Nano-coating protection method for electrical connectors
AssigneeFavored Tech Corporation
InventorJian Zong
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Introduced here is a plasma polymerization apparatus and process. Example embodiments include a vacuum chamber in a substantially symmetrical shape to a central axis. A rotation rack may be operable to rotate about the central axis of the vacuum chamber. Additionally, reactive species discharge mechanisms positioned around a perimeter of the vacuum chamber in a substantially symmetrical manner from the outer perimeter of the vacuum chamber may be configured to disperse reactive species into the vacuum chamber. The reactive species may form a polymeric multi-layer coating on surfaces of the one or more devices. Each layer may have a different composition of atoms to enhance the water resistance, corrosion resistance, and fiction resistance of the polymeric multi-layer coating.
Claims29
A method for protecting an electrical connector from corrosive damage using a polymerization process to generate a plasma polymerization coating, the method comprising:
- consistently moving, during a select period of time, the electrical connector within a reaction chamber;
- during the select period of time:
- applying a transition layer to the electrical connector by:
- discharging a first monomer vapor into the reaction chamber, generating a first reactive species from the first monomer vapor by discharging a first polymerization plasma into the reaction chamber, and
- depositing the first reactive species to form the transition layer on a surface of the electrical connector, the transition layer having a first ratio of oxygen atoms to carbon atoms;
- and
- applying a surface layer to the electrical connector by:
- discharging a second monomer vapor into the reaction chamber,
- generating a second reactive species from the second monomer vapor by discharging a second polymerization plasma into the reaction chamber, and
- depositing the second reactive species to form the surface layer on a surface of the transition layer, the surface layer having a second ratio of oxygen atoms to carbon atoms that is less than the first ratio.
A reaction chamber for protecting an electrical connector from corrosive damage using a polymerization process, the reaction chamber comprising:
- a rotation rack driven by a rotary motor to secure the electrical connector in the reaction chamber and to consistently move the electrical connector within the reaction chamber;
- a discharge cavity for generating polymerization plasma by applying an electrical discharge to a carrier gas;
- a monomer vapor pipe to discharge a monomer vapor into the reaction chamber;
- and
- a metal grid barrier between the reaction chamber and a discharge cavity, wherein electrical power is applied to the metal grid barrier to:
- apply a transition layer to the electrical connector by discharging a first polymerization plasma into the reaction chamber to generate a first reactive species from the monomer vapor, the first reactive species deposited on a surface of the electrical connector, and the transition layer having a first ratio of carbon atoms to oxygen atoms, and
- apply a surface layer to the electrical connector by discharging a second polymerization plasma into the reaction chamber to generate a second reactive species from the monomer vapor, the second reactive species deposited on the surface layer, and the surface layer having a second ratio of carbon atoms to oxygen atoms that is greater than the first ratio.
A plasma polymerization coating for protecting an electrical connector from moisture and corrosive damage, the plasma polymerization coating comprising:
- a transition layer on a surface of the electrical connector, the transition layer having a first ratio of oxygen atoms to carbon atoms, wherein the transition layer is formed using reactive species from one or more of:
- at least one polyfunctional unsaturated hydrocarbon and hydrocarbon derivative monomer, and
- at least one organosilicon monomer in a Si—Cl, Si—O—C;
- and
- a surface layer on a surface of the transition layer, the surface layer having a second ratio of oxygen atoms to carbon atoms that is less than the first ratio, wherein the surface layer is formed using reactive species generated from one or more of:
- at least one organic monomer with a low dipole moment, and
- at least one monofunctional unsaturated fluorocarbon resin monomer.
A method for applying a plasma polymerization coating on an electrical connector, the method comprising:
- applying a transition layer on the surface of the electrical connector, the transition layer having a first ratio of oxygen atoms to carbon atoms;
- and
- applying a surface layer to the surface of the transition later, the surface layer having a second ratio of oxygen atoms to carbon atoms that is less than the first ratio, wherein the plasma polymerization coating is water resistant, the thickness of the plasma polymerization coating ranges from 5 nm-500 nm, and the plasma polymerization coating is conductive when a voltage of 1V to 30V is applied across the plasma polymerization coating.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.