Capped silicone film and method of manufacture thereof

Abstract

A silicone film is attached to a surface by chemical bonding. The silicone film consists of chains of siloxane groups, each chain terminating in an end molecule which is either an ester, an ether, or a halogen. The end molecule is allowed to react with water to produce an OH group. The surface is then contacted with a capping agent which reacts with the OH group to produce a new end group which improves the properties of the film.

1 . A process for treating a surface of a substrate G containing OH or nitrogen hydrogen bonds and surrounded by air, the process including the steps of: 
 a) moistening the surface with water;    b) contacting the surface with silane groups having the formula  
                 
   wherein 
 R represents polar or nonpolar groups including hydrocarbons or halogenated hydrocarbons, and  
 X is selected from the group consisting of esters, ethers, and halogens;  
   c) allowing the silane groups to react with the OH or nitrogen hydrogen bonds and water at the surface to create a film formed of chains having the formula  
                 
   wherein n is around 100 or more;    d) allowing the X atom at the end of the chain to react with water to produce a molecule having the structure  
                 
   at the end of the chain; and    e) contacting the surface with a capping agent having the formula  
                 
   wherein R 1  may include any combination of inert and reactive groups; and    f) allowing the capping agent to react with the molecule to result in a chain having the formula  
                 
   
     
     
         2 . The process according to    claim 1   , wherein the substrate G includes silica molecules.  
     
     
         3 . The process according to    claim 2   , wherein the substrate G is formed from a material selected from the group consisting of glass, ceramics and silica-containing minerals.  
     
     
         4 . The process according to    claim 1   , wherein the substrate G includes organic molecules.  
     
     
         5 . The process according to    claim 1   , wherein R is methyl.  
     
     
         6 . The process according to    claim 1   , wherein R is selected from the group consisting of phenyl, ethyl, methyl, butyl, amyl, and larger alkyl groups.  
     
     
         7 . The process according to    claim 1   , wherein R consists of 50% methyl groups and 50% phenyl groups, resulting in improved abrasion resistance of the film.  
     
     
         8 . The process according to    claim 1   , wherein R consists of polar groups.  
     
     
         9 . The process according to    claim 1   , wherein R consists of nonpolar groups.  
     
     
         10 . The process according to    claim 1   , wherein R 1  consists of chemically inert groups.  
     
     
         11 . The process according to    claim 1   , wherein R 1  consists of chemically reactive groups.  
     
     
         12 . The process according to    claim 1   , wherein the step of contacting the surface with silane groups comprises chemically depositing the siloxane groups on the surface using a vapor machine.  
     
     
         13 . The process according to    claim 1   , wherein the step of contacting the surface with silane groups comprises a wipe-on method.  
     
     
         14 . The process according to    claim 1   , wherein the step of contacting the surface with silane groups comprises a dipping, or spraying procedure.  
     
     
         15 . The process according to    claim 1   , wherein the step of moistening the surface comprises a step of priming the surface with cyclohexylamine.  
     
     
         16 . A process for manufacturing water-resistant glass G in an environment including air, comprising the steps of: 
 a) coating the glass with a somewhat water-resistant film formed of chains having the formula  
                 
   wherein 
 R consists of nonpolar groups,  
 X is selected from the groups consisting of esters, ethers and halogens, and  
 n is around 100 or more,  
   the film being chemically bonded with the glass;    b) allowing the X atom at the end of the chain to react with water to produce a molecule having the structure  
                 
   at the end of the chain; and    c) contacting the surface with a capping agent having the formula  
                 
   wherein R 1  consists of inert groups; and    d) allowing the capping agent to react with the molecule to result in a greatly water-resistant film formed from chains having the formula  
                 
   
     
     
         17 . The process according to    claim 16   , wherein the somewhat water-resistant film comprises chains of dimethylsiloxane.  
     
     
         18 . The process according to    claim 16   , wherein the capping agent is trimethylchlorosilane.  
     
     
         19 . The process according to    claim 16   , wherein R is selected from the group consisting of phenyl, ethyl, methyl, butyl, amyl and larger alkyl groups.  
     
     
         20 . The method according to    claim 16   , wherein R comprises approximately 50% methyl groups and 50% phenyl groups, resulting in improved abrasion-resistance of the highly water-resistant film.  
     
