US4163702A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Process for rendering surfaces permanently water wettable and novel product thus-produced
Assignee: General Electric Co
•
Filing: 1978-03-29
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Granted: 1979-08-07
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Expires: 1998-03-29
Abstract
Abstract The surfaces of articles of manufacture fabricated from aluminum and other material which are not permanently water wettable are rendered permanently water wettable by coating the surface with a continuous film of the free acid form of an acidic film forming polymer which forms water soluble salts, said film containing a curing agent for the polymer; contacting the polymer film under aqueous conditions with colloidal alumina or a polyvalent metal salt; curing the polymer to water insolubility; and, when required to render the cured film water wettable, hydrolyzing the surface portion only of the cured polymer.
Inventors
- 👤 Milton E. Rickert, Jr.
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 22:19
CPC Classifications
C; C25; C25D; C25D13/00; C25D13/22; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T428/00; Y10T428/31504; Y10T428/31678; Y10T428/31688; Y10T428/31692
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 37
Claim 1
Independent Claim
139 words
A process for rendering permanently water wettable a surface of an article of manufacture which normally is not water wettable or which loses its water wettability upon exposure to air or water, which comprises the steps of: (a) coating the surface with a continuous film of the free acid form of a film forming acidic polymer which forms water soluble salts and which is curable to water insolubility, said film containing a curing agent for the polymer; (b) contacting the thus-coated surface, under aqueous conditions which retain the polymer coating on the surface, with colloidal alumina or a water soluble salt of a polyvalent metal; (c) curing the thus-contacted polymer on the substrate surface to water insolubility; and, if required to render the cured polymer coating water wettable, thereafter hydrolyzing substantially only the surface portion of the cured polymer.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
139 words
A process for rendering permanently water wettable a surface of an article of manufacture which normally is not water wettable or which loses its water wettability upon exposure to air or water, which comprises the steps of: (a) coating the surface with a continuous film of the free acid form of a film forming acidic polymer which forms water soluble salts and which is curable to water insolubility, said film containing a curing agent for the polymer; (b) contacting the thus-coated surface, under aqueous conditions which retain the polymer coating on the surface, with colloidal alumina or a water soluble salt of a polyvalent metal; (c) curing the thus-contacted polymer on the substrate surface to water insolubility; and, if required to render the cured polymer coating water wettable, thereafter hydrolyzing substantially only the surface portion of the cured polymer.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
10 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the surface is metal.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
39 words
A metal article of manufacture presenting a surface rendered permanently water wettable by a water-insoluble coating thereon of a water-soluble acidic polymer which has been cured to water-insolubility and rendered water wettable according to the process of claim 2.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
10 words
The process of claim 2 wherein the metal is aluminum.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
14 words
The process of claim 4 wherein the article of manufacture is a refrigerator evaporator.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
41 words
An article of manufacture formed of aluminum presenting a surface rendered permanently water wettable by a water-insoluble coating thereon of a water-soluble acidic polymer which has been cured to water-insolubility and rendered water wettable according to the process of claim 4.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
16 words
An aluminum article of manufacture according to claim 6 wherein the polymer is a polyacrylic acid.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
8 words
An aluminum refrigerator evaporator according to claim 7.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
37 words
A process of claim 1 wherein the polymer and the curing agent are applied to the surface from an aqueous solution of a mixture of the curing agent and an ammonium or amine salt of the polymer.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
26 words
A process of claim 9 wherein the surface is a metal and the surface is coated with the polymer in free acid form by anodic electrodeposition.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
48 words
The process of claim 9 wherein the surface is coated with the ammonium or amine salt of the polymer and the polymer in the coating is then converted to its free acid form prior to step (b) by heating the coating below the curing temperature of the polymer.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
31 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the curing agent for the polymer is a cross-linking agent for the polymer under the influence of heat and the polymer is cured by heating.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
13 words
The process of claim 12 wherein the cross-linking agent is a melamine-formaldehyde condensate.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
12 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the polymer is a polyacrylic acid.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
22 words
The process of claim 1 wherein in step (b) the coated surface is contacted with an acidic aqueous colloidal dispersion of alumina.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
32 words
The process of claim 1 wherein in step (b) the coated surface is contacted with an acidic aqueous solution of salt of magnesium, aluminum, calcium, manganese, iron, cobalt, nickel, copper or zinc.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
12 words
The process of claim 16 wherein the salt is a manganous salt.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
12 words
The process of claim 16 wherein the salt is a magnesium salt.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
12 words
The process of claim 16 wherein the salt is a calcium salt.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
12 words
The process of claim 16 wherein the salt is an aluminum salt.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
22 words
The process of claim 1 wherein in step (c) the polymer is hydrolyzed with water at a pH of 7 or higher.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
21 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the polymer coating has a thickness of about 3×10 -3 to about 40×10 -3 mm.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
21 words
The process of claim 1 wherein in step (b) the coated surface is immersed briefly in the aqueous dispersion or solution.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
65 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the surface is aluminum, wherein the curing agent is a cross-linking agent for the polymer under the influence of heat, wherein the acidic polymer is a polyacrylic acid which is coated on the surface in step (a) from an aqueous solution of an ammonium or amine salt thereof, and wherein in step (c) the polymer is cured by heating.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
23 words
The process of claim 24 wherein in step (a) the surface is coated with the polymer in free acid form by anodic electrodeposition.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
66 words
The process of claim 25 wherein in step (b) the coated substrate is immersed in an acidic aqueous colloidal dispersion of alumina or with an acidic aqueous solution of the polyvalent metal salt while the substrate is a cathode in a field of direct electrical current passed through the suspension or solution, thereby forming a coating on the substrate which is permanently water wettable upon curing.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
43 words
The process according to claim 26 wherein in step (b) the coated substrate is connected to the negative terminal of a source of direct current and is immersed into an acidic aqueous colloidal dispersion of alumina, through which the direct current is passed.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
21 words
The process of claim 24 wherein the polymer coating has a thickness of about 3×10 -3 to about 40×10 -3 mm.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
51 words
The process of claim 28 wherein the article of manufacture is a refrigerator evaporator, wherein in step (a) the surface is coated with the polymer in free acid form by anodic electrodeposition, and wherein in step (b) the coated surface is immersed briefly in an acidic aqueous colloidal dispersion of alumina.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
57 words
The process of claim 28 wherein the article of manufacture is a refrigerator evaporator, wherein in step (a) the surface is coated with the polymer in free acid form by anodic electrodeposition, and wherein in step (b) the coated surface thereof is immersed briefly in an acidic aqueous solution of a magnesium, aluminum, calcium or manganous salt.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
34 words
The process of claim 24 wherein in step (b) the coated surface is immersed briefly in an acidic aqueous solution of a salt of Mg, Al, Ca, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu or Zn.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
17 words
The process of claim 31 wherein the metal salt is a magnesium aluminum, calcium or manganous salt.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
17 words
The process of claim 24 wherein the curing agent for the polymer is a melamine formaldehyde condensate.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
23 words
The process of claim 24 wherein in step (b) the coated surface is immersed briefly in an acidic aqueous colloidal dispersion of alumina.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
14 words
The process of claim 24 wherein the article of manufacture is a refrigerator evaporator.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
28 words
A process according to claim 1 wherein in Step (c) the coated surface is rendered water wettable by hydrolyzing substantially only the surface portion of the cured polymer.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3382165A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1982-08-06 | 1983-02-05 | 1983-08-07 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1986-08-06 | 1987-02-05 | 1987-08-07 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1990-08-06 | 1991-02-05 | 1991-08-07 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |