DEVICE FOR THERMOHYDRAULIC APPLICATIONS WITH IMPROVED WATER SOFTENING PROPERTIES, LOWER RELEASE OF HEAVY METALS, AND RELATIVE METHOD OF MANUFACTURING

• US 20110052909A1
• Filed: 04/23/2009
• Published: 03/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Moma S.R.L.
• Original Assignee: Moma S.R.L.
• Inventors: Canton, Roberto
• Application Number:
  US12/989,211
• Publication Number:
  US 20110052909A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 428/336
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/30 Deposition of compounds, mixtures or solid solutions, e.g. borides, carbides, nitrides
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/401 containing silicon
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/50 using electric discharges generation and control of plasma in discharge tubes for surface treatment H01J37/32, H01J37/34
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/265 1 mil or less

Abstract

Device for thermohydraulic applications wherein at least one portion of one surface destined for contact with water is coated with a film comprising at least one layer of a material applied by means of plasma phase polymerization of one or more monomers containing silicone. The relative method for obtaining the device comprises the following phases: to precondition a device for thermohydraulic applications within a vacuum chamber; to bring the vacuum chamber to pressure conditions between 0.01 and 100 Pa; to introduce a first gaseous mixture comprising at least a monomer containing silicone into said chamber; to bring said monomer containing silicone to the plasma state by means of an electromagnetic wave; to maintain the ionization conditions for a period of time sufficient to permit the deposit of a layer of a polymer containing said monomer on at least a portion of a surface of said device.

Claims

1-18. -18. (canceled)

19. A device for thermohydraulic applications, comprising:

at least one portion of a surface arranged to be in contact with water, said at least one surface being coated with a film comprising at least one layer of a material formed by a plasma phase polymerization of one or more monomers containing silicone.

20. The device of claim 19, wherein said monomers containing silicone are selected from the group consisting of:

hexamethyldisiloxane, 3-glycidoxypropyl trimethyl-silane, tetramethylsilane, tetraethoxysilane, phenyl-trimethoxysilane, dimethoxymethylphenylsilane, tetraethoxysilane, 3-metacryloxypropyltrimethoxy-silane, triethoxy vinylsilane, octamethylcyclotetra-silane, methyltriethoxysilane, diethoxymethylphenyl-silane, tris(2-methoxyethoxy)vinyl-silane phenyltriethoxysilane, dimethoxydiphenylsilane, tetramethyldisilazane, hexamethyldisilazane, dietoxymethyl-silane, ethyltrimethoxysilane, tetramethoxysilane, methyltrimethoxysilane, dimethoxydimethylsilane, tetramethyldisiloxane, tetramethylethoxysilane, methyltrimethoxysilane, dimethyldimethoxysilane, trimethylmethoxysilane, tetraethylsilane and silane.

21. The device of claim 19, wherein said material comprises SiO_xC_yH_zN_w,

where 0.1≦

x≦

10, 0≦

y≦

10, 0≦

z≦

10, and 0≦

w≦

10.

22. The device of claim 21, wherein said film comprises a plurality of layers of material each having different compositions applied by a plasma phase polymerization of one or more monomers containing silicone.

23. The device of claim 22, wherein said film comprises a first layer comprising SiO_x where x=2, and a second layer comprising SiO_xC_yH_zN_w.

24. The device of claim 23, wherein said layer of material applied by said plasma phase polymerization has a thickness between 0.01 and 10 μ

m.

25. The device of claim 24, wherein said monomers containing silicone comprise gaseous organosilicone monomers in pressure conditions between 0.01 and 100 Pa.

26. A thermohydraulic system comprising one or more devices according to claim 19.

27. The thermohydraulic system of claim 26, wherein the system is selected from the group consisting of:

commercial and domestic systems for producing hot water or steam for hot beverages in automatic and semi-automatic machines;

domestic and industrial appliances including irons, humidifiers, kettles, dish-washers, washing machines, and floor washers using hot water or steam;

personal hygiene systems in which the hot water or steam is used; and

industrial water heating systems.

28. A method for providing a device with improved water softening properties for thermohydraulic applications, the method comprising:

a) positioning the device within a vacuum chamber;

b) bringing the vacuum chamber to a pressure condition ranging between 0.01 and 100 Pa;

c) introducing a first gaseous mixture comprising at least one monomer comprising silicone into said vacuum chamber;

d) bringing said monomer containing silicone to a plasma state by using an electromagnetic wave; and

e) maintaining ionisation conditions for a period of time sufficient to permit the application of a layer of polymer comprising silicone on at least one portion of a surface of said device.

29. The method of claim 28, further comprising selecting said monomers containing silicone from the group consisting of:

hexamethyldisiloxane (HMDSO), tetramethylsilane (TMS), tetraethoxysilane (TEOS), tetramethyldisilazane (TMDS), tetramethylethoxysilane (TMOS), methyltrimethoxysilane (MTMOS), dimethyldimethoxysilane (DMDMOS), trimethylmethoxysilane (TMMOS), tetraethyl silane (TES), and silane.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein said first gaseous mixture comprises oxygen.

31. The method of claim 30, further comprising plasma grafting at least one portion of the surface of said device to provide a surface pre-treatment thereon.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein said steps from c) to e) provide for use of a first gaseous mixture and a successive second gaseous mixture each having a different composition.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein said first and said successive second gaseous mixtures comprise the same components but in differing percentages.

34. A device for thermohydraulic applications produced by the method of claim 28.

35. A thermohydraulic system comprising one or more devices according to claim 34.

36. The thermohydraulic system of claim 35, wherein the system is selected from the group consisting of:

commercial and domestic systems for producing hot water or steam for hot beverages in automatic and semi-automatic machines;

domestic and industrial appliances including irons, humidifiers, kettles, dish-washers, washing machines, and floor washers using hot water or steam;

personal hygiene systems in which the hot water or steam is used; and

industrial water heating systems.