Method and apparatus for providing a conductive, amorphous non-stick coating
AssigneesMedQuest Products, Inc., University of Utah Research Foundation
InventorsB. Ajit Kumar, Pratap Khanwilkar, Don B. Olsen
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A conductive, non-stick coating is provided using a ceramic material which is conductive, flexible and provides a surface which exhibits the property of lubricity. A room or near room temperature manufacturing process produces a coating of titanium nitride on a substrate, where the coating is amorphous if the substrate is a solid material including plastics, composites, metals, magnets, and ceramics, enabling the substrate to bend without damaging the coating. The coating can also be applied as a conformal coating on a variety of substrate shapes, depending upon the application. The coating is bio-compatible and can be applied to a variety of medical devices.
Claims39
A method for providing a wear-resistant ceramic coating on a substrate which is used in an abrasive environment, such that the substrate is not deformed during a process of applying the wear-resistant ceramic coating to the substrate, said method comprising the steps of:
- selecting at least one ceramic from a group of ceramics consisting of transition metal nitrides;
- using a generally room temperature application process to apply said at least one selected ceramic as an angstrom-thick, continuous, conductive and amorphous ceramic coating directly on the substrate in the absence of a sub-coating;
- said amorphous ceramic coating bonding to the substrate by way of an interfacial nanometer-thick bonding layer that consists of both the substrate and said at least one selected ceramic;
- the substrate not being damaged by said generally room temperature application process;
- said amorphous ceramic coating being characterized as not having a crystalline structure;
- said amorphous coating having no grain boundaries;
- and
- said amorphous coating having uniform properties and deformation behavior at the nanometer level, thereby enabling the substrate and said amorphous ceramic coating to be deformed without fracturing.
A method for providing a ceramic coating on a semiconductor material, said method comprising the steps of:
- selecting a ceramic from a group of ceramics consisting of transition metal nitrides;
- using a generally room temperature application process to apply said selected ceramic as a thin amorphous ceramic coating directly onto the semiconductor material in the absence of a sub-coating;
- said amorphous ceramic coating bonding to the semiconductor material by way of an interfacial nanometer thick bonding layer that consists of both the semiconductor material and said selected ceramic;
- and
- said amorphous ceramic coating forming a continuous, conductive, and amorphous coating which is not characterized as having a crystalline structure, to thereby enable said amorphous ceramic coating to be deformed without fracturing.
A method for providing a wear-resistant ceramic coating on a magnetic member whose magnetic properties can be damaged by thermal energy, such that the magnetic member retains its magnetic properties during a process of applying the wear-resistant ceramic coating to the magnetic member, said method comprising the steps of:
- selecting a ceramic from a group of ceramics consisting of transition metal nitrides;
- using a generally room temperature application process to apply said selected ceramic directly to the magnetic member in the absence of a sub-coating and as a thin and continuous amorphous coating;
- said amorphous coating bonding to the magnetic member by way of an interfacial nanometer-thick bonding layer that consists of both the magnetic member and said selected ceramic;
- the properties of the magnetic material not being damaged by thermal energy of said generally room temperature application process;
- and
- said amorphous coating being a coating that does not have a crystalline structure, to thereby enable said amorphous coating to deform without fracturing.
A method for providing a wear-resistant ceramic coating on a heat-sensitive member which is used in an abrasive environment, such that the heat-sensitive member is not damaged or degraded during a process of applying the wear-resistant ceramic coating onto the heat-sensitive member, said method comprising the steps of:
- selecting a ceramic from a group of ceramics consisting of transition metal nitrides;
- using a generally room temperature application process to apply said selected ceramic as an angstroms-thick, wear-resistant, ceramic coating directly on the heat-sensitive member in the absence of a sub-coating;
- said wear-resistant ceramic coating bonding to the heat-sensitive member by way of an interfacial thick-thick bonding layer that consists of both the heat-sensitive member and said selected ceramic;
- the heat-sensitive material not being deformed by heat generated by said generally room temperature application process;
- said wear-resistant ceramic coating forming a continuous, conductive, and amorphous coating on the heat-sensitive member;
- and
- said wear-resistant ceramic coating not having a crystalline structure, to thereby enable said wear-resistant ceramic coating to be deformed without fracturing said wear-resistant ceramic coating.
