Fabrication of micro- and nano-particle coated materials

{
  "publication_number": "US10604677B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Fabrication of micro- and nano-particle coated materials",
  "abstract": "According to various aspects and embodiments, materials having a modified surface to increase hydrophobicity and methods of making the same are disclosed. In accordance with one or more aspects, a method of enhancing a surface of a substrate may comprise bonding silane monomers onto the surface of the substrate, and polymerizing the silane monomers to form surface-attached hydrophobic particles comprising silane polymers.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A method of controlling a degree of hydrophobicity of a surface of a substrate, wherein the surface of the substrate has hydroxyl groups and surface-adsorbed water molecules thereon, the method comprising: oligomerizing silane monomers with the surface-adsorbed water molecules present on the surface of the substrate to form silane oligomers and expose the hydroxyl groups on the surface of the substrate; reacting the silane oligomers with the exposed hydroxyl groups to covalently bind the silane oligomers onto the surface of the substrate; polymerizing the covalently bound silane oligomers with remaining surface-adsorbed water molecules and additional silane monomers and/or additional silane oligomers to form a plurality of discrete, spherical, surface-attached hydrophobic micro- and/or nano-particles comprising silane polymers; and controlling a size of each of the plurality of surface-attached hydrophobic micro- and/or nano-particles and a proximity of each of the surface-attached hydrophobic micro- and/or nano-particles relative to each other.",
    "2. The method of claim 1, wherein the substrate is hydrophilic.",
    "3. The method of claim 2, wherein the substrate is a porous material.",
    "4. The method of claim 3, wherein the substrate is cellulose.",
    "5. The method of claim 1, wherein the substrate is silicon.",
    "6. The method of claim 1, further comprising controlling an amount of surface-adsorbed water molecules present on the surface of the substrate.",
    "7. The method of claim 1, wherein the polymerizing comprises controlling a rate of crosslinking of silane polymers.",
    "8. The method of claim 1, wherein the substrate comprises a pre-patterned microfibril network and the reacting occurs at predetermined positions on the pre-patterned microfibril network.",
    "9. The method of claim 1, further comprising delivering the silane monomers via chemical vapor deposition.",
    "10. The method of claim 9, wherein chemical vapor deposition is performed at or below atmospheric pressure.",
    "11. The method of claim 10, wherein chemical vapor deposition is performed at a predetermined temperature in the range of about 25° C. to about 100° C. to optimize an evaporation rate and reaction rate during bonding.",
    "12. The method of claim 1, further comprising controlling one or more of temperature and reaction time.",
    "13. The method of claim 1, further comprising controlling a surface roughness by controlling the rate of crosslinking of silane polymers during polymerization.",
    "14. The method of claim 1, wherein controlling a size of each of the plurality of surface-attached hydrophobic micro- and/or nano-particles and a proximity of each of the surface-attached hydrophobic micro- and/or nano-particles relative to each other comprises forming a surface-attached hydrophobic film."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The technical field relates generally to the modification of a substrate to impart hydrophobic properties.\n\nIn accordance with one or more aspects, a method of enhancing a surface of a substrate may comprise bonding silane monomers onto the surface of the substrate, and polymerizing the silane monomers to form surface-attached hydrophobic particles comprising silane polymers.\n\nIn some aspects, the substrate is hydrophilic. In at least some aspects, the substrate is a porous material. The substrate may be cellulose or silicon in some non-limiting aspects. Polymerizing the silane monomers may comprise controlling an amount of water present on or in the substrate. Polymerizing the silane monomers may comprise controlling a rate of crosslinking of silane polymers. The substrate may comprise a pre-patterned microfibril network and bonding may occur at predetermined positions on the pre-patterned microfibril network. In some aspects, bonding may comprise performing chemical vapor deposition. Chemical vapor deposition may be performed at or below atmospheric pressure. Chemical vapor deposition may be performed at a predetermined temperature in the range of about 25° C. to about 100° C. to optimize an evaporation rate and reaction rate during bonding.\n\nIn at least some aspects, bonding may comprise controlling one or more of the parameters of temperature and reaction time. The method may further comprise controlling a surface roughness by controlling the degree of crosslinking during polymerization. Polymerizing the monomers may further comprise forming a surface-attached hydrophobic film.",
  "cpc": [
    "C09D 183/08",
    "C08G 77/24",
    "C09D 183/04",
    "C09D 5/00"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "C09D 183/08",
    "C09D 5/00",
    "C08G 77/24",
    "C09D 183/04"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "University of Massachusetts Amherst"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Martin Thuo",
    "Ian Tevis",
    "Stephanie Oyola-Reynoso"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2015-10-30",
  "publication_date": "2020-03-31",
  "grant_date": "2020-03-31",
  "priority_date": "2014-10-31",
  "application_number": "US-201515521510-A",
  "family_id": "55858410",
  "cited_by_count": 3,
  "citations": [
    "US20110165808A1",
    "US20070141365A1",
    "US20100035074A1",
    "US20080241512A1",
    "US20090192429A1",
    "US20130165350A1"
  ]
}