Method of coating the surface of an inorganic substrate with an organic material and the product obtained

Abstract

A method of coating the surface of an inorganic substrate of glass, silicon dioxide, ceramics or carbon, which method comprises a step of cleaning the surface of the substrate by subjecting the surface to a reducing gas plasma and forming a first layer on the substrate surface using a plasma enhanced polymerization process employing one or more monomers comprising monomers with a sufficient low molecular weight for them to be in their gaseous state in the gas plasma, selected from the group consisting of C 1 -C 16 alkanes, C 2 -C 16 alkenes, C 2 -C 16 alkynes, styrene, aromatic monomers of styrene compounds, monomers of vinyl- and acrylate-compounds.

1 - 17 . (canceled)  
     
     
         18 . A method of coating at least one surface of an inorganic substrate comprising: 
 i) cleaning the surface by subjecting the surface to a first reducing gas plasma,    ii) activating the surface by generating radicals on the surface by subjecting the surface to a second reducing gas plasma and forming a first layer on the surface using a plasma enhanced polymerization process comprising at least one monomer with a sufficiently low molecular weight for the monomer to be in a gaseous state in the gas plasma, wherein said at least one monomer is chosen from C 1 -C 16  alkanes, C 2 -C 16  alkenes, C 2 -C 16  alkynes, styrene, aromatic monomers of styrene compounds, and monomers of vinyl- and acrylate-compounds,    wherein said inorganic substrate comprises glass, silicon dioxide, ceramics or carbon.    
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the first reducing gas plasma and the second reducing gas plasma are the same reducing gas plasma.  
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein said at least one monomer is chosen from acetylene, ethane, ethylene, hexane, hexene, 1-hexene, 3-methyl-1-hexene, 1,4-hexadiene, hexyne, 1-hexyne, methylacrylate, styrene and vinylpyrolidone.  
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein said at least one monomer has a molecular weight less than or equal to 350.  
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein the reducing gas plasma is reducing gas chosen from H 2 , NH 3 , B 2 H 4 , and F 2  or a mixture of reducing gas chosen from H 2 , NH 3 , B 2 H 4 , and F 2  and an inert gas.  
     
     
         23 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein the reducing gas plasma is mixture of H 2  and argon.  
     
     
         24 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein the inorganic substrate is further coated with a second layer comprising subjecting the coated surface to a plasma enhanced polymerization process comprising at least one monomer chosen from vinylpyrolidone, acrylonitrile, glycidylmethacrylate, methacrylacid-anhydride, methylbenzaldehyde and other vinyl or acryl containing monomers.  
     
     
         25 . The method according  claim 18 , wherein the step of cleaning and the step of activating is executed sequentially in one chamber.  
     
     
         26 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein the step of cleaning and the step of activating is executed as a continuous process.  
     
     
         27 . The method according to  claim 25 , wherein the one chamber at any step in the method has an atmosphere that is inert and/or reducing.  
     
     
         28 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein the method is practiced at a pressure is 0.01 to 1.0 mbar.  
     
     
         29 . The method according to  claim 28 , wherein the method is practiced at pressure 0.04 to 0.4 mbar.  
     
     
         30 . The method according to claims  18 , wherein the inorganic substrate is exposed to the first and/or second reducing gas plasma for a time ranging from 1 to 3600 seconds.  
     
     
         31 . The method according to  claim 30 , wherein the inorganic substrate is exposed to the first and/or second reducing gas plasma for a time ranging from 10 to 300 seconds.  
     
     
         32 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein the inorganic substrate is exposed to the plasma enhanced polymerisation process for 1 to 6000 seconds.  
     
     
         33 . The method according to  claim 32 , wherein the inorganic substrate is exposed to the plasma enhanced polymerisation process for 10 to 120 seconds.  
     
     
         34 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein the step i) comprises generation of radicals by use of gas plasma generated by excitation of a gas in an alternating current (AC), a direct current (DC), low frequency (LF), audio frequency (AF), radio frequency (RF) or microwave generated electric field.  
     
     
         35 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein the inorganic substrate is glass or glass fibers.  
     
     
         36 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein the inorganic substrate is silicon dioxide.  
     
     
         37 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein the inorganic substrate is ceramic or ceramic fibers.  
     
     
         38 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein the inorganic substrate is carbon or carbon fibers.  
     
     
         39 . A coated inorganic substrate obtained by coating at least one surface of the inorganic substrate by a method comprising: 
 i) cleaning the surface by subjecting the surface to a first reducing gas plasma,    ii) activating the surface by generating radicals on the surface by subjecting the surface to a second reducing gas plasma and forming a first layer on the surface using a plasma enhanced polymerization process comprising at least one monomer with a sufficiently low molecular weight for the monomer to be in a gaseous state in the gas plasma, wherein said at least one monomer is chosen from C 1 -C 16  alkanes, C 2 -C 16  alkenes, C 2 -C 16  alkynes, styrene, aromatic monomers of styrene compounds, and monomers of vinyl- and acrylate-compounds,    wherein said inorganic substrate comprises glass, silicon dioxide, ceramics or carbon.