Metal coating

• US 9,017,797 B2
• Filed: 09/18/2009
• Issued: 04/28/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH (Airbus SE)
• Original Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH (Airbus SE)
• Inventors: Goelling, Burkhard
• Primary Examiner(s): Ewald, Maria Veronica
• Assistant Examiner(s): AUER, LAURA A
• Application Number:
  US12/562,846
• Publication Number:
  US 20100080958A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,048 Days
• Field of Search: 428/172, 428/339, 244/130, 244/200
• US Class Current: 428/172
• CPC Class Codes: B05D 2202/00 Metallic substrate
• CPC Class Codes: B05D 7/50 Multilayers
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 59/046 for layered or coated substantially flat surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 15/08 of synthetic resin
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 15/18 comprising iron or steel B32B15/011, B32B15/012 and B32B15/013 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 15/20 comprising aluminium or copper B32B15/016 and B32B15/017 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2038/0092 Metallizing
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2255/10 on synthetic resin layer or on natural or synthetic rubber layer
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2255/205 Metallic coating
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2255/28 Multiple coating on one surface
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2262/106 Carbon fibres, e.g. graphite fibres
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/536 Hardness
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/554 Wear resistance
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/558 Impact strength, toughness
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/584 Scratch resistance
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/714 Inert, i.e. inert to chemical degradation, corrosion
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/754 Self-cleaning
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2310/14 Corona, ionisation, electrical discharge, plasma treatment
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2311/00 Metals, their alloys or their compounds
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2597/00 Tubular articles, e.g. hoses, pipes
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2605/00 : Vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2605/10 : Trains
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2605/12 : Ships
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2605/18 : Aircraft blades, propellers B32B2603/00
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/08 : of synthetic resin
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/12 : next to a fibrous or filamentary layer
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/16 : specially treated, e.g. irradiated
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/283 : comprising polysiloxanes
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/308 : comprising acrylic (co)polymers
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/38 : comprising epoxy resins
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/40 : comprising polyurethanes
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 3/30 : characterised by a layer formed with recesses or projections, e.g. hollows, grooves, protuberances, ribs apertured layer B32B3/266; layer with cavities or internal voids B32B3/26
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 33/00 : Layered products characterised by particular properties or particular surface features, e.g. particular surface coatings; Layered products designed for particular purposes not covered by another single class
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 38/0008 : Electrical discharge treatment, e.g. corona, plasma treatment; wave energy or particle radiation heat treatment B32B38/0036
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/02 : characterised by structural features of a fibrous or filamentary layer layer formed of metallic wires B32B15/02; layer formed of natural mineral fibres B32B19/02; layer formed of wood fibres B32B21/02
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24355 : Continuous and nonuniform or irregular surface on layer or component [e.g., roofing, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24479 : including variation in thickness
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2457 : Parallel ribs and/or grooves
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24612 : Composite web or sheet
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/269 : including synthetic resin or polymer layer or component
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31678 : Of metal

Abstract

The present invention relates to a coated object comprising at least

• • (a) a metal layer,
  • (b) a coupling layer,
  • (c) an inner polymer layer, and
  • (d) a substrate surface,

wherein the coupling layer (b) is arranged between layers (a) and (c) and connects said layers, the polymer layer (c) being arranged on the substrate surface (d) and the sum of the diameters of layers (a) and (b) being between 5 nm and 500 nm. The invention also relates to methods and devices for producing the object.

Claims

1. Coated object comprising at least

(a) a metal layer,

(b) a coupling layer,

(c) an inner polymer layer, and

(d) a substrate surface

wherein the coupling layer (b) is arranged between layers (a) and (c) and connects said layers, the polymer layer (c) comprises a microstructure and is arranged on the substrate surface (d), the coupling layer (b) and the metal layer (a) follow the microstructure of polymer layer (c), and the sum of the diameters of layers (a) and (b) is between 5 and 500 nm,

wherein the coated object is produced by a method comprising the following steps:

(A) providing an object with at least polymer layer (c),

(B) activating the polymer layer (c),

(C) applying the coupling layer (b) to the polymer layer (c), and

(D) applying the metal layer (a) to the coupling layer (b),

wherein steps (B) to (D) are carried out by a plasma treatment,

wherein the thickness of the metal layer is between 2 nm and 400 nm, and

wherein the contact temperature of the polymer surface is set so to be lower than 390 Kelvin.

2. Object according to claim 1, wherein the metal layer (a) comprises cobalt, copper, tungsten, molybdenum or chromium.

3. Object according to claim 1, wherein the coupling layer (b) comprises a metal oxide.

4. Object according to claim 1, wherein the polymer layer (c) comprises a polyurethane, polyacrylate, polymethacrylate, polyepoxide, polysilicone or a copolymer thereof.

5. Object according to claim 1, wherein the microstructure is a riblet structure or a self-cleaning microstructure.

6. Object according to claim 1, wherein the metal layer (a) comprises conductive structures.

7. Object according to claim 1, wherein a cover layer (a0) is also provided on the metal layer (a), wherein said cover layer (a0) is applied to the metal layer (a) by a plasma treatment.

8. Object according to claim 1, wherein the object is an aircraft, motor vehicle, train, ship, wind turbine, pipe portion or a component thereof.

9. Object according to claim 1, wherein the polymer layer (c) comprises an activated surface structure before the coupling layer (b) is applied.

10. Object according to claim 1, wherein the polymer layer (c) comprises reactive groups at the polymer backbone.

11. Object according to claim 3, wherein the metal oxide is selected from titanium oxides, silicon oxide or a combination of titanium oxide and silicon oxide.

12. Object according to claim 1, wherein the layer thickness of the coupling layer is between 5 nm and 200 nm.

13. Object according to claim 1, wherein layer (a) is an outer layer.

14. Object according to claim 7, wherein layer (a0) is an outer layer.

15. A method for producing an object according to claim 1, comprising the following steps:

(A) providing an object with at least a polymer layer (c),

(B) activating the polymer layer (c),

(C) applying the coupling layer (b) to the polymer layer (c), and

(D) applying the metal layer (a) to the coupling layer (b),

wherein steps (B) to (D) are carried out by a plasma treatment, wherein before step (A) a substrate surface (d) of the object is provided with the polymer layer (c) in a step (A0) and, wherein after step (A0) and before step (A) the polymer layer is provided with a microstructure in a step (A1).

16. The method for producing an object according to claim 15, further comprising:

(E) applying a cover layer (a0) to the metal layer (a) by a plasma treatment.

17. The method according to claim 15, wherein the object is an aircraft, motor vehicle, train, ship, wind turbine, pipe portion or a component thereof.