# US 8,465,812 B2 · Durable transparent intelligent coatings for polymeric transparencies > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,465,812 B2 - Document ID: US8465812B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 12/409,369 - Filed: 2009-03-23 - Published: 2010-09-23 - Granted: 2013-06-18 - Earliest claimed: 2009-03-23 - Assignees: The Boeing Company - Applicants: Kjersta L. Larson-Smith; Vasan S. Sundaram; David A. Bowen; Shawn M. Pare; Liam S. C. Pingree - Inventors: Kjersta L. Larson-Smith; Vasan S. Sundaram; David A. Bowen; Shawn M. Pare; Liam S. C. Pingree - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8465812B2 ## CPC - G01N 27/02: by investigating impedance - B64C 1/1484: {Windows (B64C1/1492 takes precedence)} - C09D 1/00: Coating compositions, e.g. paints, varnishes or lacquers, based on inorganic substances - C23C 16/0272: {Deposition of sub-layers, e.g. to promote the adhesion of the main coating} - C23C 16/401: {containing silicon} - G01N 27/04: by investigating resistance - B05D 1/62: {Plasma-deposition of organic layers (plasma deposition in general C23C14/00, C23C16/00)} - B05D 7/50: {Multilayers} - B05D 2201/00: Polymeric substrate or laminate - G01N 17/00: Investigating resistance of materials to the weather, to corrosion, or to light - Y10T 428/24942: including components having same physical characteristic in differing degree - Y10T 428/24983: Hardness - Y10T 428/31504: Composite [nonstructural laminate] - G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q) - B64C: AEROPLANES; HELICOPTERS - C09D: COATING COMPOSITIONS, e.g. PAINTS, VARNISHES OR LACQUERS; FILLING PASTES; CHEMICAL PAINT OR INK REMOVERS; INKS; CORRECTING FLUIDS; WOODSTAINS; PASTES OR SOLIDS FOR COLOURING OR PRINTING; USE OF MATERIALS THEREFOR (cosmetics A61K; processes for applying liquids or other fluent materials to surfaces, in general, B05D; staining wood B27K5/02; glazes or vitreous enamels C03C; natural resins, French polish, drying-oils, driers, turpentine, per se, C09F; polishing compositions other than French polish, ski waxes C09G; adhesives or use of materials as adhesives C09J; materials for sealing or packing joints or covers C09K3/10; materials for stopping leaks C09K3/12; processes for the electrolytic or electrophoretic production of coatings C25D) - 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) - B05D: PROCESSES FOR APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL (conveying articles or workpieces through baths of liquid B65G, e.g. B65G49/02) - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract A hard, transparent coating for a substrate and associated method for coating is disclosed. The coating includes alternating layers of a soft coating and a hard coating. The coating further includes a sensor. The electrical resistivity of the sensor may be measured to determine if the coating has been degraded. The coating may further include a hydrophobic outer layer. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of forming a coating on a substrate, the method comprising: providing a transparent substrate; masking an outer perimeter strip of the substrate before depositing a coating thereon; then depositing at least one soft coating upon the substrate; depositing at least one hard coating upon a soft coating of the at least one soft coating; providing a sensor comprising an electrically conductive material; disposing the sensor between one soft coating of the at least one soft coating and one hard coating of the at least one hard coating; attaching conductive leads to the sensor; wherein the soft coating and the hard coating are deposited by a plasma deposition process; and wherein the soft coating and the hard coating having the general formula SiOxCy. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein a first soft coating is deposited upon the substrate, a first hard coating is deposited upon the first soft coating to form a coating pair, and the sensor is formed upon the first hard coating. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the plasma deposition process is continuous. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the plasma deposition process is discontinuous. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein a plurality of alternating layers of a soft coating and a hard coating are deposited. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor is provided by depositing a conductive material selected from the group of electrically conductive materials consisting of consisting of conductive metal, conductive metal oxides and conductive polymers. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6 wherein the conductive polymers are selected from the group consisting of PEDOT:PSS, polythiophenes, pentacene [6,6]-phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester and fullerine derivatives. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6 wherein the conductive metal oxides are selected from the group consisting of ITO, ZnO, Al-doped ZnO and doped metallic oxides. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the step of disposing the sensor is a deposition technique selected from the group consisting of plasma deposition, chemical vapor deposition and sputtering. