초록 ▼

Plasma assisted polymerization and deposition of a very thin inner surface coating in a plastic or metal container without an undesirable increase in container surface temperature is provided to change the surface properties of the internal plastic surface of a container by reaction of the surface w

Plasma assisted polymerization and deposition of a very thin inner surface coating in a plastic or metal container without an undesirable increase in container surface temperature is provided to change the surface properties of the internal plastic surface of a container by reaction of the surface with a reactive gas which has been energized to produce a plasma or the surface is activated by a plasma of reactive gas so that it becomes receptive to a further surface reaction. It involves locating the container in an enclosure, inserting means for feeding a reactant gas into the container, selectively controlling the pressure inside the enclosure and inside of the container, cleaning a surface of the container to be coated in situ, pretreating the surface to be coated for enabling a polymer coating subsequently deposited thereon to secure proper adhesion between the coating material and the container material, feeding a reactant gas of predetermined constituency and having barrier properties into the container, generating a plasma of said reactant gas and depositing a relatively thin polymer coating on the surface to be coated, and performing a post polymerization treatment on said polymer coating for eliminating residual monomers and other polymer extractables in situ following deposition of said polymer coating.

대표청구항 ▼

[ I claim:] [15.] A method of forming a polymer coating on a surface of a heat-sensitive, oriented polymer container, comprising:step (a) which comprises locating said heat sensitive, oriented polymer container in a vacuum chamber;step (b) which comprises inserting means for feeding reactant gas int

[ I claim:] [15.] A method of forming a polymer coating on a surface of a heat-sensitive, oriented polymer container, comprising:step (a) which comprises locating said heat sensitive, oriented polymer container in a vacuum chamber;step (b) which comprises inserting means for feeding reactant gas into the container;step (c) which comprises controlling a first pressure inside the vacuum chamber and independently controlling a second pressure inside of the container;step (d) which comprises cleaning in situ a surface of said container to be coated by feeding a first reactant gas having cleaning properties into said container and generating a first plasma thereof;step (e) which comprises pre-treating the surface to be coated by feeding a second reactant gas having surface activation properties into said container and generating a second plasma thereof for producing free radicals on the surface to be coated;step (f) which comprises feeding a third reactant gas into the container which when deposited has barrier properties;step (g) consisting essentially of generating a third plasma of said third reactant gas, with the exception of silicon containing gas, and forming a cross-linked, stretchable organic polymer coating on the surface to be coated, said polymer coating being chemically bonded to the surface to be coated; said polymer coating being resistant to cracking or delamination when walls of said container flex or stretch under pressure, or when said container is subjected to heat or caustic chemicals during washing, and providing barrier properties including resistance to absorption of liquids or gases beyond the surface of the coating, and being present in an amount so as to not contaminate a new container comprising recycled material from said heat sensitive or heat sensitive oriented polymer container, andstep (h) which comprises performing a post polymerization treatment on said polymer coating for eliminating residual monomers or polymer extractables in situ following deposition of said polymer coating by applying electromagnetic energy to said polymer coating from an energy source or feeding a fourth reactant gas into said container and generating a fourth plasma thereof,wherein transparency, polymer orientation and flexibility of said container of step (a) is maintained by said method of forming said polymer coating on said surface of said container.