Substrate coating from pulsed plasma polymerization of a macrocycle

Abstract

Devices, and their method of production, having coatings deposited by pulsed plasma polymerization of a macrocycle containing a heteroatom, wherein the heteroatom is oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur, or a mixture thereof The coatings on contact lens are preferably deposited by gas phase polymerization of a cyclic ether, such as crown ether, which coatings are non-fouling and wettable, and the gas phase polymerization utilizes a pulsed discharge.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A device comprising a substrate and a coating composition, said coating composition being formed by a gas phase polymerization of a gas comprising at least one macrocycle containing at least one hetero atom, said gas polymerization utilizing a pulsed discharge, wherein said hetero atom is oxygen, nitrogen or sulfur.  
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein said macrocycle is a cyclic ether.  
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein said macrocycle is 12-crown-4,15-crown-5,18-crown-6, or a mixture thereof.  
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein said gas phase polymerization utilizing a pulsed discharge having a duty cycle of less than about ⅕, in which the pulse-on time is less than about 100 msec and the pulse-off time is less than about 2000 msec.  
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein said gas phase polymerization utilizing a pulsed discharge having a duty cycle of from about {fraction (1/10)} to about {fraction (1/1000)}, and the pulse-on time is from about 1 μsec to about 100 msec, and the pulse-off time is from about 10 μsec to about 2000 msec.  
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein said substrate is a contact lens or a biomaterial.  
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein said gas phase polymerization is high voltage discharge, radio frequency, microwave; ionizing radiation induced pulsed plasma polymerization; pulsed photo induced polymerization; or a combination thereof.  
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein said coating composition is gradient layered by systematically decreasing said duty cycle of said gas phase polymerization.  
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein said substrate is located in the active plasma zone during said gas phase polymerization.  
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein said pulsed discharge uses an average power inputs of less than about 3 W per liter of plasma reactor.  
     
     
         11 . A device comprising a substrate and a coating composition, said coating composition being formed by a gas phase polymerization of a gas comprising at least a cyclic ether, said gas phase polymerization utilizing a pulsed discharge.  
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 1   1 , wherein said cyclic ether is 12-crown-4,15-crown-5,18-crown-6, or a mixture thereof.  
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein said gas phase polymerization utilizing a pulsed discharge having a duty cycle of less than about ⅕, in which the pulse-on time is less than about 100 msec and the pulse-off time is less than about 2000 msec.  
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein said gas phase polymerization utilizing a pulsed discharge having a duty cycle of from about {fraction (1/10)} to abut {fraction (1/1000)}, and the pulse-on time is from about 1 μsec to about 100 msec, and the pulse-off time is from about 10 μsec to about 2000 msec.  
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein said substrate is a contact lens or a biomaterial.  
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein said gas phase polymerization is high voltage discharge, radio frequency, microwave; ionizing radiation induced pulsed plasma polymerization; pulsed photo induced polymerization; or a combination thereof.  
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein said coating composition is gradient layered by systematically decreasing said duty cycle of said gas phase polymerization.  
     
     
         18 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein said substrate is located in the active plasma zone during said gas phase polymerization.  
     
     
         19 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein said pulsed discharge uses an average power inputs of less than about 3 W per liter of plasma reactor.  
     
     
         20 . A method for plasma depositing a coating to a solid substrate, said method comprising: 
 subjecting a macrocycle to a gas phase polymerization utilizing a pulsed discharge, said macrocycle containing at least one hetero atom, wherein said hetero atom is oxygen, nitrogen or sulfur.    
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein said macrocycle is a cyclic ether.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein said macrocycle is 12-crown-4,15-crown-5,18-crown-6, or a mixture thereof.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein said pulsed discharge has a duty cycle of less than about ⅕, in which the pulse-on time is less than about 100 msec and the pulse-off time is less than about 2000 msec.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein said pulsed discharge has a duty cycle of from about {fraction (1/10)} to about {fraction (1/1000)}, and the pulse-on time is from about 1 μsec to about 100 msec, and the pulse-off time is from about 10 μsec to about 2000 msec.  
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein said substrate is a contact lens or a biomaterial.  
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein said gas phase polymerization is high voltage discharge, radio frequency, microwave; ionizing radiation induced plasma polymerization; photo induced polymerization; or a combination thereof.  
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein said pulsed discharge comprises a series of variable duty cycle.  
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein said substrate is located in the active plasma zone during said gas phase polymerization.  
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein said pulsed discharge utilizes an average power inputs of less than about 3 W per liter of plasma reactor.