Method for modifying surfaces with ultra thin films

Claim 1

A method for applying an ultra thin film comprising amphiphilic molecules to a substrate surface that is chemically unreactive with or inadequately chemically reactive with said molecules, comprising the steps of: (a) providing a substrate having a surface that has an inadequate number of or no available surface groups that are chemically reactive with amphiphilic molecules, wherein said substrate surface becomes porous when heated to a temperature in the range of 30° C. to 120° C. and newly exposes a surface matrix comprising moieties that are chemically reactive with the amphiphilic molecules; (b) providing a composition that comprises a film forming substance dispersed in a carrier that has a gel state at a temperature below 25° C. and a liquid state at a temperature of 30° C. to 120° C., the film forming substance comprising amphiphilic molecules that are chemically reactive with the chemically reactive moieties of the surface matrix and are capable of automatically separating from the composition and of self-assembly and self-polymerization in the surface matrix, the carrier having a consistency in the gel state and the liquid state sufficient to inhibit diffusion of moisture and oxygen into the composition and to hold the molecules in suspension so that agglomeration of the molecules is minimized, wherein the film forming substance consists essentially of RmSiXn, where R is apolar and is selected from the group of compounds having 6 to 30 carbon atoms consisting essentially of alkyls, alkyl ethers, fluorinated alkyls, fluorinated alkyl ethers, diacetylenes, vinyl unsaturated groups, fused linear aromatic moieties, and branched aromatic moieties, where X is selected from the group consisting essentially of halogens, hydroxy, alkoxy and acetoxy, and where m=0-3 and n=1-4 and m plus n equals four; (c) heating the composition to a temperature of 30° C. to 120° C. to form a heated liquid composition; (d) immersing the substrate in the heated liquid composition for a period of time sufficient to heat the substrate surface to a temperature at which it forms pores in which the chemically reactive moieties within the surface matrix are exposed, wherein during said period of time the amphiphilic molecules automatically separate from the heated liquid compositions impregnate the surface matrix, chemically bond to the exposed chemically reactive moieties within the surface matrix, self-assemble and self-polymerize within the surface matrix, and further self-polymerize to bridge the surface area between the pores to form a substantially continuous thin film on the substrate surface, wherein the film has a substantially uniform thickness not greater than about 0.5 microns; (e) washing an excess of said composition from the substrate surface and the surface matrix with a heated liquid having a temperature of 30° C. to 80° C.; and (f) cooling the substrate surface to a temperature sufficient to secure the polymerized amphiphilic molecules in-situ.

Claim 2

A method for applying an ultra thin film comprising amphiphilic molecules to a substrate surface that is chemically unreactive with or inadequately chemically reactive with said molecules, comprising the steps of: (a) providing a substrate having a surface that has an inadequate number of or no available surface groups that are chemically reactive with amphiphilic molecules, wherein said substrate surface becomes porous when heated to a temperature in the range of 30° C. to 120° C. and newly exposes a surface matrix comprising moieties that are chemically reactive with the amphiphilic molecules; (b) providing a composition that comprises a film forming substance dispersed in a carrier that has a gel state at a temperature below 25° C. and a liquid state at a temperature of 30° C. to 120° C., the film forming substance comprising amphiphilic molecules that are chemically reactive with the chemically reactive moieties of the surface matrix and are capable of automatically separating from the composition and of self-assembly and self-polymerization in the surface matrix, the carrier having a consistency in the gel state and the liquid state sufficient to inhibit diffusion of moisture and oxygen into the composition and to hold the molecules in suspension so that agglomeration of the molecules is minimized, wherein the film forming substance consists essentially of RmSiXn, where R is apolar and is selected from the group of compounds having 6 to 30 carbon atoms consisting essentially of alkyls, alkyl ethers, fluorinated alkyls, fluorinated alkyl ethers, diacetylenes, vinyl unsaturated groups, fused linear aromatic moieties, and branched aromatic moieties, where X is selected from the group consisting essentially of halogens, hydroxy, alkoxy and acetoxy, and where m=0-3 and n=1-4 and m plus n equals four; (c) heating the composition to a temperature of 30° C. to 120° C. to form a heated liquid composition; (d) immersing the substrate in the heated liquid composition for a period of time sufficient to heat the substrate surface to a temperature at which it forms pores in which the chemically reactive moieties within the surface matrix are exposed, wherein during said period of time the amphiphilic molecules automatically separate from the heated liquid compositions impregnate the surface matrix, chemically bond to the exposed chemically reactive moieties within the surface matrix, self-assemble and self-polymerize within the surface matrix, and further self-polymerize to bridge the surface area between the pores to form a substantially continuous thin film on the substrate surface, wherein the film has a substantially uniform thickness not greater than about 0.5 microns; (e) washing an excess of said composition from the substrate surface and the surface matrix with a heated liquid having a temperature of 30° C. to 80° C.; and (f) cooling the substrate surface to a temperature sufficient to secure the polymerized amphiphilic molecules in-situ.