Method and apparatus for the formation of hydrophobic surfaces
First Claim
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1. A method of applying a coating to a surface of a substrate, said method comprising the successive steps of:
- (i) applying a polymer material to the said substrate surface to form at least part of the coating;
(ii) fluorinating the polymeric material at the surface of said coating on the substrate by selective exposure of said coating to a molecular fluorine containing species using a plasma to generate said molecular fluorine containing species and;
(iii) curing at least part of the said coating.
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Abstract
The invention relates to the application of a coating to a substrate in which the coating includes a polymer material and the coating is selectively fluorinated and/or cured to improve the liquid repellance of the same. The invention also provides for the selective fluorination and/or curing of selected areas of the coating thus, when completed, providing a coating which has regions of improved liquid repellance with respect to the remaining regions and which remaining regions may be utilized as liquid collection areas.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of applying a coating to a surface of a substrate, said method comprising the successive steps of:
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(i) applying a polymer material to the said substrate surface to form at least part of the coating; (ii) fluorinating the polymeric material at the surface of said coating on the substrate by selective exposure of said coating to a molecular fluorine containing species using a plasma to generate said molecular fluorine containing species and; (iii) curing at least part of the said coating. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method for applying a coating having liquid repellent characteristics to a substrate, said method comprising the successive steps of:
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applying a coating to the substrate surface, said coating being formed from a polymer, the outer surface of which coating includes unsaturated bonds; fluorinating said polymer by selective exposure of said coating to a molecular fluorine containing species using a plasma to generate said molecular fluorine containing species; and curing said polymer; wherein at least one of the fluorination and curing is performed on the polymer material in a selected pattern so as to provide selectively fluorinated and/or cured portions and selectively unfluorinated and/or uncured portions of said coating. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification