COLLEGE OF WILLIAM AND MARY
TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER OFFICE
TITLE (AND CASE NUMBER) OF INVENTION
A Process for Modifying Polymeric Surfaces Using Deep UV Irradiation (0307)
INVENTORS
Michael J. Kelley
Zhengmao Zhu
APPLICATIONS
This invention describes processes for modifying polymeric surfaces, and is particularly useful for
modifying PET. A permanent coating can be applied to the surface, allowing one to change adhesion,
permeability, anti-soiling, and antimicrobial properties.
SUMMARY
Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and other polymers are widely used the food, packaging,
medical, and textile industries. While processing techniques are used to impart a tremendous
degree of variability within a given polymeric class, there are limits to what can be achieved,
particularly given cost constraints. One approach to expanding those limits, and diversifying the
range of characteristics of a polymer, is to chemically modify the surface. While there are
numerous methods useful for coating the surfaces of polymers, these methods also have limitations,
and attempts to render the coatings permanent generally require some type of thermal or adhesive
bonding.
Kelley and Zhu have developed a method to permanently modify (via covalent bonding) the
surface of PET and other polymers. They have developed a process, easily adaptable to existing
equipment in the textile and packaging industries, wherein polymers are irradiated and then
covalently modified using a vapor-phase grafting process. This is a simple, cost-effective method
for the surface modification of PET. A wide range of material properties can be obtained by
varying the grafting agent.
PATENT STATUS
Issued U.S. Patent No. 7,585,550
CONTACT INFORMATION
Jason McDevitt (757-221-1751)
jason.mcdevitt@wm.edu