Article comprising a substrate having a silicone coating

• US 6,203,898 B1
• Filed: 08/29/1997
• Issued: 03/20/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: Gates, Brian J., Kirk, Seth M., Kohler, Gunter A., Esswein, William H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pianalto, Bernard
• Application Number:
  US08/920,419
• Time in Patent Office: 1,299 Days
• Field of Search: 427/489, 427/294, 427/407.1, 427/574, 427/578, 427/569, 427/575, 427/255.6, 427/255.23, 428/411.1, 428/447, 428/441, 428/339, 428/448, 428/688
• US Class Current: 428/339
• CPC Class Codes: B05D 1/62 Plasma-deposition of organic layers plasma deposition in general C23C14/00, C23C16/00
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/4485 by evaporation without using carrier gas in contact with the source material C23C16/4486 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/513 using plasma jets
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/269 including synthetic resin or polymer layer or component
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/273 of coating
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31663 As siloxane, silicone or silane

Abstract

The present invention provides a method for the formation of an organic coating on a substrate. The method includes: providing a substrate in a vacuum; providing at least one vaporized organic material comprising at least one component from at least one source, wherein the vaporized organic material is capable of condensing in a vacuum of less than about 130 Pa; providing a plasma 10 from at least one source other than the source of the vaporized organic material; directing the vaporized organic material and the plasma toward the substrate; and causing the vaporized organic material to condense and polymerize on the substrate in the presence of the plasma to form an organic coating.

Claims

1. An article comprising a substrate having a coating comprising silicone;

which coating has the following properties;

a) a density of at least about 1.6 grams per cubic meter,

b) a moisture permeability of less than 2.5 grams per square meter per day, and

c) no infrared absorption peaks for C—

H or C—

H₂.

2. The article of claim 1 wherein the coating is produced by a method comprising:

providing a substrate in a vacuum;

providing at least one vaporized silicon-containing material that is capable of condensing in a vacuum at a pressure of less than about 130 Pa at or below room temperature;

providing a plasma from at least one source other than the source of the vaporized silicon-containing material;

directing the vaporized silicon-containing material and the plasma toward the substrate wherein the substrate is in close proximity to a radio frequency bias electrode such that the substrate is exposed to a radio frequency bias voltage; and

causing the vaporized silicon-containing material to condense and polymerize on the substrate in the presence of the plasma to form the silicone coating.

3. The article of claim 2 wherein the silicon-containing material is a silicone oil.

4. An article comprising a substrate having a multi-layer coating having a first layer comprising a carbon-rich material, a second layer comprising silicone that is at least partially polymerized and has no infrared absorption peaks for C—

H or C—

H₂, and an intermediate layer between the two layers comprising a carbon and silicone composite.

5. The article of claim 4 wherein the coating is produced by a method comprising:

providing a substrate in a vacuum;

providing at least one vaporized silicon-containing material that is capable of condensing in a vacuum at a pressure of less than about 130 Pa at or below room temperature;

providing a plasma from at least one source other than the source of the vaporized silicon-containing material;

directing the vaporized silicon-containing material and the plasma toward the substrate wherein the substrate is in close proximity to a radio frequency bias electrode such that the substrate is exposed to a radio frequency bias voltage; and

causing the vaporized silicon-containing material to condense and polymerize on the substrate in the presence of the plasma to form the silicone coating.

6. The article of claim 5 wherein the silicon-containing material is a silicone oil.

7. An article comprising a substrate having a coating comprising silicone, which coating has the following properties:

a) a moisture permeability of less than 2.5 grams per square meter per day, and

b) no infrared absorption peaks for C—

H or C—

H₂.

8. The article of claim 7 wherein the silicone is prepared from a silicone oil.

9. An article comprising a substrate having a coating comprising silicone, which coating has at least one of the following properties:

a) a density of at least about 1.6 grams per cubic meter, and b) no infrared absorption peaks for C—

H or C—

H₂.

10. The article of claim 9 wherein the silicone is prepared from a silicone oil.

11. An article comprising a substrate having a multi-layer coating having a first layer comprising a carbon-rich material, a second layer comprising silicone that is at least partially polymerized, and an intermediate layer between the two layers comprising a carbon and silicone composite, wherein the second layer comprising silicone has no infrared absorption peaks for C—

H or C—

H₂ and at least one of the following properties;

a) a density of at least about 1.6 grams per cubic meter,

b) a moisture permeability of less than 2.5 grams per square meter per day.

12. The article of claim 11 wherein the first layer comprising a carbon-rich material is prepared from mineral oil.

13. The article of claim 12 wherein the second layer comprising silicone is prepared from dimethylsiloxane oil.