# US 5,704,983 A · Methods and apparatus for depositing barrier coatings

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- Number: US 5,704,983 A
- Document ID: US5704983A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 08/758,764
- Filed: 1996-12-19
- Granted: 1998-01-06
- Earliest claimed: 1992-05-28
- Assignees: Polar Materials, Inc.
- Inventors: H. Ronald Thomas; Robert J Babacz; Robert R. Newton
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5704983A

## CPC

- B05D 1/62: {Plasma-deposition of organic layers (plasma deposition in general C23C14/00, C23C16/00)}
- C23C 16/045: {Coating cavities or hollow spaces, e.g. interior of tubes; Infiltration of porous substrates}
- C23C 16/401: {containing silicon}
- C23C 16/45574: {Nozzles for more than one gas}
- B05D 7/227: {of containers, cans or the like}
- Y10T 428/1379: Contains vapor or gas barrier, polymer derived from vinyl chloride or vinylidene chloride, or polymer containing a vinyl alcohol unit
- Y10T 428/139: Open-ended, self-supporting conduit, cylinder, or tube-type article
- B05D: PROCESSES FOR APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL (conveying articles or workpieces through baths of liquid B65G, e.g. B65G49/02)
- C23C: COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL (making metal-coated products by extrusion B21C23/22; covering with metal by connecting pre-existing layers to articles, see the relevant places, e.g. B21D39/00, B23K; metallising of glass C03C; metallising mortars, concrete, artificial stone, ceramics or natural stone C04B41/00; enamelling of, or applying a vitreous layer to, metals C23D; treating metal surfaces or coating of metals by electrolysis or electrophoresis C25D; single-crystal film growth C30B; by metallising textiles D06M11/83; decorating textiles by locally metallising D06Q1/04)
- Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION

## Abstract

A barrier coating is formed on a polymeric article, such as on the interior of a thermoplastic container. An oxidizing gas is converted to a plasma in a plasma chamber remote from the treatment chamber. The resulting plasma-activated oxidizing species are delivered to the interior of the container. An organosilicon reactant vapor is separately but simultaneously delivered to the interior of the container so that the organosilicon vapor and oxidizing active species mix within the container. An electric qfield is also applied to the container, so that the reaction products are deposited under the influence of the electrical field to form the barrier coating.

## Claims

### Claim 1

Gas supply apparatus comprising:
(a) a plasma chamber defining an interior space;
(b) first gas inlet means for supplying a first gas to the interior space of said chamber;
(c) plasma conversion means for converting said first gas to a plasma in said interior space so as to form plasma-activated species;
(d) second gas supply means for supplying a second gas reactive with said active species; and
(e) means defining an activated species outlet orifice communicating with said plasma chamber, and a second gas outlet orifice connected to said second gas supply means, one of said outlet orifices surrounding the other one of said outlet orifices whereby said second gas and said activated species will be discharged from said outlet orifices as streams and one of said streams will surround the other one of said streams.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said activated species outlet orifice surrounds said second gas outlet orifice.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 further comprising adjustment means for adjusting the relative location of said second gas outlet orifice conduit with respect to said activated species outlet orifice.

### Claim 4

Apparatus for treating a hollow article comprising:
(a) a treatment chamber;
(b) means for retaining a hollow article at a treatment location within said treatment chamber;
(c) means for converting a first gas to a plasma at a plasma zone remote from said treatment location so that said plasma forms activated species;
(d) means for delivering said activated species to the interior of the hollow article; and
(e) means for delivering a second gas reactive with said activated species to the interior of said article separately from said activated species but simultaneously therewith so that said second gas mixes with said activated species within said article, whereby the interior of the article is exposed to the products of reaction between said second gas and said activated species.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

Apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein said means for retaining a hollow article includes an electrically conductive shell adapted to envelop the exterior of the article, the apparatus further comprising means for applying an electrical potential to said shell.