Method of making coated article including diamond-like carbon (DLC) and FAS

• US 6,472,017 B2
• Filed: 06/11/2001
• Issued: 10/29/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Guardian Glass LLC (KOCH Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Guardian Industries Corporation (KOCH Industries Incorporated)
• Inventors: Thomsen, Scott V., Petrmichl, Rudolph Hugo, Veerasamy, Vijayen S.
• Primary Examiner(s): CHEN, BRET P
• Application Number:
  US09/877,099
• Publication Number:
  US 20010053412A1
• Time in Patent Office: 505 Days
• Field of Search: 427/249.7, 427/249.8, 427/372.2, 427/376.1
• US Class Current: 427/249.7
• CPC Class Codes: B05D 5/083 involving the use of fluoropolymers
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 17/06 by giving articles subject to fouling a special shape or arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 17/065 the surface having a microscopic surface pattern to achieve the same effect as a lotus flower
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/1033 Laminated safety glass or glazing containing temporary protective coatings or layers
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/54 using gas, e.g. hot air
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/58 for rear windows
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 17/22 with other inorganic material C03C17/34, C03C17/44 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 17/3441 comprising carbon, a carbide or oxycarbide
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 17/3482 comprising silicon, hydrogenated silicon or a silicide
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 17/36 at least one coating being a metal
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 17/3634 one layer at least containing carbon, a carbide or oxycarbide
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 17/3644 the metal being silver
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 17/3652 the coating stack containing at least one sacrificial layer to protect the metal from oxidation
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 17/42 at least one coating of an organic material and at least one non-metal coating
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 2217/282 Carbides, silicides
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 2217/76 Hydrophobic and oleophobic coatings
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 2217/78 Coatings specially designed to be durable, e.g. scratch-resistant
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 2218/151 by vacuum evaporation
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 2218/31 Pre-treatment
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 23/0075 Cleaning of glass specially adapted to plate glass B08B11/00
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 3/076 : with 40% to 90% silica, by weight C03C3/045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/0272 : Deposition of sub-layers, e.g. to promote the adhesion of the main coating
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/26 : Deposition of carbon only
• 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 428/24942 : including components having same physical characteristic in differing degree
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24983 : Hardness
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/30 : Self-sustaining carbon mass or layer with impregnant or other layer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31663 : As siloxane, silicone or silane

Abstract

A substrate is coated with a hydrophobic coating system including diamond-like carbon (DLC) and at least one fluoro-alkyl silane (FAS) compound. In certain embodiments, the coating system includes an FAS inclusive layer provided over at least one DLC inclusive layer in order to increase the initial contact angle of the coated article. At least the FAS inclusive layer may be heated (i.e., thermally cured) to an extent sufficient to at least one of: (a) improve the initial contact angle θ of the resulting coated article, (b) render the hydrophobic nature of the resulting coated article more stable when exposed to solution(s)/material(s) such as hexane and/or isopropyl alcohol, and/or (c) improve bonding characteristics of the FAS inclusive layer within itself and/or between the FAS inclusive layer and a layer immediately beneath it.

Claims

1. A method of making a coated article comprising:

providing a substrate;

forming a coating system on the substrate so that the coating system includes each of diamond-like carbon (DLC) and at least one fluoro-alkyl silane (FAS) compound; and

heating at least an FAS compound portion on the coating system to a temperature and for a period of time sufficient to increase an initial contact angle θ

of the resulting coated article.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said heating comprises heating at least the FAS compound portion of the coating system to a temperature of from about 50 to 300 degrees C. for a period of time of from about 20 seconds to 2 hours.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said heating comprises heating at least the FAS compound portion of the coating system to a temperature of from about 70 to 200 degrees C. for said period of time.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the coating system includes at least one diamond-like carbon (DLC) inclusive layer and at least one fluoro-alkyl silane (FAS) compound inclusive layer, and wherein the coating system has an initial contact angle θ

of at least about 80 degrees, and an average hardness of at least about 10 GPa.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the FAS inclusive layer is located directly on the DLC inclusive layer so that the two layers are in contact with one another.

6. A method of making a coated article comprising:

providing a substrate;

forming a coating system on the substrate so that the coating system includes at least one diamond-like carbon (DLC) inclusive layer and at least one fluoro-alkyl silane (FAS) inclusive layer; and

heating at least the FAS inclusive layer of the coating system to a temperature and for a period of time sufficient to improve contact angle θ

stability of the resulting coated article.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said heating comprises heating at least the FAS inclusive layer of the coating system to a temperature of from about 50 to 300 degrees C. for a period of time of from about 20 seconds to 2 hours.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said heating comprises heating at least the FAS inclusive layer of the coating system to a temperature of from about 70 to 200 degrees C. for said period of time.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the coating system has an initial contact angle θ

of at least about 80 degrees, and an average hardness of at least about 10 GPa.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein the FAS includes at least one of:

CF₃(CH₂)₂Si(OCH₃)₃;

CF₃(CF₂)₅(CH₂)₂Si(OCH₂CH₃)₃;

CF₃(CH₂)₂SiCl₃;

CF₃(CF₂)₅(CH₂)₂SiCl₃;

CF₃(CF₂)₇(CH₂)₂Si(OCH₃)₃;

CF₃(CF₂)₅(CH₂)₂Si(OCH₃)₃;

CF₃(CF₂)₇(CH₂)₂SiCl₃;

CF₃(CF₂)₇(CH₂)₂SiCH₃Cl₂; and

CF₃(CF₂)₇(CH₂)₂SiCH₃(OCH₃)₂.

11. A method of making a coated article comprising:

providing a substrate;

forming a coating system on the substrate so that the coating system includes each of diamond-like carbon (DLC) and at least one fluoro-alkyl silane (FAS) compound; and

heating at least an FAS compound portion of the coating system to a temperature of from about 50 to 300 degrees C.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said heating includes heating at least an FAS compound portion of the coating system for a period of time of from about 20 seconds to 2 hours.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said heating comprises heating at least an FAS compound portion of the coating system to a temperature of from about 70 to 200 degrees C. for said period of time.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the coating system includes at least one diamond-like carbon (DLC) inclusive layer and at least one fluoro-alkyl silane (FAS) compound inclusive layer, and wherein the coating system has an initial contact angle θ

of at least about 80 degrees, and an average hardness of at least about 10 GPa.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the FAS inclusive layer is located directly on the DLC inclusive layer so that the two layers are in contact with one another.

16. The method of claim 11, where said heating step comprises heating the entire coated article to a temperature of from about 50 to 300 degrees C.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein said FAS compound includes at least one of:

CF₃(CH₂)₂Si(OCH₃)₃;

CF₃(CF₂)₅(CH₂)₂Si(OCH₂CH₃)₃;

CF₃(CH₂)₂SiCl₃;

CF₃(CF₂)₅(CH₂)₂SiCl₃;

CF₃(CF₂)₇(CH₂)₂Si(OCH₃)₃;

CF₃(CF₂)₅(CH₂)₂Si(OCH₃)₃;

CF₃(CF₂)₇(CH₂)₂SiCl₃;

CF₃(CF₂)₇(CH₂)₂SiCH₃Cl₂; and

CF₃(CF₂)₇(CH₂)₂SiCH₃(OCH₃)₂.