Coatings

1. An electronic or electrical device or electronic or electrical component thereof comprising a protective cross-linked polymeric coating on a surface of said device or component;

wherein the protective cross-linked polymeric coating is obtained by exposing said device or component to a plasma comprising a monomer compound and a crosslinking reagent for a period of time sufficient to allow formation of the protective cross-linked polymeric coating on a surface thereof,

wherein the monomer compound is a compound of formula I(a):

wherein each of R 1 , R 2 , R 4 and R 5 to R 10 is independently selected from hydrogen or an optionally substituted C 1 -C 6 branched or straight chain alkyl group; each X is independently hydrogen or halogen; a is from 0-10; b is from 3 to 7; and c is 0 or 1;

and wherein the crosslinking reagent comprises two or more unsaturated bonds attached by means of one or more linker moieties and has a boiling point of less than 500° C. at standard pressure, the crosslinking reagent having one of the following structures:

where Y 1 , Y 2 , Y 3 , Y 4 , Y 5 , Y 6 , Y 7 and Y 8 are each independently selected from hydrogen, optionally substituted cyclic, branched or straight chain C 1 -C 6 alkyl or aryl; and L is a linker moiety;

wherein for compound (i) L is of formula A having one of the following structures:

and Y 10 is selected from optionally substituted cyclic, branched or straight chain C 1 -C 8 alkylene and a siloxane group;

or wherein for compound (i) L is of formula B having the following formula:

where each Y 9 is independently selected from, a bond, —O—, —O—C(O)—, —C(O)—O—, —Y 11 —O—C(O)—, —C(O)—O—Y 11 —, —OY 11 —, and —Y 11 O—, where Y 11 is an optionally substituted cyclic, branched or straight chain C 1 -C 8 alkylene; and

wherein Y 10 has the following formula:

and each Y 15 is independently selected from optionally substituted branched or straight chain C 1 -C 6 alkyl;

or wherein Y 10 has the following formula:

and Y 16 to Y 19 are each independently selected from H and optionally substituted branched or straight chain C 1 -C 8 alkyl or alkenyl.

2. The device or component according to claim 1 , wherein the protective cross-linked polymeric coating is a physical barrier to mass and electron transport.

3. The device or component according to claim 1 , wherein the protective cross-linked polymeric coating forms a liquid repellent surface defined by a static water contact angle (WCA) of at least 90°.

4. The device or component according to claim 1 , wherein when for compound (i) L is of the formula B, L has one of the following structures:

5. The device or component according to claim 1 , wherein when for compound (i) L is of formula A, Y 10 has the following formula:

wherein each Y 12 and Y 13 is independently selected from H, halo, optionally substituted cyclic, branched or straight chain alkyl, or —OY 14 , where Y 14 is selected from optionally substituted branched or straight chain C 1 -C 8 alkyl or alkenyl, and n is an integer from 1 to 10.

6. The device or component according to claim 5 , wherein each Y 12 is H and each Y 13 is H.

7. The device or component according to claim 5 , wherein each Y 12 is fluoro and each Y 13 is fluoro.

8. The device or component claim 5 , wherein n is from 4 to 6.

9. The device or component according to claim 1 , wherein when for compound (i) L is of formula B and Y 10 has the following formula:

each Y 15 is methyl, and each Y 9 is a bond.

10. The device or component according to claim 1 , wherein when for compound (i) L is of formula B and Y 10 has the following formula:

Y 18 is H or vinylene, and Y 16 , Y 17 and Y 19 are each H.

11. The device or component according to claim 1 , wherein the crosslinking reagent is selected from divinyl adipate (DVA), 1,4-butanediol divinyl ether (BDVE), 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol divinyl ether (CDDE), 1,7-octadiene (17OD), 1,2,4-trivinvlcyclohexane (TVCH), 1,3-divinyltetramethyldisiloxane (DVTMDS), diallyl 1,4-cyclohexanedicarboxylate (DCHD), 1,6-divinylperfluorohexane (DVPFH), 1H,1H,6H,6H-perfluorohexanediol diacrylate (PFHDA) and glyoxal bis (diallyl acetal) (GBDA).

12. The device or component according to claim 1 , wherein the compound of formula I(a) has the following formula:

where n is from 2 to 10.

13. The device or component according to claim 12 , wherein the compound of formula I(a) is selected from 1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorohexyl acrylate (PFAC4), 1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorooctyl acrylate (PFAC6), 1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorodecyl acrylate (PFAC8) and 1H, 1H,2H,2H-perfluorododecyl acrylate (PFAC10).

14. The device or component according to claim 1 , wherein the compound of formula I(a) has the following formula:

where n is from 2 to 10.

15. The device or component according to claim 14 , wherein the compound of formula I(a) is selected from 1H,1H,2H,2H-pefluorohexyl methacrylate (PFMAC4), 1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorooctyl methacrylate (PFMAC6) and 1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorodecyl methacrylate (PFMAC8).