Coating processes – With post-treatment of coating or coating material – Chemical agent applied to treat coating
Reexamination Certificate
1998-11-03
2001-06-12
Cameron, Erma (Department: 1762)
Coating processes
With post-treatment of coating or coating material
Chemical agent applied to treat coating
C427S387000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06245387
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to silicone films, and more specifically to application of such films to glass and other surfaces.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various methods exist for manufacturing easily cleanable, water repellent glass products, including shower doors, windshields, glass entry doors and glass partitions in restaurants. Two such methods are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,415,927 to Hirayama et et. and U.S. Pat. No. 4,263,350 to Valimont.
In another method currently in use, the glass is coated with a film consisting of chains of silicone molecules, with each chain chemically bound at one end to the surface of the glass. Each chain contains from dozens to hundreds of dimethylsiloxane (DMS) units and is terminated at its free end by either a hydroxyl (OH) group or a chlorine attached to a silicon, which soon reacts with water vapor in the air to produce OH groups. This existing film is in use on a number of glass products as well as other silica-containing products such as granite, porcelain, earthenware and stoneware, and for the most part, has performed satisfactorily. However, the water-repellence of the film is limited to some extent by the presence of the terminal OH groups, which are highly water-attracting.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to improve the water-resistance of silicone films on glass, and to provide a support film for chemically active substances.
Another object of the invention is to produce a family of silicone films for treating a variety of products such as the silica-containing products previously mentioned as well as organic substances including paper, cotton, nylon, leather, and wood, in order to improve the surface properties of those products.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Briefly, to achieve the desired objects of the instant invention in accordance with the preferred embodiments thereof, a silicone film is attached to a surface by chemical bonding. The silicone film consists of chains of siloxane groups, each chain terminating in an end molecule which is either an ester, an ether, or a halogen. The end molecule is allowed to react with water, either water vapor in the surrounding air or by covering the surface with liquid water, to produce an end OH group. The surface is then contacted with a capping agent which reacts with the OH group to produce a new end group which improves the properties of the film.
The specific improvement in properties will depend on the siloxane groups used, as well as the composition of the capping agent. In general, the siloxane groups have the formula
and the capping agent has the formula
For water-repellent applications, R consists of nonpolar groups, and R
1
consists of inert groups. For non-water-repellent applications, R consists of polar or nonpolar groups. In other applications, R
1
could consist of chemically active groups, enabling the surface to be used as a solid state ion exchanger or an attachment point for chemically bound enzymes, chelating agents, dyes, chemical indicators or other substances.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4118540 (1978-10-01), Amort et al.
patent: 4263350 (1981-04-01), Valimont
patent: 4539061 (1985-09-01), Sagiv
patent: 5372851 (1994-12-01), Ogawa et al.
patent: 5415927 (1995-05-01), Hirayama et al.
patent: 5665424 (1997-09-01), Sherman
patent: 5723172 (1998-03-01), Sherman
patent: 5800918 (1998-09-01), Chartier et al.
patent: 5853896 (1998-12-01), Kondo et al.
Cameron Erma
Diamon-Fusion International, Inc.
Myers Dawes & Andras LLP
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