Methods and apparatus for depositing barrier coatings

• US 5,704,983 A
• Filed: 12/19/1996
• Issued: 01/06/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Polar Materials Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Polar Materials Incorporated
• Inventors: Thomas, H. Ronald, Babacz, Robert J, Newton, Robert R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Niebling, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHANG, JONI YUK YING
• Application Number:
  US08/758,764
• Time in Patent Office: 383 Days
• Field of Search: 118/723 R, 118/723 MP, 118/723 FE, 118/723 FI, 118/723 E, 118/723 ER, 118/723 IR, 118/723 MN, 156/345, 204/298.07, 204/298.33
• US Class Current: 118/723.0MP
• CPC Class Codes: B05D 1/62 Plasma-deposition of organic layers plasma deposition in general C23C14/00, C23C16/00
• CPC Class Codes: B05D 7/227 of containers, cans or the like
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/045 Coating cavities or hollow spaces, e.g. interior of tubes; Infiltration of porous substrates
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/401 containing silicon
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45574 Nozzles for more than one gas
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/1379 Contains vapor or gas barrier, polymer derived from vinyl chloride or vinylidene chloride, or polymer containing a vinyl alcohol unit
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/139 Open-ended, self-supporting conduit, cylinder, or tube-type article

Abstract

A barrier coating is formed on a polymeric article, such as on the interior of a thermoplastic container. An oxidizing gas is converted to a plasma in a plasma chamber remote from the treatment chamber. The resulting plasma-activated oxidizing species are delivered to the interior of the container. An organosilicon reactant vapor is separately but simultaneously delivered to the interior of the container so that the organosilicon vapor and oxidizing active species mix within the container. An electric qfield is also applied to the container, so that the reaction products are deposited under the influence of the electrical field to form the barrier coating.

Claims

1. Gas supply apparatus comprising:

(a) a plasma chamber defining an interior space;

(b) first gas inlet means for supplying a first gas to the interior space of said chamber;

(c) plasma conversion means for converting said first gas to a plasma in said interior space so as to form plasma-activated species;

(d) second gas supply means for supplying a second gas reactive with said active species; and

(e) means defining an activated species outlet orifice communicating with said plasma chamber, and a second gas outlet orifice connected to said second gas supply means, one of said outlet orifices surrounding the other one of said outlet orifices whereby said second gas and said activated species will be discharged from said outlet orifices as streams and one of said streams will surround the other one of said streams.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said activated species outlet orifice surrounds said second gas outlet orifice.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 further comprising adjustment means for adjusting the relative location of said second gas outlet orifice conduit with respect to said activated species outlet orifice.

4. Apparatus for treating a hollow article comprising:

(a) a treatment chamber;

(b) means for retaining a hollow article at a treatment location within said treatment chamber;

(c) means for converting a first gas to a plasma at a plasma zone remote from said treatment location so that said plasma forms activated species;

(d) means for delivering said activated species to the interior of the hollow article; and

(e) means for delivering a second gas reactive with said activated species to the interior of said article separately from said activated species but simultaneously therewith so that said second gas mixes with said activated species within said article, whereby the interior of the article is exposed to the products of reaction between said second gas and said activated species.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein said means for retaining a hollow article includes an electrically conductive shell adapted to envelop the exterior of the article, the apparatus further comprising means for applying an electrical potential to said shell.