COATED ARTICLE COMPRISING A HYDROPHOBIC ANTI-REFLECTION SURFACE, AND METHODS FOR MAKING THE SAME

• US 20130323464A1
• Filed: 05/31/2012
• Published: 12/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Guardian Glass LLC (KOCH Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Liang Liang
• Inventors: LIANG, Liang, Blacker, Richard, Lewis, Mark A.
• Application Number:
  US13/485,047
• Publication Number:
  US 20130323464A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 428/141
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 17/42 at least one coating of an organic material and at least one non-metal coating
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 2217/73 Anti-reflective coatings with specific characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 2217/76 Hydrophobic and oleophobic coatings
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 2217/77 Coatings having a rough surface
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 2218/32 After-treatment
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24355 Continuous and nonuniform or irregular surface on layer or component [e.g., roofing, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/3154 Of fluorinated addition polymer from unsaturated monomers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31612 As silicone, silane or siloxane

Abstract

Certain examples embodiments relate to hydrophobic anti-reflection coatings, and/or methods of making the same. A major surface of an anti-reflection coating may be treated with a silane-based solution so as to increase the contact angle of the coating'"'"'s surface. The silane-based solution may include silane(s) having alkyl and/or fluoroalkyl functional groups. The treatment of the major surface of the AR coating may include chemically grafting the surface of the coating such that the silanes and functional groups bond to an outermost portion of the coating. The presence of the silanes and/or the functional groups may lower the surface energy of the coating. The lowered surface energy and/or intrinsic roughness of the AR coating may cause the contact angle of the coating to rise to hydrophobic and/or super hydrophobic levels, such that the hydrophobic AR coating possesses anti-fogging and/or anti-fouling properties.

Claims

1. A method of making a coated article, the method comprising:

modifying a major surface of an antireflection coating supported by a glass substrate by treating said coating with a solution including a silane comprising at least one alkyl and/or fluoroalkyl functional group, such that the modified surface has a contact angle of at least about 85 degrees following said treating.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the modified surface has a contact angle of at least about 100 degrees.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising treating the coating with the silane-based solution for at least about 1 hour.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising treating the coating with the silane-based solution for at least about 2 hours.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said treating causes an initial contact angle of the major surface to increase by from about 90 to 120 degrees.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the silane comprises an alkyl group.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein a terminal end of the alkyl group comprises a methyl group.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the silane comprises a fluoroalkyl group.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein a terminal end of the fluoroalkyl group comprises carbon trifluoride.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein the silane is oriented in such a manner that the alkyl group is oriented proximate to an outermost portion of the modified surface of the anti-reflection coating.

11. The method of claim 6, wherein the silane comprises pentyltriethoxysilane.

12. The method of claim 6, wherein the silane comprises 3,3,3,-trifluoropropyl trimethoxysilane.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the modified surface has an average root mean square (RMS) roughness of at least about 5 nm.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the modified surface has an RMS roughness of at least about 7 nm.

15. A method of treating a major surface of a broadband anti-reflective coating disposed on a coated article, the method comprising:

chemically grafting the major surface of the anti-reflection coating by;

exposing the surface of the coating to a solution including hydrolyzed silane comprising at least an alkyl and/or fluoroalkyl functional group, and

condensing the hydrolyzed silane via hydroxyl groups disposed on the major surface of the anti-reflection coating so as to form a modified surface comprising silane,

wherein the alkyl and/or fluoroalkyl functional group is oriented such that at least a terminal end of the functional group is proximate an outermost surface of the modified coating following said chemical grafting, and

wherein a contact angle of the modified surface is at least about 85 degrees.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the modified surface has a contact angle of at least about 100 degrees.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein said chemical grafting causes an initial contact angle of the major surface to increase by about 90-120 degrees.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the silane comprises an alkyl group.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein a terminal end of the alkyl group comprises a methyl group.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the silane comprises a fluoroalkyl group.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein a terminal end of the fluoroalkyl group comprises carbon trifluoride.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein the silane comprises pentyltriethoxysilane.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein the silane comprises 3,3,3,-trifluoropropyl trimethoxysilane.

24. The method of claim 15, wherein the modified surface has an average root mean square (RMS) roughness of at least about 7 nm.

25. A coated article comprising:

a glass substrate;

a hydrophobic anti-reflection coating disposed, directly or indirectly, on the glass substrate,

wherein an outermost surface of the anti-reflection coating includes a silane comprising an alkyl and/or fluoroalkyl functional group, and

wherein the surface of the coating has a contact angle of at least about 85 degrees.

26. The coated article of claim 25, wherein the contact angle is at least about 100 degrees.

27. The coated article of claim 25, wherein the surface of the coating has an average root mean square roughness of at least about 7 nm.