Method for Adhering Materials Together

Abstract

The present invention provides a method for adhering a layer to a substrate that features defining first and second interfaces by having a composition present between the layer and the substrate that forms covalent bonds to the layer and adheres to the substrate employing one or more of covalent bonds, ionic bonds and Van der Waals forces. In this manner, the strength of the adhering force of the layer to the composition is assured to be stronger than the adhering force of the layer to the composition formed from a predetermined adhering mechanism, i.e., an adhering mechanism that does not include covalent bonding.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of adhering a layer to a substrate, said method comprising:
 defining first and second interfaces by having a composition present between said layer and said substrate, with said first interface being defined between said layer and said composition and said second interface being defined between said substrate and said composition, with said first interface including covalent bonds and said second interface including a mechanism adhering said composition to said substrate.   
     
     
         2 . The method as recited in  claim 1  wherein said mechanism is selected from a set of mechanisms including covalent bonds, ionic bonds and Van der Waals forces. 
     
     
         3 . The method as recited in  claim 1  wherein said second interface is formed by thermally curing said composition and said first interface is formed by exposing said layer and said composition to actinic energy. 
     
     
         4 . The method as recited in  claim 1  wherein defining further includes solidifying said composition, defining a solidified composition and forming said layer upon said solidified composition. 
     
     
         5 . The method as recited in  claim 1  wherein defining further includes locating, between said layer and said substrate, a plurality of molecules, a subset of which includes an organic backbone group and first and second functional groups with said first functional group reacting with said layer to form said covalent bonds and said second functional group reacting with said substrate. 
     
     
         6 . The method as recited in  claim 1  wherein defining further includes locating between said layer and said substrate a plurality of molecules, a first subset of which is a cross-linker and a second subset of which includes a backbone group and first and second functional groups with said first functional group reacting with said layer forming said covalent bonds and said second functional group reacting with one of said substrate and said cross-linker. 
     
     
         7 . The method as recited in  claim 6  wherein said backbone group contains aromatic structures. 
     
     
         8 . The method as recited in  claim 1  wherein defining further includes locating between said layer and said substrate a plurality of molecules, a subset of which includes a backbone group and first and second functional groups with said first functional group consisting essentially of an acrylate functional group reacting with said layer to form said covalent bonds. 
     
     
         9 . The method as recited in  claim 8  wherein said backbone group is selected from a set of groups consisting essentially of aliphatic and aromatic. 
     
     
         10 . A method of adhering a layer to a substrate, said method comprising:
 depositing a composition upon said substrate;   solidifying said composition forming a solidified composition; and   forming said layer upon said solidified composition, with a first interface being defined between said layer and said solidified composition and a second interface being defined between said substrate and said composition, with said first interface including covalent bonds and said second interface including a mechanism adhering said composition to said substrate with said mechanism being selected from a set of mechanisms bonds consisting essentially of covalent bonds, ionic bonds and Van der Waals forces.   
     
     
         11 . The method as recited in  claim 10  wherein said second interface is formed by thermally curing said composition and said first interface is formed by exposing said layer and said composition to actinic energy. 
     
     
         12 . The method as recited in  claim 10  wherein depositing further includes locating upon said substrate a plurality of molecules, a subset of which includes an organic backbone group and first and second functional groups, with said second functional group reacting with said substrate, with forming further including reacting said first functional group with said layer to form said covalent bonds of said first interface. 
     
     
         13 . The method as recited in  claim 10  wherein depositing further includes locating upon said substrate a plurality of molecules, a first subset of which is a cross-linker and a second subset of which includes a backbone group and first and second functional groups with said second functional group reacting with one of said substrate and said cross-linker, with forming further including reacting said first functional group with said layer to form said covalent bonds of said first interface. 
     
     
         14 . The method as recited in  claim 10  wherein depositing further includes locating between said layer and said substrate a plurality of molecules, a subset of which includes a backbone group and first and second functional groups with said first functional group consisting essentially of an acrylate functional group, with forming further including reacting said first function group with said layer to form said covalent bonds of said first interface. 
     
     
         15 . The method as recited in  claim 14  wherein said backbone group is selected from a set of groups consisting essentially of aliphatic and aromatic. 
     
     
         16 . A method of adhering a layer to a substrate, said method comprising:
 arranging said layer and said substrate so as to have a composition disposed therebetween to create first and second adhering forces, with said first adhering force being generated at a first interface of said layer and said composition and said second adhering force being disposed at a second interface of said composition with said substrate, said first adhering force and second adhering force being greater than the non-covalent bonded first adhering force.   
     
     
         17 . The method as recited in  claim 16  wherein said first and second adhering forces are greater than a separation force. 
     
     
         18 . The method as recited in  claim 16  wherein said first adhering force is generated by covalently bonding said composition to said layer and said second adhering force is generated by adhering said composition to said substrate employing a mechanism selected from a set of mechanisms including covalent bonds, ionic bonds and Van der Waals forces. 
     
     
         19 . The method as recited in  claim 16  wherein said second interface is formed by thermally curing said composition and said first interface is formed by exposing said layer and said composition to actinic energy. 
     
     
         20 . The method as recited in  claim 16  wherein defining further includes solidifying said composition, defining a solidified composition and forming said layer upon said solidified composition.