Spill resistant surfaces having hydrophobic and oleophobic borders

• US 9,096,786 B2
• Filed: 04/07/2011
• Issued: 08/04/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SSW Advanced Technologies LLC
• Original Assignee: Ross Technology Corporation
• Inventors: Sikka, Vinod K., Jones, Andrew K., Ross, Russell
• Primary Examiner(s): Ruthkosky, Mark
• Assistant Examiner(s): POLLEY, CHRISTOPHER M
• Application Number:
  US13/082,319
• Publication Number:
  US 20120009396A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,580 Days
• Field of Search: 428/192
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 15/00 Surface treatment of glass, not in the form of fibres or filaments, by etching etching or surface-brightening compositions, in general C09K13/00
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 17/30 with silicon-containing compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 19/00 Surface treatment of glass, not in the form of fibres or filaments, by mechanical means sand-blasting, grinding, or polishing glass B24
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 2217/20 Materials for coating a single layer on glass
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 2217/76 Hydrophobic and oleophobic coatings
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 2218/11 from solutions or suspensions
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 2218/17 from a solid phase
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 2218/31 Pre-treatment
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 2218/34 Masking
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 3/22 of metals
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 3/34 Silicon-containing compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 3/40 Glass
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 9/08 Ingredients agglomerated by treatment with a binding agent
• CPC Class Codes: C09D 7/62 modified by treatment with other compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C09D 7/67 Particle size smaller than 100 nm
• CPC Class Codes: C09D 7/68 Particle size between 100-1000 nm
• CPC Class Codes: C09D 7/69 Particle size larger than 1000 nm
• CPC Class Codes: C09D 7/70 characterised by shape, e.g. fibres, flakes or microspheres
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 3/18 for application to surfaces to minimize adherence of ice, mist or water thereto rendering particulate materials free flowing, in general, e.g. making them hydrophobic B01J2/30; Thawing or antifreeze materials for application to surfaces used in liquids for heat-transfer, heat-exchange or heat-storage or for the production of heat or cold other than by combustion, e.g. radiator liquids, C09K5/00
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 4/10 Oxides, borides, carbides, nitrides or silicides; Mixtures thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 4/12 : characterised by the method of spraying
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 4/126 : Detonation spraying
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 4/129 : Flame spraying
• CPC Class Codes: D06M 11/79 : with silicon dioxide, silicic acids or their salts
• CPC Class Codes: D06M 15/564 : Polyureas, polyurethanes or other polymers having ureide or urethane links; Precondensation products forming them
• CPC Class Codes: D06M 2200/11 : Oleophobic properties
• CPC Class Codes: D06M 2200/12 : Hydrophobic properties
• CPC Class Codes: D06M 23/08 : Processes in which the treating agent is applied in powder or granular form adhesives for multi-layer textile fabrics D06M17/00
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 23/00 : General constructional features F25D21/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2325/022 : Shelves made of glass or ceramic
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2400/22 : Cleaning means for refrigerating devices
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 25/02 : by shelves
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24802 : Discontinuous or differential coating, impregnation or bond [e.g., artwork, printing, retouched photograph, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/25 : Web or sheet containing structurally defined element or component and including a second component containing structurally defined particles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/2172 : Also specified as oil repellent

Abstract

Described herein are methods for creating spill-proof or spill-resistant surfaces through the use of hydrophobic or oleophobic (H-SH) edges, borders or/and boundaries that contain the water and other liquids within inside the edges, borders and/or boundaries. Also described herein are spill-proof/spill-resistant surfaces. Liquid (e.g., water and other aqueous solutions/suspension) heights of 3-6 mm on a level planar surface can be sustained by such edges, borders and/of boundaries. The H-SH borders can be created on glass, metal, wood, plastic, and concrete surfaces.

Claims

1. A refrigerator shelf having a surface comprising a spill-resistant border that resists spills of water and of a mixture comprising oil and water, wherein the spill-resistant border comprises a roughened area treated with a composition comprising a silane that increases the hydrophobicity and oleophobicity of the roughened area, which will serve as the spill-resistant border,

wherein said spill-resistant border forms a perimeter around at least one area that has a lower hydrophobicity and lower oleophobicity than the border, and

wherein when the surface is level the spill-resistant border retains up to 5.9 mm of water, up to 5.2 mm of an oil and water mixture, or up to 4.7 mm of milk.

