Methods for co-flash evaporation of polymerizable monomers and non-polymerizable carrier solvent/salt mixtures/solutions
Methods for supplying one or more vapors, under reduced pressure, to an environment are provided. The vapor may comprise at least one polymerizable component. In some cases, at least two components may be combined to form the vapor. The components may be provided as separate vapor streams, which may be combined and homogenized. Methods of the invention may also be useful in the deposition of materials on the surface of a substrate. In some cases, the material may form a layer, such as a polymer layer, on the surface of a substrate. The present invention may be useful in applications that require the formation of homogeneous films on the surface of a substrate.
1. A method of forming a coating on a surface, comprising:
providing in a vacuum chamber an evaporation chamber, wherein the evaporation chamber comprises at least a first vapor and a second vapor, the first vapor comprising a monomer and the second vapor comprising a compound and a carrier fluid, wherein, at room temperature and at atmospheric pressure, the compound is substantially insoluble with respect to the monomer;
homogenizing said vapors to form a composite vapor while heating the first vapor and the second vapor at a temperature below that at which thermal polymerization of the monomer is initiated;
allowing said composite vapor to flow to the surface of a substrate, the surface maintained at a temperature below the boiling point of the monomer;
condensing at least a portion of said composite vapor on the surface of the substrate to form a layer comprising the monomer; and
polymerizing said layer to form the coating.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the coating is a polymer coating.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second vapor comprises a compound and a non-polymerizable carrier fluid.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the non-polymerizable carrier fluid has a vapor pressure such that, during condensation of at least a portion of said composite vapor on the surface of the substrate, the non-polymerizable carrier fluid substantially does not condense on the surface of the substrate.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the non-polymerizable carrier fluid is not polymerizable under conditions under which the monomer is polymerizable.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the polymerizing comprises exposure to an external source of energy.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the external source of energy is an electric, magnetic, optical, acoustic, electromagnetic, or mechanical field.
8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the external source of energy is an electron beam or electromagnetic radiation.