# US 9,040,629 B1 · Thermally switchable composition > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,040,629 B1 - Document ID: US9040629B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 14/074,578 - Filed: 2013-11-07 - Published: 2015-05-07 - Granted: 2015-05-26 - Earliest claimed: 2013-11-07 - Assignees: Xerox Corporation - Applicants: Xerox Corporation - Inventors: Gabriel Iftime; Gordon Sisler; Carolyn Moorlag; Matthew Heuft; Gail Song; Brynn Dooley - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9040629B1 ## CPC - C09D 183/04: Polysiloxanes - C09D 133/26: Homopolymers or copolymers of acrylamide or methacrylamide - C08F 8/00: Chemical modification by after-treatment (graft polymers, block polymers, crosslinking with unsaturated monomers or with polymers C08F251/00 - C08F299/00; of conjugated diene rubbers C08C) - C08L 83/00: Compositions of macromolecular compounds obtained by reactions forming in the main chain of the macromolecule a linkage containing silicon with or without sulfur, nitrogen, oxygen or carbon only; Compositions of derivatives of such polymers - 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) - C08F: MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS OBTAINED BY REACTIONS ONLY INVOLVING CARBON-TO-CARBON UNSATURATED BONDS - C08L: COMPOSITIONS OF MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS (compositions based on polymerisable monomers C08F, C08G; artificial filaments or fibres D01F; textile treating compositions D06) ## Abstract A composition including a stimulus-responsive polymer, a base polymer and a catalyst, wherein the surface free energy of the stimulus-responsive polymer is reversibly adjustable from a first surface free energy state to a second surface free energy state when heated to an activation temperature, and wherein the base polymer does not include a platinum catalyst is described. A method of preparing the composition and a method of adjusting a surface free energy of the composition is also described. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A composition comprising a stimulus-responsive polymer, a silicone base polymer and a catalyst, wherein the surface free energy of the stimulus-responsive polymer is reversibly adjustable from a first surface free energy state to a second surface free energy state when heated to an activation temperature, and wherein the base composition does not include a platinum catalyst. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The polymer composition according to claim 1, wherein the surface free energy of the first surface free energy state is from about 25 to about 65 dynes/cm, and the surface free energy of the second surface free energy state is from about 8 to about 30 dynes/cm. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The polymer composition according to claim 1, wherein the catalyst is an organometallic catalyst comprising tin or titanium. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The polymer composition according to claim 1, wherein the stimulus-responsive polymer comprises a monomer unit selected from the group consisting of N-isopropylacrylamide, N-ethylacrylamide, N-n-propylacrylamide, N-ethyl,N-methylacrylamide, N,N-diethylacrylamide, N-isopropyl,N-methylacrylamide, N-cyclopropylacrylamide, N-acryloylpyrrolidine, N-acryloylpiperidine, N-vinyl-caprolactam, 2-alkyl-2-oxazoline, an alkyl-substituted cellulose, and mixtures thereof. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The polymer composition according to claim 1, wherein the stimulus-responsive polymer is selected from the group consisting of poly-(N-isopropylacrylamide), poly-(N-ethylacrylamide), poly-(N-n-propylacrylamide), poly(N-ethyl,N-methylacrylamide), poly(N,N-diethylacrylamide), poly(N-isopropyl,N-methylacrylamide), poly(N-cyclopropylacrylamide), poly(N-acryloylpyrrolidine), poly(N-acryloylpiperidine), poly(N-vinyl-caprolactam, poly(2-alkyl-2-oxazoline), alkyl-substituted celluloses, and mixtures thereof. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The polymer composition according to claim 1, wherein the activation temperature is from about 10° C. to about 120° C. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The polymer composition according to claim 1, wherein the stimulus-responsive polymer is selected from the group consisting of a polymer of Formula I: wherein, R1 and R2 are independently a hydrogen or alkyl having from 1 to about 10 carbon atoms, cycloalkyl with a number of carbons from about 3 to about 10, or a heterocycle incorporating the nitrogen atom in Formula I that is capable of forming hydrogen bonds, the heterocycle having with a number of carbons from 3 to 5, and n is a number from 1 to 1000; a polymer of Formula II: wherein n is as defined above; a polymer of Formula III: wherein R is an alkyl group selected from the group consisting of propyl, isopropyl, and ethyl, and n is as defined above; a polymer of Formula IV: wherein n is as defined above; and mixtures thereof. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The polymer composition according to claim 1, wherein the stimulus-responsive polymer is present in an amount of from about 5% to about 80% compared to the base polymer. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The polymer composition according to claim 1, wherein the polymer composition comprises poly-(N-isopropylacrylamide) as the stimulus-responsive polymer, the base polymer is formed from a room temperature vulcanizing silicone polymer, and the catalyst is a tin catalyst. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) A device comprising the polymer composition according to claim 1. ### Claim 11 A method of preparing a polymer composition, the method comprising: mixing a stimulus-responsive polymer, a silicone base polymer, and a catalyst to create a mixture; wherein the surface free energy of the stimulus-responsive polymer is reversibly adjustable from a first surface free energy state to a second free energy state when heated to or above an activation temperature, and wherein the catalyst is not a platinum catalyst. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method according to claim 11, wherein the method further comprises curing the mixture. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The method according to claim 11, wherein the stimulus-responsive polymer is present in an amount of from about 5% to about 80% compared to the base polymer. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The method according to claim 11, wherein before the mixing, the base polymer contains the catalyst, and the base polymer containing the catalyst, and the stimulus-responsive polymer, are each separately dispersed in a solvent. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method according to claim 14, wherein the solvent used to separately disperse the base polymer containing the catalyst and the stimulus-responsive polymer is the same solvent. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The method according to claim 11, wherein the stimulus-responsive polymer is selected from the group consisting of poly-(N-isopropylacrylamide), poly-(N-ethylacrylamide), poly-(N-n-propylacrylamide), poly(N-ethyl,N-methylacrylamide), poly(N,N-diethylacrylamide), poly(N-isopropyl,N-methylacrylamide), poly(N-cyclopropylacrylamide), poly(N-acryloylpyrrolidine), poly(N-acryloylpiperidine), poly(N-vinyl-caprolactam, poly(2-alkyl-2-oxazoline), alkyl-substituted celluloses, and mixtures thereof. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The method according to claim 11, wherein the base polymer is formed from a room temperature vulcanizing silicone polymer. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The method according to claim 11, wherein the catalyst is a tin catalyst. ### Claim 19 A method of adjusting a surface free energy of a composition comprising a silicone polymer, a catalyst, and a stimulus-responsive polymer, the method comprising: heating the composition to an activation temperature, wherein the catalyst is not a platinum catalyst, and the adjustment of the surface free energy of the composition is reversible by cooling the composition.