COATING AND A METHOD OF COATING

• US 20110244248A1
• Filed: 12/11/2008
• Published: 10/06/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: National University of Singapore
• Original Assignee: National University of Singapore
• Inventors: Abhishek, Kumar, Liu, Ying Jun, Ramaseshan, Ramakrishnan, Dong, Yi Xiang
• Application Number:
  US12/998,874
• Publication Number:
  US 20110244248A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 428/421
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 17/007 containing a dispersed phase, e.g. particles, fibres or flakes, in a continuous phase
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 2217/425 consisting of a porous layer
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 2217/72 Decorative coatings
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 2217/75 Hydrophilic and oleophilic coatings
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 2217/76 Hydrophobic and oleophobic coatings
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/3154 Of fluorinated addition polymer from unsaturated monomers

Abstract

The present invention provides a method of coating at least one surface of a substrate comprising the step of applying a coating comprising fibres onto the at least one surface of the substrate, wherein upon application of the coating on the at least one surface of the substrate, the surface exhibits hydrophilicity or greater hydrophilicity compared to an uncoated surface. The present invention also provides a coating for coating at least one surface of a substrate, wherein the coating comprises fibres, and wherein a surface coated with the coating exhibits hydrophilicity or greater hydrophilicity compared to an uncoated surface. The anti-wetting coating may have a high degree of transparency.

Claims

1. A method of coating at least one surface of a substrate, the method comprising the step of applying a coating comprising fibres onto the at least one surface of the substrate, wherein upon application of the coating on the at least one surface of the substrate, the surface exhibits hydrophilicity or greater hydrophilicity compared to an uncoated surface.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one surface of the substrate onto which the coating is applied exhibits ≧

90% hydrophilicity compared to an uncoated surface of the substrate.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the fibres has a one-dimensional anisotropic structure comprising an aspect ratio such that the length of the fibre to its average diameter is ≧

2.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the fibres form a mesh of fibres having a mesh porosity of 50%.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the mesh of fibres are such that adjacent fibres form pores having a pore size of 10 nm-10 mm.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the fibres comprised in the coating have an average diameter of ≦

10 μ

m.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the fibres are formed from at least one hydrophobic polymer, hydrophilic polymer and/or amphiphilic polymer.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one surface of the substrate onto which the coating is applied exhibits anti-wetting and/or anti-dust properties.

15. The method according to claim 13, wherein a liquid contacts at least a part of the at least one surface of the substrate onto which the coating is applied and at least a part of the fibres, the liquid being stretched between the fibres to form a film over the at least one surface, thereby enabling the at least one surface to exhibit anti-wetting property.

17. The method according to claim 1, wherein the coating has a transparency of ≧

90%.

18. The method according to claim 1, wherein the method further comprises the steps of:

a) mixing at least one polymer and at least one solvent to form a mixture; and

b) electrospinning the mixture to form fibres, prior to the step of applying the coating onto the at least one surface of the substrate.

22. An article of manufacture, wherein at least one surface of the article of manufacture is coated according to the method of claim 1.

6. (canceled)

8. (canceled)

10. (canceled)

11. (canceled)

12. (canceled)

14. (canceled)

16. (canceled)

19. (canceled)

20. (canceled)

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23. (canceled)

24. A coating for coating at least one surface of a substrate, wherein the coating comprises fibres, and wherein upon application of the coating on at least one surface of the substrate, the surface exhibits hydrophilicity or greater hydrophilicity compared to an uncoated surface.

25. The coating according to claim 24, wherein at least one of the fibres has a one-dimensional anisotropic structure comprising an aspect ratio such that the length of the fibre to its average diameter is ≧

2.

26. The coating according to claim 24, wherein the fibres form a mesh of fibres having a mesh porosity of ≧

50%.

27. The coating according to claim 26, wherein the mesh of fibres are such that adjacent fibres form pores having a pore size of 10 nm-10 mm.

29. The coating according to claim 24, wherein the fibres comprised in the coating have an average diameter of ≦

10 μ

m.

31. The coating according to claim 24, wherein the fibres are formed from at least one hydrophobic polymer, hydrophilic polymer and/or amphiphilic polymer.

32. The coating according to claim 24, wherein upon application of the coating on at least one surface of a substrate, the surface exhibits anti-wetting and/or anti-dust properties.

34. The coating according to claim 24, wherein the coating has a transparency ≧

90%.

28. (canceled)

30. (canceled)

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