Swiss Aluminium Ltd.

Bayer Technology Services Gmbh

Alusuisse-Lonza Services Ltd.

Ecole Polytechnique Federale De Lausanne

Eidgenossische Technische Hochschule Zurich

Unversität Zürich

Alusuisse Technology & Management Ltd.

Marcus Textor

Roman Fuchs

Volkmar Gillich

Erich Simon

Rolf Hofer

Jeffrey Alan Hubbell

Michael Pawlak

Markus Ehrat

Eveline Schürmann-Mader

Samuele Tosatti

Jane P Bearinger

Wilhelm Franschitz

Martin Werner

Tibor Kugler

Nicholas David Spencer

Donald L Elbert

Laurence Ruiz-Taylor

Alessandro Napoli

Nicola Tirelli

Stephanie Finken

Jean-Pierre Gabathuler

The invention relates to a method for precipitating mono or multiple layers of a mixture of organophosphoric acids of the general formula I (A)Y&#x2014;B&#x2014;OPOH&#x2003;&#x2003;(IA)or of organophosphonic acids of the general formula I (B)Y&#x2014;B&#x2014;POH&#x2003;&#x2003;(IB)and the salts thereof, wherein Y and B are defined in the specification. According to the invention, precipitation occurs on substrate surfaces of pure or mixed oxides, nitrides or carbides of metals and semiconductors, in particular as surfaces of sensor platforms, implants and medical accessory devices. The invention also relates to the use thereof as part of coated sensor platforms, implants and medical accessory devices.

Method for precipitating mono and multiple layers of organophosphoric and organophosphonic acids and the salts thereof in addition to use thereof

The invention relates to a method for precipitating mono or multiple layers of organophosphoric acids of the general formula I (A)Y&#x2014;B&#x2014;OPOH&#x2003;&#x2003;(IA)or of organophosphonic acids of the general formula I (B)Y&#x2014;B&#x2014;POH&#x2003;&#x2003;(IB)and the salts thereof, wherein B is an alkyl, alkenyl, alkinyl, aryl, aralkyl, hetaryl or hetarylalkyl residue and Y is hydrogen or a functional group from the hydroxy, carboxy, amino, optionally low-alkyl-substituted mono or dialkylamino series, thiol, or a negative acid group from the ester, phosphate, phosphonate, sulfate, sulfonate, maleimide, succinimydyl, epoxy, acrylate series, wherein a biological, biochemical or synthetic indicator element may be coupled to B or Y by addition or substitution reaction, wherein compounds may also be added conferring the substrate surface a resistance to protein adsorption and/or to cell adhesion and in the B chain may optionally be comprised one or more ethylene oxide groups, rather than one or more &#x2014;CH2&#x2014; groups. According to the invention, said precipitation occurs on substrate surfaces of pure or mixed oxides, nitrides or carbides of metals and semiconductors, comprising the use of water-soluble salts of a compound of formula (IA) or (IB) for the treatment of these surfaces, in particular as surfaces of sensor platforms, implants and medical accessory devices. The invention also relates to the use thereof as part of coated sensor platforms, implants and medical accessory devices in addition to new organophosphoric acids and organophosphonic acids themselves. The optionally substituted compounds of formulae (IA) and (IB) wherein the B and Y groups have the above-mentioned designations, i.e. optionally substituted alkyl, alkenyl, alkinyl, aryl, aralkyl, hetaryl or hetaryl, are hereinafter referred to as organophosphoric acids and organophosphonic acids.

The invention relates to a method for precipitating mono or multiple layers of organophosphoric acids of the general formula I (A)Y&#x2014;B&#x2014;OPOH&#x2003;&#x2003;(IA)or of organophosphonic acids of the general formula I (B)Y&#x2014;B&#x2014;POH&#x2003;&#x2003;(IB)and the salts thereof, wherein B is an alkyl, alkenyl, alkinyl, aryl, aralkyl, hetaryl or hetarylalkyl residue and Y is hydrogen or a functional group from the hydroxy, carboxy, amino, optionally low-alkyl-substituted mono or dialkylamino series, thiol, or a negative acid group from the ester, phosphate, phosphonate, sulfate, sulfonate, maleimide, succinimydyl, epoxy, acrylate series, wherein a biological, biochemical or synthetic indicator element may be coupled to B or Y by addition or substitution reaction, wherein compounds may also be added conferring the substrate surface a resistance to protein adsorption and/or to cell adhesion and in the B chain may optionally be comprised one or more ethylene oxide groups, rather than one or more &#x2014;CH2- groups. According to the invention, said precipitation occurs on substrate surfaces of pure or mixed oxides, nitrides or carbides of metals and semiconductors, comprising the use of water-soluble salts of a compound of formula (IA) or (IB) for the treatment of these surfaces, in particular as surfaces of sensor platforms, implants and medical accessory devices. The invention also relates to the use thereof as part of coated sensor platforms, implants and medical accessory devices in addition to new organophosphoric acids and organophosphonic acids themselves. The optionally substituted compounds of formulae (IA) and (IB) wherein the B and Y groups have the above-mentioned designations, i.e. optionally substituted alkyl, alkenyl, alkinyl, aryl, aralkyl, hetaryl or hetaryl, are hereinafter referred to as organophosphoric acids and organophosphonic acids.