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the step of disposing the sensor is a printing technique selected from the group consisting of ink jet printing and screen printing. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the step of disposing the sensor further includes disposing the sensor on and above the hard coating of the at least one hard coating. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the step of attaching conductive leads to the sensor includes installing a busbar on the outer perimeter strip of the substrate and attaching conductive leads from the busbar to the sensor. ### Claim 13 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5 wherein the deposited alternating layers of the soft coating and the hard coating have differing SiOxCy compositions. ### Claim 14 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5 wherein the alternating layers of the soft coating and the hard coating have the same SiOxCy compositions and the steps of depositing the at least one soft coating and the at least one hard coating comprise different parameters that provide the coatings with different mechanical properties. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14 wherein the parameters for depositing the alternating layers of the soft coating and the hard coating include bias voltage, pressure, temperature and flow rate. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15 wherein the mechanical properties include coating density, coating hardness and coating modulus. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein depositing the at least one soft coating and the at least one hard coating further includes Electron Cyclotron resonance deposition. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further including an additional step, after depositing the at least one soft coating and the at least one hard coating, of depositing a hydrophobic layer as an outermost layer. ### Claim 19 A method of forming a coating on a substrate, the method comprising: providing a transparent substrate; depositing at least one soft coating upon the substrate; depositing at least one hard coating upon a soft coating of the at least one soft coating; providing a sensor comprising an electrically conductive material; disposing the sensor between one soft coating of the at least one soft coating and one hard coating of the at least one hard coating using a vapor deposition technique wherein the vapor deposition technique is selected from the group consisting of plasma deposition, chemical vapor deposition and sputtering; attaching conductive leads to the sensor; wherein the soft coating and the hard coating are deposited by a plasma deposition process; and wherein the soft coating and the hard coating having the general formula SiOxCy. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein a first soft coating is deposited upon the substrate, a first hard coating is deposited upon the first soft coating to form a coating pair, and the sensor is formed upon the first hard coating. ### Claim 21 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein the plasma deposition process of the soft coating and the hard coating is continuous. ### Claim 22 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein the plasma deposition process of the soft coating and the hard coating is discontinuous. ### Claim 23 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein a plurality of alternating layers of a soft coating and a hard coating are deposited. ### Claim 24 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein the sensor is provided by depositing a conductive material selected from the group of electrically conductive materials consisting of consisting of conductive metal, conductive metal oxides and conductive polymers. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The method of claim 24 wherein the conductive polymers are selected from the group consisting of PEDOT:PSS, polythiophenes, pentacene [6,6]-phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester and fullerine derivatives. ### Claim 26 (depends on 24) The method of claim 24 wherein the conductive metal oxides are selected from the group consisting of ITO, ZnO, Al-doped ZnO and doped metallic oxides. ### Claim 27 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19 wherein the step of disposing the sensor further includes disposing the sensor on and above the hard coating of the at least one hard coating. ### Claim 28 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19 further including the step of masking an outer perimeter strip of the substrate before depositing a coating on the substrate. ### Claim 29 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19 wherein the step of attaching conductive leads to the sensor includes installing a busbar on the outer perimeter strip of the substrate and attaching conductive leads from the busbar to the sensor. ### Claim 30 (depends on 23) The method of claim 23 wherein the deposited alternating layers of the soft coating and the hard coating have differing SiOxCy compositions. ### Claim 31 (depends on 23) The method of claim 23 wherein the alternating layers