2. The refrigerator shelf of claim 1, wherein the roughened area comprises an area that was roughened by sand blasting.

3. The refrigerator shelf of claim 1, wherein the roughened area of the surface that will serve as a border comprises particles bound to the surface.

4. The refrigerator shelf of claim 3, wherein the border retains up to 5.2 mm of an oil and water mixture, or up to 4.7 mm of milk when the surface is level.

5. The refrigerator shelf of claim 1, wherein the roughened area of the surface that will serve as a border comprises an area that was subjected to chemical etching.

7. The refrigerator shelf of claim 1, wherein the silane is tridecafluoro-1,1,2,2-tetrahydrooctyl tricholorosilane.

8. The refrigerator shelf of claim 7, wherein the border retains up to 5.9 mm of water.

6. A refrigerator shelf having a surface comprising:

a hydrophobic and oleophobic spill-resistant border, wherein said spill-resistant border forms a perimeter around at least one area of said surface that has a lower hydrophobicity and lower oleophobicity than said border,

wherein said spill-resistant border comprises a silane imparting hydrophobicity and oleophobicity to the border,

and

wherein when the surface is level the border retains up to 5.9 mm of water, up to 5.2 mm of an oil and water mixture, or up to 4.7 mm of milk when the surface is level.

9. The refrigerator shelf of claim 6, wherein said border is not visible.

10. The refrigerator shelf of claim 6, wherein said border is visible.

11. The refrigerator shelf of claim 6, wherein said surface comprises glass.

12. The refrigerator shelf of claim 6, wherein said silane comprises a fluoroalkyl group.

13. The refrigerator shelf of claim 12, wherein said mixture comprising oil and water is a mixture of oil and vinegar and wherein the spill-resistant border provides a retention of up to 5.2 mm of the mixture of oil and vinegar when the surface is level.

14. The refrigerator shelf of claim 12, wherein said spill-resistant border retains up to 4.7 mm of milk when the surface is level.

15. The refrigerator shelf of claim 6, wherein the border is placed at an edge and the surface further comprises a barrier that divides the surface within the perimeter into regions.

16. The refrigerator shelf of claim 15, wherein the barrier retains a lower level of liquid than the border.

17. The refrigerator shelf of claim 6, wherein the silane is tridecafluoro-1,1,2,2-tetrahydrooctyl tricholorosilane.

18. A refrigerator shelf comprising a hydrophobic and oleophobic spill-resistant border on a surface of the shelf, wherein the border is formed by binding particles to the surface, and the border forms a perimeter around at least one area of the surface that has a lower hydrophobicity and lower oleophobicity than the border;

wherein said border is formed by treating the surface with a silane;

wherein the spill-resistant border retains up to 3.1 mm of water, up to 3.6 mm of an oil and water mixture, or up to 2.3 mm of milk when the surface is level.

19. The refrigerator shelf of claim 18, wherein the spill-resistant border retains up to 3.6 mm of the mixture of oil and vinegar when the surface is level.

20. The refrigerator shelf having a surface of claim 19, wherein the height of water retained by the spill-resistant border is up to 3.0 mm when the surface is level.

21. The refrigerator shelf comprising a hydrophobic and oleophobic spill-resistant border of claim 18, wherein the spill resistant border retains up to 2.3 mm of milk when the surface is level.

22. The refrigerator shelf of claim 18, wherein the refrigerator shelf is comprised of glass.

23. The refrigerator shelf of claim 22, wherein the border retains up to 3.1 mm of water and up to 3.6 mm of an oil and vinegar mixture when the surface is level.

24. The refrigerator shelf of claim 18, wherein the border retains up to 3.1 mm of water and up to 3.6 mm of an oil and vinegar mixture when the surface is level.

25. The refrigerator shelf of claim 18, wherein the silane is tridecafluoro-1,1,2,2-tetrahydrooctyl tricholorosilane.