Super-hydrophobic materials and associated devices, systems, and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10517995-B2
Application number	US-201715801317-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 1, 2017
Priority date	Nov 1, 2016
Publication date	Dec 31, 2019
Grant date	Dec 31, 2019

Abstract

Superhydrophobic materials are disclosed and described, along with devices, surfaces, and associated methods. Such materials can be coated onto device surfaces, system surfaces, structures, and the like.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A superhydrophobic composition, comprising:
a pyrolyzed carbon-infiltrated (C-I) carbon nanotube (CNT) layer having a contact angle greater than or equal to 150 degrees for a 0.05 mL droplet of water at room temperature, including:
a layer of CNTs; and
a carbon infiltrant material infiltrated into the layer of CNTs to form a C-I CNT layer.

2. The composition of claim 1 , further comprising a support substrate upon which the pyrolyzed C-I CNT layer is supported.

3. The composition of claim 2 , wherein the layer of CNTs have been grown on the support substrate.

4. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the pyrolyzed C-I CNT layer further comprises a microbially-resistant topological pattern of surface features that limits microbial contact.

5. The composition of claim 4 , wherein the topological pattern of surface features has a surface feature density, wherein the surface feature density is sufficient to limit microbial contact and insufficient for the surface features to act as a microbial growth substrate.

6. The composition of claim 4 , wherein the CNTs have an average diameter of from about 150 nm to about 300 nm.

7. The composition of claim 4 , wherein the surface features have an average high-point-to-high-point spacing of from about 500 nm to about 1100 nm.

8. A device, comprising:
a superhydrophobic surface, including;
a pyrolyzed carbon-infiltrated (C-I) carbon nanotube (CNT) layer having a contact angle greater than or equal to 150 degrees for a 0.05 mL droplet of water at room temperature, including:
a layer of CNTs; and
a carbon infiltrant material infiltrated into the layer of CNTs to form a C-I CNT layer.

9. The device of claim 8 , wherein the layer of CNTs extends from an underlying support substrate of the superhydrophobic surface.

10. The device of claim 9 , wherein the carbon infiltrant material is infiltrated into and around CNTs of the layer of CNTs.

11. The device of claim 9 , wherein the pyrolyzed C-I CNT layer further comprises a microbially-resistant topological pattern of surface features that limits microbial contact.

12. The device of claim 11 , wherein the topological pattern of surface features has a surface feature density, wherein the surface feature density is sufficient to limit microbial contact and insufficient for the surface features to act as a microbial growth substrate.

13. The device of claim 8 , wherein the device is a medical device.

14. The device of claim 13 , wherein the medical device is selected from the group consisting of a surgical implement, an implantable device, an insertable device, a diagnostic device, a prosthetic device, a medical instrument, and combinations thereof.

15. The device of claim 8 , wherein the device is an electronic device selected from the group consisting of mobile phones, laptops, keyboards, mice, computer terminals, tablets, watches, touch screens, and game controllers.

16. A method of making a superhydrophobic surface, comprising:
depositing a carbon nanotube (CNT) layer on a support substrate;
infiltrating the CNT layer with a carbon infiltrant material to form a carbon infiltrated (C-I) CNT layer; and
pyrolyzing the C-I CNT layer to form a pyrolyzed C-I CNT layer;
wherein the resulting superhydrophobic surface has a contact angle greater than or equal to 150 degrees for a 0.05 mL droplet of water at room temperature.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein depositing the CNT layer further includes growing the CNTs on the support substrate.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein growing the CNTs on the support substrate further comprises growing the CNTs to an average height of from about 20 to about 75 microns from the support substrate.

19. The method of claim 16 , wherein infiltrating the CNT layer further comprises infiltrating the CNT layer to form the C-I CNT layer having a microbially-resistant topological pattern of surface features that limits microbial contact.

20. The method of claim 16 , wherein pyrolyzing the C-I CNT layer to form the pyrolyzed C-I CNT layer further comprises:
heating the C-I CNT layer in an oxygen-free environment for a sufficient time at a sufficient temperature to produce the pyrolyzed C-I CNT layer having a contact angle greater than or equal to 150 degrees for a 0.05 mL droplet of water at room temperature.

21. The method of claim 20 , wherein the sufficient temperature is greater than or equal to 150 C.

22. The method of claim 20 , wherein the sufficient temperature is from 600 C to 800 C.

Assignees

• Univ Brigham Young

Inventors

• Esplin Christian D
• Jensen Brian D
• Bowden Anton E

Classifications

• A61L29/103

  Carbon · CPC title

• C01B2202/36

  Diameter · CPC title

• A61B2017/00889

  antimicrobial, disinfectant · CPC title

• A61L2400/18

  Modification of implant surfaces in order to improve biocompatibility, cell growth, fixation of biomolecules, e.g. plasma treatment · CPC title

• A61L29/14

  Materials characterised by their function or physical properties {, e.g. lubricating compositions} · CPC title