METHOD OF MAKING INORGANIC OR INORGANIC/ORGANIC HYBRID BARRIER FILMS

• US 20110081502A1
• Filed: 06/29/2009
• Published: 04/07/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: Lyons, Christopher S., Bright, Clark I.
• Granted Patent: US 9,481,927 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 427/569
• CPC Class Codes: B05D 1/60 Deposition of organic layers from vapour phase vapour phase deposition in general C23C14/00, C23C16/00
• CPC Class Codes: B05D 3/0254 After-treatment
• CPC Class Codes: B05D 3/145 After-treatment
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/02 Pretreatment of the material to be coated C23C14/04 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/12 Organic material
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/5853 Oxidation

Abstract

A method for forming an inorganic or hybrid organic/inorganic barrier layer on a substrate, comprising condensing a vaporized metal alkoxide to form a layer atop the substrate, and contacting the condensed metal alkoxide layer with water to cure the layer is provided.

Claims

1. A method for forming a barrier film comprising an inorganic or hybrid organic/inorganic layer on a substrate, which method comprises:

forming a first metal alkoxide layer atop the substrate;

contacting the first metal alkoxide layer with water to cure the layer;

wherein the inorganic or hybrid organic/inorganic layer is formed under vacuum.

2. The method of claim 1, comprising contacting the metal alkoxide layer with liquid water or water vapor.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the metal alkoxide layer is formed by condensing a vaporized metal alkoxide on the substrate or applying a liquid metal alkoxide on the substrate.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising forming a plasma containing the alkoxide.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising exposing the inorganic or hybrid organic/inorganic layer to a heat treatment.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the metal alkoxide comprises an alkoxide of aluminum, antimony, arsenic, barium, bismuth, boron, cerium, gadolinium, gallium, germanium, hafnium, indium, iron, lanthanum, lithium, magnesium, molybdenum, neodymium, phosphorus, silicon, sodium, strontium, tantalum, thallium, tin, titanium, tungsten, vanadium, yttrium, zinc, zirconium or a mixture thereof.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising forming a polymer layer atop the inorganic or hybrid layer.

19. The method claim 18, comprising forming additional alternating polymer and inorganic or hybrid layers atop the inorganic or hybrid layer.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising coating one or both surfaces of the substrate with a second inorganic or hybrid inorganic/organic layer to provide optical functionality.

26. The method of claim 18, further comprising forming a protective polymer layer atop the film, optionally wherein the protective polymer comprises a polyacrylate.

3-4. -4. (canceled)

6. (canceled)

8. (canceled)

10-12. -12. (canceled)

14-17. -17. (canceled)

21-25. -25. (canceled)

27. (canceled)

28. A method for forming a barrier film comprising a hybrid organic/inorganic layer on a substrate, which method comprises:

forming a layer comprising a metal alkoxide and a organic compound to form a first hybrid layer atop the substrate;

curing the hybrid layer;

wherein the hybrid layer is formed under vacuum.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein curing the hybrid layer comprises contacting the metal alkoxide with water.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein forming a layer comprises condensing a vaporized metal alkoxide and vaporized organic compound on the substrate.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the metal alkoxide and organic compound are vaporized separately and mixed in the vapor phase before condensing atop the substrate.

34. The method of claim 28, wherein forming a layer comprises applying a liquid comprising the metal alkoxide and the organic compound on the substrate.

35. The method of claim 28, further comprising forming a plasma comprising at least one of the vaporized metal alkoxide or vaporized organic compound.

40. The method of claim 28, wherein the organic compound comprises an alcohol, carboxylic acid, ester, acid anhydride, acetyl halogen, thiol, or amine.

42. The method of claim 28, further comprising forming a polymer layer atop the hybrid layer.

43. The method of claim 42 comprising forming additional alternating polymer and hybrid layers atop the hybrid layer.

44. The method of claim 28, further comprising coating one or both surfaces of the substrate with a second inorganic or hybrid inorganic/organic layer to provide optical functionality.

32-33. -33. (canceled)

36-39. -39. (canceled)

41. (canceled)

45-51. -51. (canceled)