     
         21 . A process for treating a surface of a substrate G containing OH or nitrogen hydrogen bonds and surrounded by air, the process including the steps of: 
 a) moistening the surface with water;    b) contacting the surface with silane groups having the formula  
                 
   wherein 
 R consists of polar or nonpolar groups, and  
 X is selected from the group consisting of esters, ethers and halogens;  
   c) allowing the silane groups to react with the OH or nitrogen hydrogen bonds and water at the surface to create a film formed of chains having the formula  
                 
   wherein 
 n is around 100 or more, and  
 the film is chemically bonded to the surface;  
   d) allowing the X atom at the end of the chain to react with water to produce a molecule having the structure  
                 
   at the end of the chain; and    e) contacting the surface with a capping agent having the formula  
                 
   wherein R 1  consists of chemically active groups, and    f) allowing the capping agent to react with the molecule to result in a new end molecule having the formula  
                 
   wherein the new end molecule serves as a solid state ion exchanger or attachment point for chemically bound enzymes, chelating agents, dyes, chemical indicators, or the like.    
     
     
         22 . The process according to    claim 21   , wherein the substrate G includes silica molecules.  
     
     
         23 . The process according to    claim 22   , wherein the substrate G is formed from a material selected from the group consisting of glass, ceramics, and silica-containing minerals.  
     
     
         24 . The process according to    claim 21   , wherein the substrate G includes organic molecules.  
     
     
         25 . The process according to    claim 21   , wherein R is methyl.  
     
     
         26 . The process according to    claim 21   , wherein the film consists of chains of dimethylsiloxane.  
     
     
         27 . A film for altering the properties of a surface G containing OH or nitrogen hydrogen bonds and surrounded by air, the film consisting of a polymer including: 
 a) an anchor group having the formula  
                 
   wherein 
 R represents polar or nonpolar groups including hydrocarbons or halogenated hydrocarbons;  
   b) a chain of siloxane groups having a first end and a second end, the first end of the chain being chemically bound to the silicon molecule of the anchor group, the chain having the formula  
                 
   where n is around 100 or more; and    c) a terminal group of molecules chemically bound to the second end of the chain, the terminal group having the structure  
                 
   where R 1  may include any combination of inert and reactive groups.    
     
     
         28 . The film according to    claim 27   , wherein R 1  is the same as R.  
     
     
         29 . The film according to    claim 27   , wherein R is methyl.  
     
     
         30 . The film according to    claim 27   , wherein R is selected from the group consisting of phenyl, ethyl, methyl, butyl, amyl, and larger alkyl groups.  
     
     
         31 . The film according to    claim 27   , wherein R consists of polar groups.  
     
     
         32 . The film according to    claim 27   , wherein R consists of nonpolar groups.  
     
     
         33 . The film according to    claim 27   , wherein R 1  consists of chemically inert groups.  
     
     
         34 . The film according to    claim 27   , wherein R 1  consists of chemically reactive groups.  
     
     
         35 . In a process of manufacturing a water-resistant film for protecting a surface G containing OH or nitrogen hydrogen bonds wherein the process comprises the step of coating the glass with a polymer having 
 i) an anchor group having the formula  
                 
   wherein 
 R consists of nonpolar groups, and  
   ii) a chain of siloxane groups, the chain having a first end and a second end, the first end of the chain being chemically bound to the silicon molecule of the anchor group, the chain having the formula  
                 
   where n is around 100 or more, and    iii) a terminal group of molecules chemically bound to the second end of the chain, the terminal group having the formula  
                 
   wherein 
 R 1  consists of inert groups, and  
 X is selected from the group consisting of esters, ethers and halogens, the improvement comprising the steps of 
 a) allowing the X atom of the terminal group to react with water to produce a new terminal group having the formula  
                 
 
 b) replacing the new terminal group with a final terminal group having the structure  
                 
 
 wherein R 1  consists of inert groups.  
 
   
     
     
         36 . The improvement according to    claim 35   , wherein the siloxane groups consist of dimethylsiloxane groups.  
     
     
         37 . The improvement according to    claim 36   , wherein the final terminal group consists of a trimethylsiloxane group.  
     
     
         38 . The improvement according to    claim 35   , wherein R 1  is the same as R.  
     
     
         39 . The improvement according to    claim 35   , wherein R is selected from the group consisting of phenyl, ethyl, methyl, butyl, amyl, and larger alkyl groups.  
     
     
         40 . The improvement according to    claim 35   , wherein the step of replacing the new terminal group comprises the substeps of: 
 a) contacting the surface with a capping agent having the formula  
                 
   b) allowing the capping agent to react with the new terminal group to result in an inert final terminal group.