of the soft coating and the hard coating have the same SiOxCy compositions and the steps of depositing the at least one soft coating and the at least one hard coating comprise different parameters that provide the coatings with different mechanical properties. ### Claim 32 (depends on 31) The method of claim 31 wherein the parameters for depositing the alternating layers of the soft coating and the hard coating include bias voltage, pressure, temperature and flow rate. ### Claim 33 (depends on 32) The method of claim 32 wherein the mechanical properties include coating density, coating hardness and coating modulus. ### Claim 34 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19 wherein depositing the at least one soft coating and the at least one hard coating further includes Electron Cyclotron resonance deposition. ### Claim 35 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19 further including an additional step, after depositing the at least one soft coating and the at least one hard coating, of depositing a hydrophobic layer as an outermost layer. ### Claim 36 A method of forming a coating on a substrate, the method comprising: providing a transparent substrate; depositing at least one soft coating upon the substrate; depositing at least one hard coating upon a soft coating of the at least one soft coating; providing a sensor comprising an electrically conductive material; disposing the sensor between one soft coating of the at least one soft coating and one hard coating of the at least one hard coating using a printing technique, wherein the printing technique is selected from the group consisting of ink jet printing and screen printing; attaching conductive leads to the sensor; wherein the soft coating and the hard coating are deposited by a plasma deposition process; and wherein the soft coating and the hard coating having the general formula SiOxCy. ### Claim 37 (depends on 36) The method of claim 36, wherein a first soft coating is deposited upon the substrate, a first hard coating is deposited upon the first soft coating to form a coating pair, and the sensor is formed upon the first hard coating. ### Claim 38 (depends on 36) The method of claim 36, wherein the plasma deposition process of the soft coating and the hard coating is continuous. ### Claim 39 (depends on 36) The method of claim 36, wherein the plasma deposition process of the soft coating and the hard coating is discontinuous. ### Claim 40 (depends on 36) The method of claim 36, wherein a plurality of alternating layers of a soft coating and a hard coating are deposited. ### Claim 41 (depends on 36) The method of claim 36, wherein the sensor is provided by depositing a conductive material selected from the group of electrically conductive materials consisting of consisting of conductive metal, conductive metal oxides and conductive polymers. ### Claim 42 (depends on 41) The method of claim 41 wherein the conductive polymers are selected from the group consisting of PEDOT:PSS, polythiophenes, pentacene [6,6]-phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester and fullerine derivatives. ### Claim 43 (depends on 41) The method of claim 41 wherein the conductive metal oxides are selected from the group consisting of ITO, ZnO, Al-doped ZnO and doped metallic oxides. ### Claim 44 (depends on 36) The method of claim 36 wherein the step of disposing the sensor further includes disposing the sensor on and above the hard coating of the at least one hard coating. ### Claim 45 (depends on 36) The method of claim 36 further including the step of masking an outer perimeter strip of the substrate before depositing a coating on the substrate. ### Claim 46 (depends on 36) The method of claim 36 wherein the step of attaching conductive leads to the sensor includes installing a busbar on the outer perimeter strip of the substrate and attaching conductive leads from the busbar to the sensor. ### Claim 47 (depends on 40) The method of claim 40 wherein the deposited alternating layers of the soft coating and the hard coating have differing SiOxCy compositions. ### Claim 48 (depends on 40) The method of claim 40 wherein the alternating layers of the soft coating and the hard coating have the same SiOxCy compositions and the steps of depositing the at least one soft coating and the at least one hard coating comprise different parameters that provide the coatings with different mechanical properties. ### Claim 49 (depends on 48) The method of claim 48 wherein the parameters for depositing the alternating layers of the soft coating and the hard coating include bias voltage, pressure, temperature and flow rate. ### Claim 50 (depends on 49) The method of claim 49 wherein the mechanical properties include coating density, coating hardness and coating modulus. ### Claim 51 (depends on 36) The method of claim 36 wherein depositing the at least one soft coating and the at least one hard coating further includes Electron Cyclotron resonance deposition. ### Claim 52 (depends on 36) The method of claim 36 further including an additional step, after depositing the at least one soft coating and the at least one hard coating, of depositing a hydrophobic layer as an outermost layer.