Method of making a microstructured coated article
Assignee3M Innovative Properties Company
InventorsRobert J. Fleming, Joseph M. McGrath, Christopher S. Lyons
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Abstract
A method of making a polymer coating on a microstructured substrate. The method may be performed by vaporizing a liquid monomer or other pre-polymer composition and condensing the vaporized material onto a microstructured substrate, followed by curing. The resulting article may possess a coating that preserves the underlying microstructural feature profile. Such a profile-preserving polymer coating can be used to change or enhance the surface properties of the microstructured substrate while maintaining the function of the structure.
Claims12
A method of making a microstructured coated article, which method comprises the steps of:
- (a) condensing a pre-polymer vapor comprising an organometallic species onto a microstructured surface to form a curable precursor coating;
- and
- (b) curing the precursor coating disposed on the microstructured surface;
- wherein the microstructured surface has a plurality of features that define a profile characterized by local minima and maxima, the separation between neighboring local minima and/or maxima being about 1 μm to about 1000 μm.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.