A method for providing a wear-resistant ceramic coating on a material that is usable in an environment that is detrimental to the material, such that the material is covered with a continuous, smooth and fatigue-resistant ceramic coating, said method comprising the steps of:
- selecting a ceramic from a group of ceramics consisting of transition metal nitrides;
- using a generally room temperature application process to apply said selected ceramic as an angstroms-thick, wear-resistant, ceramic coating directly on the material in the absence of a sub-coating;
- said wear-resistant ceramic coating bonding to the material by way of an interfacial nanometer-thick bonding layer that consists of both the material and said selected ceramic;
- said wear-resistant ceramic coating enhancing wear-resistance, lubricity and strength of the material;
- and
- said wear-resistant ceramic coating being a continuous, conductive, and amorphous ceramic coating that cannot be characterized as having a crystalline structure, to thereby enable the wear-resistant coating to be deformed without fracturing.
A method for providing a wear-resistant ceramic coating on a ceramic member which can be damaged by thermal energy, such that the ceramic member is not damaged during a process of applying the wear-resistant ceramic coating to the ceramic member, said method comprising the steps of:
- providing a quantity of titanium nitride ceramic;
- using a generally room temperature application process to apply said titanium nitride ceramic as an angstrom-thick, wear-resistant, ceramic coating directly to the ceramic member in the absence of a sub-coating, and such that the ceramic member is not damaged by said generally room temperature application process;
- said wear-resistant ceramic coating bonding to the ceramic member by way of an interfacial nanometer-thick bonding layer that consists of both the ceramic member and said titanium nitride ceramic;
- said wear-resistant ceramic coating forming a continuous, conductive, and amorphous ceramic coating on the ceramic member that does not have a crystalline structure, to thereby enable said wear resistant coating to be deformable without fracturing.
A method providing a bio-compatible coating on a temperature-sensitive member used in a medical device such that the temperature sensitive member is not damaged during a process that applies the bio-compatible coating to the temperature sensitive member, said method comprising the steps of:
- selecting a ceramic from a group of ceramics consisting of transition metal nitrides;
- using a generally room temperature application process to apply said selected ceramic as a thin bio-compatible ceramic coating directly on the temperature-sensitive member in the absence of a sub-coating, such that the temperature-sensitive member is not damaged by thermal energy of said generally room temperature application process;
- said bio-compatible ceramic coating bonding to the temperature-sensitive member by way of a nanometer-thick interfacial layer that consists of both said selected ceramic and the temperature-sensitive member;
- said bio-compatible ceramic coating forming a continuous, conductive, and amorphous coating not having a crystalline structure, to thereby enable the bio-compatible ceramic coating to be deformable without fracturing;
- and
- placing the temperature-sensitive member and its bio-compatible ceramic coating in the medical device, to thereby enable the medical device to be utilized in a medical environment.
A method for utilizing a nonbio-compatible member in an implantable medical device, wherein the implantable medical device is made safe for implantation, said method comprising the steps of:
- selecting a bio-compatible ceramic from a group of ceramics consisting of transition metal nitrides;
- using a generally room temperature application process to apply said selected bio-compatible ceramic as an amorphous coating directly onto the nonbio-compatible member in the absence of a sub-coating;
- said amorphous coating having a thickness in the range of from about 5,000 to about 10,000 angstroms;
- said amorphous coating bonding to the nonbio-compatible member by way of an nanometer-thick interfacial layer that consists of both said selected bio-compatible ceramic and the nonbio-compatible member;
- said amorphous coating forming a continuous, conductive, and amorphous coating that completely covers the nonbio-compatible member;
- said amorphous coating having substantially no crystalline structure, to thereby enable said amorphous coating to be deformable without fracturing;
- and
- placing the coated nonbio-compatible member in the implantable medical device.
A method for creating a diffusion barrier within a medical device, the diffusion barrier being disposed on a permeable membrane through which fluids and gases will normally diffuse, said method comprising the steps of:
- selecting a ceramic from a group consisting of titanium nitride, aluminum oxide, titanium carbide, silicon carbide, silicon nitride, born nitride and zirconia;
- using a generally room temperature process to apply said selected ceramic directly onto the permeable membrane as a diffusion barrier in the absence of a sub-coating;
- said diffusion barrier being from about 5,000 to about 10,000 angstroms thick;
- said diffusion barrier bonding to the permeable membrane by way of a nanometer-thick interfacial layer that consists of both said selected ceramic and the permeable membrane;
- said diffusion barrier forming a continuous amorphous coating on the permeable membrane;
- said diffusion barrier having no appreciable crystalline structure;
- and
- said diffusion barrier reducing penetration of fluids and gases through the permeable membrane.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.