Surface modifying agents, modified materials and methods

Abstract

The present invention relates to surface modifying agents for polymeric and/or textile materials, methods of making and/or using a surface modifying agent to modify and functionalize polymeric and/or textile materials, and/or methods of using surface modified or functionalized polymeric and textile materials, and/or products using or incorporating surface modified or functionalized polymeric and textile materials. For example, the surface modifying agent in precursor form can be styrene sulfonyl azide monomer, polymer or copolymer capable of undergoing a chemical reaction in the presence of heat or light to form one or more styrene sulfonated nitrene monomers, polymers or copolymers, which are capable of chemically reacting with the surface of a polymeric or textile material to endow a specific or desired chemical surface functionality to the surface of a polymeric or textile material. Furthermore, the present invention is possibly preferably directed to a surface modifying agent which comprises a styrene sulfonated nitrene monomer, polymer or polymer containing one or more nitrene functional groups, which are capable of chemically reacting via an insertion reaction into one or more carbon-hydrogen bonds on the surface of a polymeric or textile material in order to chemically attach a specific or desired chemical functionality to the surface of a polymeric or textile material.

1 - 17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . A modified substrate comprising: a surface modifying agent applied on at least one surface of a polyolefinic substrate, wherein
 the polyolefinic substrate is selected from the group consisting of: a textile substrate, a fiber, a porous substrate, a nonporous substrate, a porous hollow fiber, a nonporous hollow fiber, a porous battery separator, a film, a surface layer, a composite, and combination thereof;   the surface modifying agent is capable of imparting a property to a surface of the substrate,   the surface modifying agent is applied to the substrate in a weight range of 0.05-1.0 g/m 2 , and   at least one portion of the surface modifying agent has been reacted with a carbon atom of the substrate.   
     
     
         19 . The modified substrate of  claim 18 , wherein an azide is reacted with a carbon atom by exposing the first portion and the substrate to UV light. 
     
     
         20 . A surface modifying agent which comprises a suitable nitrene and/or carbene precursor capable of undergoing a chemical reaction, in the presence of heat or UV light, to form one or more nitrene and/or carbene functional groups, nitrene and/or carbene precursors include a monomer, polymer or co-polymer capable of undergoing a chemical reaction in the presence of heat or UV light to form one or more nitrene functional groups; or
 which comprises a monomer, polymer or co-polymer which contains one or more functional groups which, upon activation is capable of chemically reacting with the surface of a polyolefinic or textile material to endow or impart a specific or desired chemical surface functionality to the surface; or   which comprises a monomer, polymer or co-polymer which contains one or more functional groups capable of chemically reacting with the surface of a polyolefinic or textile material to endow or impart a desired chemical functionality to the polyolefinic or textile material, the functionality may impart hydrophilicity, hydrophobicity, oleophilicity, and/or oleophobicity, and/or to change the surface energy of the polyolefinic or textile material to covalently modify the polyolefinic or textile material for example to make it suitable for a particular end use application.   
     
     
         21 . A material made or modified by the surface modifying agents of  claim 20 . 
     
     
         22 . A method of making and/or of using such agents and/or modified materials of  claim 20 . 
     
     
         23 . A polymeric and/or textile material, separator, garment, fabric, and/or the like incorporating agents of  claim 20 . 
     
     
         24 . A modified material, layer, base layer, precursor of  claim 20 . 
     
     
         25 . A surface modifying agent for polyolefinic and/or textile materials or modified materials of  claim 20 . 
     
     
         26 . A method of making and/or using the surface modifying agents to modify and functionalize polyolefinic and/or textile materials of  claim 20 . 
     
     
         27 . A method of using the surface modified or functionalized polyolefinic and/or textile materials of  claim 20 . 
     
     
         28 . A product using or incorporating surface modified or functionalized polyolefinic and textile materials of  claim 20 . 
     
     
         29 . A surface modifying agent for polyolefinic and textile materials, modified materials of  claim 20 . 
     
     
         30 . A modified or functionalized polymer material that interacts with other materials, coatings, layers, and/or the like and may be especially suited for battery separators, barrier fabrics, membranes, base layers, layers, fabrics, textiles, and/or the like for use in electrochemical cells or batteries, textiles, garments, filtration, adsorption, testing, drug delivery, analyte sensing, medical diagnostics, and/or the like.