Method for polymeric surface modification

Abstract

Polymers, and particularly conventional commodity bulk polymers, are modified to have a surface activity of interest using a surface modifying polymer that includes a moiety that favors migration to the surface of the bulk polymer together with a moiety provides the activity of interest (e.g., biocidal, wettability modifying (hydrophobic or hydrophilic), resistance to radiant energy, providing a functional group for functionalizing the surface, etc.). The surface modifying polymer is combined with the bulk polymer, and, due to the presence of the moiety that favors migration, concentrates primarily on the surface of the bulk polymer such that the moiety that provides the activity of interest is located primarily on the surface of the bulk polymeric article which is produced.

1 . A method of producing a polymeric article or coating with a surface active property, comprising the steps of: 
 forming a surface active polymer or macromonomer having a first segmer that favors migration to the surface of a bulk polymer, and a second segmer which enables an activity of interest; and    combining said surface active polymer with said bulk polymer to produce a polymeric article having the surface active polymer concentrated primarily on the surface of the said bulk polymer.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said first segmer is a fluorinated group.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said first segmer is selected from the group consisting of —(CH 2 )n(CH 2 )m or —(CH 2 )nCF 2 )mH where n ranges from 1 to 10 and m ranges from 1 to 12.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said activity of interest is biocidal.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said activity of interest alters the surface wettability of said bulk polymer.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said activity of interest provides an indicator.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6  wherein said indicator is selected from the group consisting of color change, fluorescence, phosphorescence, and chemiluminescence.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said activity is a modifiable leaving group.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said surface active polymer and said bulk polymer are both polyurethanes.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said first and second segmers are present on a soft block.  
     
     
         11 - 21 . (canceled)  
     
     
         22 . 3-(methoxyethoxyethoxymethyl)-3-methyloxetane.  
     
     
         23 . 3-(2,5,8,11-tetraoxydodecyl)-3-methyloxetane.  
     
     
         24 . A contraphilic polymeric material which is hydrophilic when dry and hydrophobic when wet.  
     
     
         25 . A polymer material or coating comprising: 
 isophorone diisocyanate/butane diol hard blocks; and    soft blocks comprised of fluorinated segmers combined with biocidal moieties.    
     
     
         26 . An oligomeric or polymeric detergent or surfactant, comprising oleophilic groups, hydrophilic groups, and fluorous groups.  
     
     
         27 . The oligomeric or polymeric detergent or surfactant of  claim 26 , wherein 
 said oleophilic groups are selected from the group consisting of —(CH 2 )nH, tetramethylene oxide, isomeric hydrocarbon and hydrocarbon-halocarbon (—ChxCly)nH, and ketone containing side chains, where n ranges from 1-20, and x and y range from 1 to 2.    
     
     
         28 . The oligomeric or polymeric detergent or surfactant of claim 26 wherein said hydorphilic groups are selected from the group consisting of oligomeric and polymeric ethylene oxide, alcohol, carboxylic acid, and amine containing side chains.  
     
     
         29 . The oligomeric or polymeric detergent or surfactant of  claim 26  wherein said fluorous groups are selected from the group consisting of —(CH 2 )n(CH 2 )mF and —(CH 2 )n(CF 2 )mH) where n ranges from 1 to 10 and m ranges from 1 to 12.  
     
     
         30 . The oligomeric or polymeric detergent or surfactant of  claim 26  wherein said oleophilic, hydrophilic, and fluorous groups are nonionic.  
     
     
         31 . The oligomeric or polymeric detergent or surfactant of  claim 26  further comprising a cationic or anionic functionality associated one or more of said oleophilic, hydrophilic, and fluorous groups.