Hydrophobic fluorinated polyelectrolyte complex films and associated methods

Abstract

A method for controlling the hydrophobicity of a surface of an article by alternately depositing solutions comprising net positively charged polymers and net negatively charged polymers onto the surface to form a polyelectrolyte film of an interpenetrating network of net positively charged polymers and net negatively charged polymers on the surface of the article.

1 . A method for controlling the hydrophobicity of a surface of an article, the method comprising alternately depositing solutions comprising net positively charged polymers and net negatively charged polymers onto the surface of the article to form a polyelectrolyte film of an interpenetrating network of net positively charged polymers and net negatively charged polymers on the surface of the article, wherein the net positively charged polymer, the net negatively charged polymer, or both contain polymer repeat units with at least two fluorine atoms. 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the solutions are deposited by spraying, immersing, or brushing the surface of the article with solutions comprising the net positively charged polymers and net negatively charged polymers. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the solution comprises the net positively charged polymers and net negatively charged polymers dissolved in supercritical CO.sub.2. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the article is selected from the group consisting of glass, plastics, paint, metal, and ceramic. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the article is a construction material selected from the group consisting of brick, tile, grout, wood, concrete, and stone. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the article is a soft material said soft material selected from the group consisting of carpet, garment, cloth, fabric, upholstery, and leather. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the article is carpet, said carpet comprising fibers selected from the group consisting of polyester, polyolefin, polyamide, and copolymers thereof. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the article is a fiber optic or waveguide, and the polyelectrolyte film is used as a cladding on the surface of the fiber optic or waveguide. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the article is a metal selected from the group consisting of steel or aluminum, and the polyelectrolyte film is coated on the surface of the metal to prevent the corrosion of the metal. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the article is a fuel cell and the polyelectrolyte film is used as a proton exchange membrane. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the polyelectrolyte film has a thickness of less than 1 micrometer. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the polyelectrolyte film further comprises small fluorinated counterions. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the small fluorinated counterions are selected from the group consisting of perfluoroalkanesulfonic acids and perfluoroalkanecarboxylic acids. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the polyelectrolyte film is formed on the surface of a film of poly perfluorinated sulfonated ionomer, wherein the poly perfluorinated sulfonated ionomer film has a thickness between 10 micrometers and 1000 micrometers.