Enhanced bonding layers on native oxide surfaces

1. A process for forming a coated article comprising:

a) contacting a non-particulate oxide substrate with a solution of an omega functionalized organophosphorous compound in a solvent, wherein said solution is at a temperature between about 20 and about 200° C., and removing said solvent so that a self-assembled monolayer of said omega functionalized organophosphorous compound forms on said substrate;

b) reacting the substrate of step (a) with said omega functionalized organophosphorous compound self-assembled monolayer after said solvent has been removed so that the phosphorous-containing groups of said omega functionalized organophosphorous compound covalently bond to the oxide substrate;

c) depositing a separate layer onto the layer produced by step (b) comprising a compound with a functional group that forms a covalent bond with said omega functional group of said organophosphorous compound; and

d) forming a covalent bond between the layers produced by steps (b) and (c) through the omega functional group.

2. The process of claim 1 , wherein the omega functionalized organophosphorous compound is an omega-functionalized organophosphorous acid containing a hydrocarbon ligand having from about 2 to about 40 carbon atoms, said hydrocarbon ligand comprising a linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated, substituted or unsubstituted aliphatic or aromatic alkylene moiety.

3. The process of claim 2 , wherein the hydrocarbon ligand is substituted by an aromatic substituent.

4. The process of claim 2 , wherein the hydrocarbon ligand comprises an aromatic moiety.

5. The process of claim 2 , wherein the hydrocarbon ligand is substituted at one or more carbon positions.

6. The process of claim 2 , wherein the hydrocarbon ligand comprises an unsaturated alkylene moiety that is further polymerized.

7. The process of claim 2 , wherein the hydrocarbon ligand contains a pi-electron delocalized structure.

8. The process of claim 7 , wherein said pi-electron delocalized structure is an aromatic ring compound.

9. The process of claim 1 , wherein said omega-functional group is selected from the group consisting of hydroxyl, amino, carboxylate, phosphonate, and thiol.

10. The process of claim 1 in which the separate layer of step (c) contains inorganic or organic moieties.

11. The process of claim 1 , wherein the omega functionalized organophosphorous compound is selected from the group consisting of hydroxy-phosphonic acids, aminophosphonic acids, phosphonic acid carboxylates, phosphonic acid thiols, and bisphosphonic acids.

12. The process of claim 1 in which the separate layer of step (c) is an adhesive composition.

13. The process of claim 12 , wherein the adhesive composition is an epoxy composition.

14. The process of claim 12 further comprising:

(e) applying a separate layer to the adhesive layer of step (c) whereby the adhesive layer bonds the layers of steps (c) and (e) together.

15. The process of claim 14 , wherein the adhesive layer is an epoxy adhesive.