Infrared reflecting coatings

• US 6,261,694 B1
• Filed: 03/17/1999
• Issued: 07/17/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sabic Innovative Plastics IP BV (Government of Saudi Arabia)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Iacovangelo, Charles Dominic
• Primary Examiner(s): Nakarani, D. S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Jackson, Monique R.
• Application Number:
  US09/271,658
• Time in Patent Office: 853 Days
• Field of Search: 428/412, 428/457, 428/469, 428/332, 428/458
• US Class Current: 428/412
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/282 reflecting for infrared and transparent for visible light, e.g. heat reflectors, laser protection
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/26 Web or sheet containing structurally defined element or component, the element or component having a specified physical dimension
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31507 Of polycarbonate
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31681 Next to polyester, polyamide or polyimide [e.g., alkyd, glue, or nylon, etc.]

Abstract

An infrared radiation reflecting and ultraviolet radiation absorbing coating is formed over a polymeric substrate. Preferably, the substrate is a transparent polycarbonate window, and the coating comprises an IZO/Ag/IZO multilayer film. The layers are preferably deposited by arc plasma deposition or by sputtering.

Claims

1. A multilayer structure comprising:

a plastic substrate;

a first metal oxide layer on the plastic substrate;

an infrared radiation reflection layer on the first metal oxide layer; and

a second metal oxide layer on the infrared radiation reflection layer,

wherein each of the first and the second metal oxide layers comprise one of doped and undoped ZnO deposited by arc plasma deposition in which zinc is evaporated into a thermal plasma and wherein the doped and undoped ZnO have a stoichiometric excess of oxygen.

2. The structure of claim 1, wherein the plastic substrate comprises polycarbonate, polyestercarbonate, polyethersulfone or polyetherimide.

3. The structure of claim 1, wherein the first and the second metal oxide layers comprise ZnO, wherein ZnO is deposited by arc plasma deposition in which zinc is evaporated into a plasma.

4. The structure of claim 3, wherein the plasma contains a stoichiometric excess of oxygen.

5. The structure of claim 1, wherein the first and the second metal oxide layers comprise IZO.

6. The structure of claim 1, wherein the infrared radiation reflection layer comprises a metal.

7. The structure of claim 6, wherein the metal comprises silver or aluminum.

8. The structure of claim 1, wherein:

the plastic substrate comprises polycarbonate;

the infrared radiation reflection layer comprises silver; and

the first and the second metal oxide layers comprise IZO.

9. The structure of claim 1, further comprising an aluminum or silver layer between the plastic substrate and the first metal oxide layer.

10. The structure of claim 1, further comprising an abrasion resistant layer over the second metal oxide layer.

11. The structure of claim 10, wherein the abrasion resistant layer comprises at least one of silicon dioxide, aluminum oxide, and plasma polymerized organosilicon.

12. The structure of claim 10, further comprising a plasma polymerized organosilicon interlayer between at least one of

a) the substrate and the first metal oxide layer;

and

b) the second metal oxide layer and the abrasion resistant layer.

13. The structure of claim 1, further comprising a silicone hardcoat between the substrate and the first metal oxide layer, the silicone hardcoat comprising the partial condensate of a silanol of the formula RSi(OH)₃ in which R is selected from the group consisting of alkyl radicals of 1 to 3 inclusive carbon atoms, the vinyl radical, the 3,3,3-trifluoropropyl radical, the gamma-glycidoxypropyl radical and the gamma-methacryloxypropyl radical.

14. The structure of claim 1, wherein:

the transmission of visible light through the structure is greater than 40 percent; and

the reflection of near IR radiation at wavelengths between 800 and 1500 nm from the structure is greater than 70 percent.

15. The structure of claim 1, wherein:

the transmission of visible light through the structure is at least 70 percent; and

the reflection of near IR radiation at wavelengths between 800 and 1500 nm from the structure is greater than 60 percent.

16. The structure of claim 1, wherein the thickness of the first and second metal oxide layers is between 40 and 70 nm and the thickness of the infrared radiation reflection layer is between 15 and 30 nm.

17. The structure of claim 16, wherein the thickness of the first and second metal oxide layers is about 57 nm and the thickness of the infrared radiation reflection layer is about 20 nm.

18. The structure of claim 1, wherein the first and second metal oxide layers have an optical density of at least 4 and exhibit substantially zero increase in haze after being subjected to a QUV test for at least 300 hours.

19. The structure of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second metal oxide layers consists essentially of In_0.02-0.15Zn_0.98-0.85O.

20. A window usable in a vehicle, a building, a display device or an apparatus, comprising:

a polycarbonate, polyestercarbonate, polyethersulfone or polyetherimide base;

a first ultraviolet radiation absorption layer comprising ZnO;

an infrared radiation reflection layer comprising silver or aluminum;

a second ultraviolet radiation absorption layer comprising ZnO, and wherein both ZnO layers have a stoichiometric excess of oxygen and are deposited by arc plasma deposition in which zinc is evaporated into a thermal plasma.

21. The window of claim 20, further comprising:

an abrasion resistant coating comprising alumina, silicon dioxide, acrylic or polymerized organosilicon over the second ultraviolet radiation absorption layer.

22. The window of claim 21, further comprising:

a first interlayer comprising polymerized organosilicon adjacent to the first ultraviolet radiation absorption layer; and

a second interlayer comprising aluminum or polymerized organosilicon adjacent to the abrasion resistant coating.

23. The window of claim 21, wherein:

the base comprises polycarbonate;

the first and second ultraviolet radiation absorption layers comprise IZO; and

the infrared radiation reflection layer comprises silver.

24. A multilayer article comprising:

a substrate;

a first doped ZnO layer

a metal IR reflecting layer; and

a second doped ZnO layer,

wherein both the first doped ZnO layer and the second doped ZnO layer have a stoichiometric excess of oxygen and are deposited by arc plasma deposition in which zinc is evaporated into a thermal plasma.

25. The multilayer article of claim 24, wherein the first and second doped ZnO layers comprise IZO.

26. The multilayer article of claim 24, wherein the first and second doped ZnO layers comprise AZO.

27. The multilayer article of claim 25, wherein the metal IR reflecting layer comprises at least one of silver and aluminum.

28. The multilayer article of claim 27, wherein the substrate comprises a polycarbonate.

29. A multilayer article comprising:

a substrate comprising a polymer resin;

a metal oxide layer;

an IR reflecting layer; and

a ZnO layer, wherein the ZnO layer has a stoichiometric excess of oxygen and is deposited by arc plasma deposition in which zinc is evaporated into a thermal plasma, and wherein after the multilayer article is submerged in 65°

C. water for 7 days, an increase in haze is less than 1.7%, and wherein after the multilayer article is submerged in 65°

C. water for 21 days, an average daily decrease in optical density is less than or equal to 0.016.

30. The multilayer article of claim 29, wherein the ZnO layer is deposited by arc plasma deposition in which zinc is evaporated into a plasma.

31. The multilayer article of claim 30, wherein the plasma contains a stoichiometric excess of oxygen.