Self-assembling surface coating
AssigneeEmpire Technology Development LLC
InventorJanelle Gunther
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Mechanisms for coating surfaces of materials, the resulting coated materials, and solutions for use in material-coating processes are described. Triblock molecule components may be selected for desired properties. When applied in solution to a material, the molecules self-assemble into similarly oriented micro- or nanostructures coating the surface of the material. Various molecule properties can be tailored to produce a range of desirable surface coating properties. The surface coating may optionally be self cleaning if selected to be appropriately hydrophobic, allowing water and particulates to roll off of the surface with minimal friction.
Claims16
A solution tailored for coating material surfaces, comprising:
- a solvent;
- triblock molecules mixed in the solvent, each triblock molecule comprising:
- an end group portion comprising:
- a rigid rod portion comprising an aggregating phenol derivative;
- and
- a terminal group portion comprising a hydroxyl group or carbon trifluoride;
- a flexible spacer portion comprising a repeating hydrocarbon polymer with a double bond;
- a random coil portion comprising molecules including styrene, wherein the random coil portion comprises dendrimers;
- a hydrophilic end disposed proximal to the end group portion;
- a hydrophobic end opposite the hydrophilic end, wherein hydrophobicity of the hydrophobic end is tailored to a desired hydrophobicity of a surface coating formed from nanostructures produced by self-assembly of the triblock molecules during evaporation of the solvent;
- and
- a bulk polymer blended with the triblock molecules to develop surface texture of the surface coating.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.