Adhesion layer for metal oxide UV filters

• US 6,420,032 B1
• Filed: 03/17/1999
• Issued: 07/16/2002
• 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): Thibodeau, Paul
• Assistant Examiner(s): Jackson, Monique R.
• Application Number:
  US09/271,657
• Time in Patent Office: 1,217 Days
• Field of Search: 428/412, 428/457, 428/469, 428/332, 428/458, 428/472
• US Class Current: 428/412
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 17/36 at least one coating being a metal
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 17/3605 Coatings of the type glass/metal/inorganic compound
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 17/3618 Coatings of type glass/inorganic compound/other inorganic layers, at least one layer being metallic
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 17/3644 the metal being silver
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 17/3649 made of metals other than silver
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 17/3681 the multilayer coating being used in glazing, e.g. windows or windscreens
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 17/38 at least one coating being a coating of an organic material
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 2217/74 UV-absorbing coatings
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 2217/78 Coatings specially designed to be durable, e.g. scratch-resistant
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/208 for use with infrared or ultraviolet radiation, e.g. for separating visible light from infrared and/or ultraviolet radiation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31507 Of polycarbonate
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31678 Of metal
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31681 Next to polyester, polyamide or polyimide [e.g., alkyd, glue, or nylon, etc.]

Abstract

An adhesion promoting layer is formed between a transparent substrate and a metal oxide layer to prevent the metal oxide layer from delaminating from the substrate. Preferably, the substrate is a transparent polycarbonate, the adhesion promoting layer is a thin, transparent Al or Ag layer, and the metal oxide layer is ZnO, AZO or IZO UV radiation absorption layer. The layers are preferably deposited by arc plasma deposition or by sputtering.

Claims

1. A multilayer structure, comprising:

a polymeric substrate;

a transparent metal layer on the substrate; and

a transparent metal oxide layer including at least one compound selected from the group consisting of ZnO, indium doped zinc oxide, and aluminum doped zinc oxide,

wherein the metal oxide layer is in direct contact with the metal layer, and the adhesion strength between the metal oxide layer and the substrate is

a) 2.07 MPa or greater; and

b) decreases by no more than 10% after being submerged for 4 days in distilled water at 65 degrees C.

2. The multilayer structure of claim 1, wherein the substrate is a transparent polymeric material.

3. The structure of claim 2, wherein the transparent polymeric material comprises polycarbonate, polyestercarbonate, polyethersulfone or polyetherimide.

4. The structure of claim 1, wherein the metal layer comprises at least one of aluminum and silver.

5. The structure of claim 1, wherein the metal layer is substantially transparent to visible light.

6. The structure of claim 5, wherein the metal layer is 10 to 40 nm thick.

7. The structure of claim 1, wherein the metal layer is in direct contact with the substrate.

8. The structure of claim 1, further comprising a stress reducing interlayer between the substrate and the metal layer.

9. The structure of claim 8, wherein the stress reducing interlayer comprises a plasma polymerized organosilicon material.

10. The structure of claim 1, wherein the metal layer and the metal oxide layer are formed on more than one side of the substrate.

11. The structure of claim 1, wherein the substrate is transparent, the metal layer comprises aluminum or silver, and the metal oxide layer comprises ZnO, IZO or AZO.

12. The structure of claim 1, wherein the metal oxide layer comprises TiO₂, CeO₂, or ZnS.

13. The structure of claim 11, wherein the substrate comprises polycarbonate, polyestercarbonate, polyethersulfone or polyetherimide, the metal comprises aluminum, and the metal oxide comprises ZnO.

14. The structure of claim 13, wherein the ZnO is in direct contact with aluminum, and wherein the adhesion strength between the ZnO and the aluminum is either:

a) 2.07 MPa or greater;

or

b) decreases by 10% or less;

after being submerged for 4 days in distilled water at 65 degrees C.

