Device including transparent polymer with hydrophilic coating, and method of making same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2023399744-A1
Application number	US-202318126948-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 27, 2023
Priority date	Jun 9, 2022
Publication date	Dec 14, 2023
Grant date	—

Abstract

A device, including a hydrophilic layer on a portion of an inner surface of a transparent polymer forming a body; wherein the hydrophilic layer includes a sulfonated inner surface of the transparent polymer, a silica, a silicon oxycarbide, an O 2 plasma treatment of the transparent polymer, or a combination thereof. The device can be a nebulizer or a spray chamber, for example used in an inductively coupled plasma device. A method of making the device is also disclosed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A device, comprising:
a hydrophilic layer on a portion of an inner surface of a transparent polymer forming a body, wherein the hydrophilic layer includes a sulfonated inner surface of the transparent polymer, a silica, a silicon oxycarbide, an O 2 plasma treatment of the transparent polymer, or a combination thereof.

2 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the transparent polymer is polystyrene.

3 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the hydrophilic layer is the sulfonated inner surface of the transparent polymer.

4 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the device is disposable.

5 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the hydrophilic layer is silica or silicon oxycarbide.

6 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the transparent polymer is polyethylene terephthalate with glycol modification or polyethylene terephthalate.

7 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the transparent polymer is a cyclic olefin polymer.

8 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the hydrophilic layer is an O 2 plasma treatment of the transparent polymer.

9 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the device is a spray chamber.

10 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the device is a nebulizer.

11 . A method of making a device, comprising:
forming the device by mold manufacturing or injection molding a transparent polymer; and chemically modifying a portion of an inner surface of the device to render the portion hydrophilic.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the step of chemical modification does not reduce transparency of the transparent polymer.

13 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the step of chemical modification includes sulfonation of the portion of the inner surface of the device.

14 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the hydrophilic portion of the device is durable over ambient room temperature.

15 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the hydrophilic portion of the device is durable against solvents including 20% aqua regia, dilute hydrochloric acid, nitric acid, or combinations thereof.

16 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the step of forming the device, further comprises,
molding two halves of the device separately; and joining the two halves together to form the device of transparent polymer.

17 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the step of chemically modifying, further comprises,
immersing the formed device of transparent polymer into a sulfuric acid bath.

18 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the step of forming the device, includes molding two halves of the device separately; and
after the step of chemically modifying, the method further comprises, joining the two halves together to form the device.

19 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the step of chemically modifying includes application of sulfuric acid for a period of time ranging from about 1 minute to about 1 hour, at a temperature ranging from about −5° C. to less than about 80° C.

20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the sulfuric acid has a concentration of at least 96%.

Assignees

• Agilent Technologies Inc

Inventors

• Carr Elizabeth
• Streller Frank
• Hu Li-Chih
• Lynch David Michael
• Closser Richard

Classifications

• C08J7/12

  Chemical modification · CPC title

• C23C16/402 Primary

  Silicon dioxide · CPC title

• C23C16/45502 Primary

  Flow conditions in reaction chamber · CPC title

• Y10T428/1352

  Polymer or resin containing [i.e., natural or synthetic] · CPC title

• C23C16/45542 Primary

  Plasma being used non-continuously during the ALD reactions · CPC title