Surface treatment compositions and coated articles prepared therefrom

Abstract

Surface treatment compositions are provided comprising: (a) a fluorine-containing polymer; (b) a solvent containing at least one C—F bond; and (c) a rheology modifying component. Also provided are coated articles, comprising: (i) a substrate; and (ii) a self-assembled coating layer applied to at least one surface of the substrate. The self-assembled coating layer is formed from the surface treatment composition above.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A surface treatment composition comprising:
 (a) a fluorine-containing polymer;   (b) a solvent containing at least one C—F bond; and   (c) a rheology modifying component.   
     
     
         2 . The surface treatment composition of  claim 1  wherein the fluorine-containing polymer (a) is present in an amount of 10 to 20 percent by weight, based on the total weight of the surface treatment composition. 
     
     
         3 . The surface treatment composition of  claim 1  wherein the fluorine-containing polymer (a) comprises a (meth)acrylic polymer. 
     
     
         4 . The surface treatment composition of  claim 1 , wherein the fluorine-containing polymer (a) has a weight average molecular weight of 25,000 to 500,000. 
     
     
         5 . The surface treatment composition of  claim 1  wherein the solvent (b) is present in an amount of 75 to 89 percent by weight, based on the total weight of the surface treatment composition. 
     
     
         6 . The surface treatment composition of  claim 1 , wherein the solvent (b) comprises 3-ethoxyperfluoro(2-methylhexane), 1,1,1,2,2,3,3,4,4-nonafluoro-4-methoxybutane, 1,1,1,2,2,3,3,4,4-nonafluoro-4-ethoxybutane, 1,1,1,2,3,4,4,5,5,5-Decafluoropentane and/or 1H ,1H ,5H-Octafluoropentyl-1,1,2,2-tetrafluoroethyl ether. 
     
     
         7 . The surface treatment composition of  claim 1  wherein the rheology modifying component (c) is present in an amount of 1 to 5 percent by weight, based on the total weight of the surface treatment composition. 
     
     
         8 . The surface treatment composition of  claim 1  wherein the rheology modifying component (c) comprises fumed silica that is surface modified with hydrophobic functional groups. 
     
     
         9 . The surface treatment composition of  claim 1  wherein said surface treatment composition demonstrates a thixotropic index greater than 2. 
     
     
         10 . A coated article comprising:
 (i) a substrate; and   (ii) a self-assembled coating layer applied to at least one surface of the substrate; wherein the coating layer is formed from a surface treatment composition comprising:   (a) a fluorine-containing polymer;   (b) a solvent containing at least one C—F bond; and   (c) a rheology modifying component.   
     
     
         11 . The coated article of  claim 10  wherein the substrate (i) comprises a printed circuit board. 
     
     
         12 . The coated article of  claim 10 , wherein the coating layer (ii) demonstrates a dry film thickness of 5 to 100 microns. 
     
     
         13 . The coated article of  claim 12 , wherein the dry film thickness of the coating layer over the surface of the substrate varies by no more than 50 percent. 
     
     
         14 . The coated article of  claim 10  wherein the fluorine-containing polymer (a) is present in the surface treatment composition in an amount of 10 to 20 percent by weight, based on the total weight of the surface treatment composition. 
     
     
         15 . The coated article of  claim 10  wherein the fluorine-containing polymer (a) comprises a (meth)acrylic polymer. 
     
     
         16 . The coated article of  claim 10  wherein the fluorine-containing polymer (a) has a weight average molecular weight of 25,000 to 500,000. 
     
     
         17 . The coated article of  claim 10  wherein the solvent (b) is present in the surface treatment composition in an amount of 75 to 89 percent by weight, based on the total weight of the surface treatment composition. 
     
     
         18 . The coated article of  claim 10  wherein the solvent (b) comprises 3-ethoxyperfluoro(2-methylhexane), 1,1,1,2,2,3,3,4,4-nonafluoro-4-methoxybutane, 1,1,1,2,2,3,3,4,4-nonafluoro-4-ethoxybutane, 1,1,1,2 ,3 ,4 ,4 ,5 ,5 ,5-Decafluoropentane and/or 1H, 1H,5H-Octafluoropentyl-1,1,2,2-tetrafluoroethyl ether. 
     
     
         19 . The coated article of  claim 10  wherein the rheology modifying component (c) is present in the surface treatment composition in an amount of 1 to 5 percent by weight, based on the total weight of the surface treatment composition. 
     
     
         20 . The coated article of  claim 10  wherein the rheology modifying component (c) comprises fumed silica that is surface modified with hydrophobic functional groups.