15. The structure of claim 1, wherein:

the substrate comprises a vehicle window, an apparatus window, a building window, a display screen, or an electronic device substrate;

the metal layer comprises at least one of an infrared radiation reflection layer and an adhesion promoting layer; and

the metal oxide layer comprises an ultraviolet radiation absorption layer or a transparent electrode layer.

16. The structure of claim 1, wherein the metal oxide layer is 200 to 10,000 nm thick.

17. A method of coating a polymeric substrate, comprising the steps of:

forming a transparent metal layer over the substrate; and

forming a transparent metal oxide layer including at least one compound selected from the group consisting of ZnO, indium doped zinc oxide, and aluminum doped zinc oxide,

wherein the metal oxide layer is in direct contact with the metal layer, and the adhesion strength between the metal oxide layer and the substrate is

a) 2.07 MPa or greater; and

b) decreases by no more than 10% after being submerged for 4 days in distilled water at 65 degrees C.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the substrate comprises a transparent polymeric material.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the transparent polymeric material comprises polycarbonate, polyestercarbonate, polyethersulfone or polyetherimide.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the metal layer comprises at least one of aluminum and silver.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein the metal layer is substantially transparent to visible light.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the metal layer is 10 to 40 nm thick.

23. The method of claim 17, wherein the metal oxide comprises at least one of TiO₂, CeO₂, and ZnS.

24. The method of claim 17, wherein the step of forming a metal layer comprises forming the metal layer directly on the substrate.

25. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of forming an abrasion resistant layer on the metal oxide layer.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the abrasion resistant layer comprises silicon dioxide, alumina, acrylic or a plasma polymerized organosilicon material.

27. The method of claim 25, further comprising step of forming at least one stress reducing interlayer comprising aluminum or a plasma polymerized organosilicon between

the substrate and the metal layer; or

between the metal oxide layer and the abrasion resistant layer.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein at least two of the stress reducing interlayer, the abrasion resistant layer, the metal layer and the metal oxide layer are formed in same processing chamber.

29. The method of claim 17, wherein the metal layer and the metal oxide layer are formed on more than one side of the substrate.

30. The method of claim 17, wherein the substrate comprises a polymer, the metal comprises aluminum or silver, and the metal oxide comprises ZnO or IZO.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the substrate comprises polycarbonate, polyestercarbonate, polyethersulfone or polyetherimide, the metal comprises aluminum, and the metal oxide comprises ZnO.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the ZnO is in direct contact with aluminum, and wherein the adhesion strength between the ZnO and the aluminum decreases by 10% or less after being submerged for 4 hours in distilled water at 65 degrees C.

33. The method of claim 17, wherein:

the substrate comprises a vehicle window, an apparatus window, a building window, a display screen, or an electronic device substrate;

the metal layer comprises at least one of an infrared radiation reflection layer and an adhesion promoting layer; and

the metal oxide layer comprises an ultraviolet radiation absorption layer or a transparent electrode layer.

34. The method of claim 17, wherein the metal oxide layer is 200 to 10,000 nm thick.

35. A transparent window usable in a vehicle, a building, a display device or an apparatus, comprising

a polycarbonate, polyestercarbonate, polyethersulfone or polyetherimide substrate;

an infrared radiation reflection layer comprising aluminum or silver; and

an ultraviolet radiation absorption layer including at least one compound selected from the group consisting of ZnO, indium doped zinc oxide, and aluminum doped zinc oxide,

wherein the ultraviolet radiation absorption layer is in direct contact with the infrared radiation reflection layer, and the adhesion strength between the ultraviolet radiation absorption layer and the substrate is

a) 2.07 MPa or greater; and

b) decreases by no more than 10% after being submerged for 4 days in distilled water at 65 degrees C.

36. The window of claim 35, further comprising:

a scratch resistant coating comprising alumina, silicon dioxide, acrylic or a plasma polymerized organosilicon material on the ultraviolet radiation absorption layer.

37. The window of claim 36, further comprising:

a first polymerized organosilicon interlayer adjacent to the infrared radiation reflection layer; and

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

38. The window of claim 35, wherein the metal oxide layer is 200 to 10,000 nm thick.