactant;

alkyl, aralkyl or alkaryl sulfonate;

alkyl, aralkyl or alkaryl sulfate;

alkyl, aralkyl or alkaryl phosphonate;

alkyl, aralkyl or alkaryl phosphate;

alkyl, aralkyl or alkaryl betaine;

alkyl, aralkyl or alkaryl sultaine; and

fatty imidazolines and derivatives thereof.

22. The coating of claim 21 wherein the stabilizer component is an alkali metal salt of dodecylbenzene sulfonate.

25. A microfluidic device for exposure to body fluids, comprising

a substrate;

a coating comprising a surfactant component from about 25% to 95% by weight on a solvent-free basis and a stabilizer component from about 5% to 75% by weight on a solvent-free basis;

wherein the contact angle of the coating does not exceed 25 degrees after aging for thirteen weeks at 25°

C.

26. A hydrophilic surface coated with a surfactant composition comprising:

a surfactant component from about 0.2% to 0.6%;

a stabilizer component from about 0.05% to 0.5%; and

a solvent;

wherein the surfactant composition free of the solvent when dried and coated on a substrate comprises the surfactant and stabilizer in a ratio of 0.2;

1 to 12;

1 wt/wt; and

wherein the contact angle does not exceed 25 degrees after aging for thirteen weeks at 25 deg C.

27. A method of making a hydrophilic surface on a substrate, comprising:

Combining a surfactant component from about 0.2% to 0.6%, a stabilizer component from about 0.05% to 0.5%; and

a solvent to form a surfactant composition,

Applying the surfactant composition to a substrate, and

Drying the surfactant composition on the substrate, wherein the surfactant composition free of the solvent when dried and coated on a substrate comprises the surfactant and stabilizer in a ratio of 0.2;

1 to 12;

1 wt/wt and wherein the hydrophilic characteristics indicated by a Spreading Drop Test retain at least 85% of the original spreading drop diameter after 3 weeks of aging at 23°

C. and 50% relative humidity.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the substrate is non-porous.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein the substrate is a film.