Protective coating by high rate arc plasma deposition

• US 6,432,494 B1
• Filed: 04/28/2000
• Issued: 08/13/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sabic Innovative Plastics IP BV (Government of Saudi Arabia)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Gasworth, Steven Marc, Yang, Barry Lee-Mean
• Primary Examiner(s): MEEKS, TIMOTHY HOWARD
• Application Number:
  US09/560,852
• Time in Patent Office: 837 Days
• Field of Search: 427/580, 427/255.31, 427/255.37, 204/192.38
• US Class Current: 427/580
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/402 Silicon dioxide
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/405 of refractory metals or yttrium
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/513 using plasma jets

Abstract

A method for depositing adherent metal oxide-based protective coatings on glass, metal, and plastic substrates by arc plasma deposition.

Claims

1. A method for preparing an abrasion-resistant article by plasma deposition of a silicon oxide-based abrasion-resistant coating onto a plastic substrate consisting essentially of passing a plasma gas through a DC arc plasma generator, injecting oxygen and a silicon containing reactive gas through a diverging nozzle-injector extending from the plasma generator into the plasma as the plasma exits the plasma generator, directing the oxygen and reactive gas containing plasma towards a substrate positioned on the axis of the plasma plume, wherein the substrate is maintained at a pressure of about +0.03 to about 0.59+ torr in a vacuum chamber, so that active species formed within the plasma contact the surface of the substrate.

2. A method according to claim 1 for preparing an abrasion-resistant article by plasma deposition of a silicon dioxide-based abrasion resistant coating onto a plastic substrate consisting essentially of passing a plasma gas through a DC arc plasma generator having at least one cathode and at least one anode, injecting oxygen and a reactive organosilicon gas through a diverging nozzle-injector extending from the plasma generator into the plasma either in the plasma generator, downstream from the cathode, or at the anode, directing the plasma towards a substrate positioned in a vacuum chamber, wherein the substrate is maintained at a pressure of about 0.03 to about 0.59 torr, so that active species formed in the plasma contact the surface of the substrate.

3. The method according to claim 2 in which oxygen is injected in the vicinity of the anode.