Nanostructured Transparent Article with Both Hydrophobic and Antifog Properties and Methods for Making It

• US 20200131083A1
• Filed: 06/21/2017
• Published: 04/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2017
• Status: Active Application

• Current Assignee: Essilor International SA (EssilorLuxottica SA), Nikon Corporation
• Original Assignee: Essilor International SA (EssilorLuxottica SA), Nikon Corporation
• Inventors: COUDERC, Sandrine, TORTISSIER, Gregory
• Application Number:
  US16/624,443
• Publication Number:
  US 20200131083A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 11/00009 Production of simple or compound lenses
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 11/00865 Applying coatings; tinting; colouring printing, marking or copying processes B41M; identification in general G09F3/00; producing decorative effects in general B44C; positioning or marking of lenses B24B13/0055
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 30/00 Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 40/00 Manufacture or treatment of nanostructures
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 15/00 Surface treatment of glass, not in the form of fibres or filaments, by etching etching or surface-brightening compositions, in general C09K13/00
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 17/30 with silicon-containing compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 2204/08 Glass having a rough surface
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 2217/75 Hydrophilic and oleophilic coatings
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 2217/76 Hydrophobic and oleophobic coatings
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 2218/119 by printing
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 2218/33 by etching
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 2218/34 Masking
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 2371/00 Characterised by the use of polyethers obtained by reactions forming an ether link in the main chain; Derivatives of such polymers
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 7/12 Chemical modification
• CPC Class Codes: C09D 171/00 Coating compositions based on polyethers obtained by reactions forming an ether link in the main chain based on polyacetals C09D159/00; based on epoxy resins C09D163/00; based on polythioether-ethers C09D181/02; based on polyethersulfones C09D181/06; Coating compositions based on derivatives of such polymers
• CPC Class Codes: C09D 5/00 Coating compositions, e.g. paints, varnishes or lacquers, characterised by their physical nature or the effects produced electrically insulating plastics, resins or waxes H01B3/30; Filling pastes
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 1/10 Optical coatings produced by application to, or surface treatment of, optical elements G02B1/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 1/12 by surface treatment, e.g. by irradiation
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 1/18 Coatings for keeping optical surfaces clean, e.g. hydrophobic or photo-catalytic films G02B1/16 takes precedence

Abstract

A transparent article having a face provided with a nano structure, wherein a top part of the nano structure has hydrophobic properties and a remaining part of the nanostructure confers antifog properties to said face of said transparent article.

Claims

1. A transparent article having a face provided with a nanostructure, wherein a top part of the nanostructure has hydrophobic properties and a remaining part of the nanostructure confers antifog properties to said face of said transparent article.

2. The article according to claim 1, wherein the nanostructure comprises nanopillars or nanocavities, the top part of the nanopillars or the top part of the nanocavities having hydrophobic properties.

3. The article according to claim 1, wherein the top part of the nanostructure comprises the top of the nanostructure and an adjacent portion extending below the top of the nanostructure.

4. The article according to claim 3, wherein the nanostructure comprises nanopillars and said adjacent portion is an annular portion extending up from 1 nm to h/5 wherein h is the height of the pillar(s) expressed in nm, below the top.

5. The article according to claim 1, wherein the top part of the nanostructure has superhydrophobic properties.

6. The article according to claim 2, wherein the nanopillars or the nanocavities have walls and at least part of said walls is constituting the remaining part of the nanostructure and has hydrophilic properties.

7. The article according to claim 2, wherein the nanopillars or the nanocavities have hydrophobic walls and at least part of said walls is constituting the remaining part of the nanostructure and has a roughness which is higher in a lower part of said remaining part.

8. The article according to claim 7, wherein the roughness of the walls of the nanopillars or the nanocavities is increasing from the top part to the lower part of said remaining part.

9. The article according to claim 1, wherein the article is an optical article.

10. The article according to claim 1, wherein the article is an ophthalmic lens.

11. A method for making an article according to claim 1, which comprises the steps of:

a) providing a substrate having a surface made of a hydrophobic material; and

b) creating a nanostructure having a hydrophobic top part and a remaining part that confers antifog properties to said face of said transparent article, including a step of selectively etching the hydrophobic surface.

12. The method for making an article according to claim 11, wherein step b) comprises the steps of:

b1) dispersing on the surface of the substrate nanoparticles to form an intermediate structure comprising a monolayer of nanoparticles, preferably a close packed monolayer of nanoparticles;

b2) etching the substrate to form a nanostructure comprising nanopillars having nanoparticles on top of the hydrophobic or superhydrophobic surface of the nanopillars;

b3) overcoating the structure with a hydrophilic material; and

b4) removing the nanoparticles on top of the nanopillars to expose a hydrophobic or superhydrophobic top part of the nanopillars.

13. The method for making an article according to claim 11,

wherein step b) comprises the steps of:

b1) contact printing a hard mask on the surface made of a hydrophobic or superhydrophobic material to transfer from the hard mask onto the surface a material acting as an etching mask;

b2) etching the substrate to form a nano-textured structure having etching mask material on top thereof;

b3) overcoating the nanostructure with a hydrophilic material; and

b4) removing the etching mask material on top of the nanostructure to expose a hydrophobic or superhydrophobic top part of the nanostructure.

14. The method for making an article according to claim 12, wherein the hydrophobic or superhydrophobic material is a hydrophobic or superhydrophobic coating deposited on a hydrophilic material and step b2) comprises etching up to exposing the hydrophilic material, and step b3) is omitted.

15. A method of making an article according to claim 1, which comprises the steps of:

a) providing with a nanostructure a substrate made of an organic/inorganic resin or a composite resin comprising nanopillars or nanocavities; and

b) creating roughness on the surface of at least a lower part of the remaining part of said nanopillars or nanocavities.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the roughness on the surface of the nanopillars or nanocavities increases from top to base of the nanostructure.

17. The method for making an article according to claim 13, wherein the hydrophobic or superhydrophobic material is a hydrophobic or superhydrophobic coating deposited on a hydrophilic material and step b2) comprises etching up to exposing the hydrophilic material, and step b3) is omitted.