Abstract:
An organic release agent is vacuum deposited over a substrate and surface treated with a plasma or ion-beam source in a gas rich in oxygen-based functional groups to harden a very thin layer of the surface of the deposited layer in passivating environment. Aluminum is subsequently vacuum deposited onto the hardened release layer to form a very flat and specular thin film. The film is exposed to a plasma gas containing oxygen or nitrogen to passivate its surface. The resulting product is separated from the substrate, crushed to break up the film into aluminum flakes, and mixed in a solvent to separate the still extractable release layer from the aluminum flakes. The surface treatment of the release layer greatly reduces wrinkles in the flakes, improving the optical characteristics of the flakes. The passivation of the flake material virtually eliminates subsequent corrosion from exposure to moisture.
Abstract:
Functionalized multilayer structures are manufactured by a process whereby a substrate material is treated with a reactive-gas plasma to form an activated layer on the surface thereof, and then by depositing a liquid functional monomer on the activated layer to form a self-assembled functional layer. Any excess liquid monomer must be allowed to re-evaporate in order to obtain optimal functionality on the surface of the resulting structure. The deposition of the liquid layer is preferably carried out with high kinetic energy to ensure complete penetration of the monomer throughout the body of the substrate. For particular applications, prior to formation of the reactive layer the substrate may be coated with a high glass-transition temperature polymer or a metallic layer.
Abstract:
Polymer-based optically-variable devices (OVDs) for security applications and methods for producing the same. The uniformity of thickness of the structure of such devices is optimized by controlling previously neglected process parameters such as the temperature distribution of the deposition nozzle, the substrate and the deposition drum, their emissivities, the micro-roughness of the substrate, and the rate of monomer re-evaporation. Re-evaporation is minimized by initiating radiation-curing within two seconds of monomer deposition. A method includes equipment reducing all sources of emissivity non-homogeneities, such as surface blemishes in the surface areas exposed to the substrate to preferentially fabricate substrates with haziness less than 5% and gloss greater than 90%. Controlling, a maximum variation of thickness of the transmissive layer of an OVD ensures that no appreciable color-shift variation is visible to the naked eye.
Abstract:
A multilayer dielectric structure is formed by vacuum depositing two-dimensional matrices of nanoparticles embedded in polymer dielectric layers that are thicker than the effective diameter of the nanoparticles, so as to produce a void-free, structured, three-dimensional lattice of nanoparticles in a polymeric dielectric material. As a result of the continuous, repeated, and controlled deposition process, each two-dimensional matrix of nanoparticles consists of a layer of uniformly distributed particles embedded in polymer and separated from adjacent matrix layers by continuous polymer dielectric layers, thus forming a precise three-dimensional nanoparticle matrix defined by the size and density of the nanoparticles in each matrix layer and by the thickness of the polymer layers between them. The resulting structured nanodielectric exhibits very high values of dielectric constant as well as high dielectric strength.
Abstract:
A moisture vapor permeable metalized composite sheet is formed by coating a moisture vapor permeable sheet with at least one metal layer and at least one outer organic coating layer. The moisture vapor permeability of the composite sheet is at least about 80% of the moisture vapor permeability of the starting sheet. The composite sheet provides a barrier to air and liquid water infiltration while having high moisture vapor permeability and good thermal barrier properties. The composite sheet material is suitable for use as a building construction wrap such as roof lining and house wrap.
Abstract:
A moisture vapor permeable metalized composite sheet is formed by coating a moisture vapor permeable sheet with at least one metal layer and at least one outer organic coating layer. The moisture vapor permeability of the composite sheet is at least about 80% of the moisture vapor permeability of the starting sheet. The composite sheet provides a barrier to air and liquid water infiltration while having high moisture vapor permeability and good thermal barrier properties. The composite sheet material is suitable for use as a building construction wrap such as roof lining and house wrap.
Abstract:
A release agent is flash evaporated and deposited onto a support substrate under conventional vapor-deposition conditions and a conductive metal oxide, such as ITO, is subsequently sputtered or deposited by reactive electron beam onto the resulting release layer in the same process chamber to form a very thin film of conductive material. The resulting multilayer product is separated from the support substrate, crushed to brake up the metal-oxide film into flakes, and heated or mixed in a solvent to separate the soluble release layer from the metallic flakes. Thus, by judiciously controlling the deposition of the ITO on the release layer, transparent flakes may be obtained with the desired optical and physical characteristics.
Abstract:
A moisture vapor permeable metalized composite sheet is formed by coating a moisture vapor permeable sheet with at least one metal layer and at least one outer organic coating layer. The moisture vapor permeability of the composite sheet is at least about 80% of the moisture vapor permeability of the starting sheet. The composite sheet provides a barrier to air and liquid water infiltration while having high moisture vapor permeability and good thermal barrier properties. The composite sheet material is suitable for use as a building construction wrap such as roof lining and house wrap.
Abstract:
A moisture vapor permeable metalized composite sheet is formed by coating a moisture vapor permeable sheet with at least one metal layer and at least one outer organic coating layer. The moisture vapor permeability of the composite sheet is at least about 80% of the moisture vapor permeability of the starting sheet. The composite sheet provides a barrier to air and liquid water infiltration while having high moisture vapor permeability and good thermal barrier properties. The composite sheet material is suitable for use as a building construction wrap such as roof lining and house wrap.
Abstract:
A plasma is produced in a treatment space (58) by diffusing a plasma gas at atmospheric pressure and subjecting it to an electric field created by two metallic electrodes (54,56) separated by a dielectric material (64), a precursor material is introduced into the treatment space to coat a substrate film or web (14) by vapor deposition or atomized spraying at atmospheric pressure. The deposited precursor is cured by electron-beam, infrared-light, visible-light, or ultraviolet-light radiation, as most appropriate for the particular material being deposited. Additional plasma post-treatment may be used to enhance the properties of the resulting coated products.