The present invention provides methods and apparatus for coating surfaces with specially designed thioethers and amphiphilic thioethers that reduce protein adsorption and/or cell adhesion. This reduction may be achieved, for example, by controlling the spacing or length of pendant chains or hydrophilic blocks in an amphiphilic thioether. Techniques for determining spacing include adsorbing the thioether from a solution or a colloidal suspension, or controlling the degree of polymerization of the thioether. Techniques for controlling the length of the pendant chains include controlling the degree of polymerization of the pendant chains. Multiblock copolymers of poly(propylene sulfide) and poly(ethylene glycol) ('PPS-PEG') represent an exemplary family of amphiphilic thioethers. Methods for coating surfaces with amphiphilic thioethers are also provided.

Coating hydrophobic surfaces with amphiphilic thioethers to reduce protein adsorption and cell adhesion

The present invention provides methods and apparatus for locally patterning surfaces. In one such method, an oxidizable thioether is adsorbed onto a conductive surface. The surface is then contacted with a fluid medium. A conducting stamp is then brought into contact with the fluid medium above the thioether-coated surface. Next, a potential is applied between the stamp and the surface. It is expected that the charge will be transferred through the medium to the coated surface along a shortest distance path, thereby locally oxidizing the thioether and effectively creating a negative patterned image of the conducting stamp on the surface. Remaining adsorbed thioether may then be used as a mask for standard etching or material addition procedures.

Methods and apparatus for patterning a surface

Multifunctional, polyionic copolymers with molecular architectures and properties optimized for specific applications are synthesized on/or applied to substrate surfaces for analytical and sensing purposes. The coatings are particularly useful for suppression of non-specific interaction, adsorption or attachment of molecular or ionic components present in an analyte solution. Chemical, biochemical or biological groups that are able to recognize, interact with and bind specifically to target molecules in the material containing the analyte to be detected can be coupled to, integrated into, or absorbed to the multifunctional copolymers. These multifunctional copolymer coatings are compatible with a variety of different established methods to detect, sense and quantify the target molecule in an analyte. The multifunctional copolymer coatings typically include brush copolymers based on a polycationic or polyanionic (jointly referred to herein as 'polyionic') backbone with side chains that control interaction with the environment, such as poly(ethylene glycol) or poly(ethylene oxide)-based side chains that decrease cellular adhesion, and analyte-specific side chains. They can be used to pattern the surfaces into non-adhesive and specifically adhesive areas by applications of known techniques such as microfluidic or contact printing techniques.

Multifunctional polymeric surface coatings in analytic and sensor devices

Articles of aluminum containing at least one unanodized surface or parts of at least one unanodized surface which are suitable for the deposition of layers or layer systems from the gas phase on said unanodized surfaces, the unanodized surfaces being of a refined aluminum with a degree of purity of equal to, or greater than, 98.3% by weight or aluminum alloys of said aluminum with at least one of the elements from the series comprising Si, Mg, Mn, Cu, Zn or Fe, and the surfaces have a peak-to-valley height Ra of equal to, or less than, 1 .mu.m, and the layer or the layer system is a reflective layer, in particular for radiations in the optical range.

Aluminum surfaces

A process for forming a reflective surface, comprises the steps of: providing at least a part of at least one unanodized surface which has a peak-to-valley height Ra of equal to or less than 1 micron. The unanodized surface is selected from the group consisting of (1) refined aluminum with a degree of purity equal to or greater than 98.3% by weight aluminum and (2) aluminum alloys with at least one element selected from the group consisting of Si, Mg, Mn, Cu, Zn, Fe. The unanodized surface is in a form selected from the group consisting of rolled foil, rolled sheets, and rolled strips and said unanodized surface is used as a substrate. The process further includes depositing at least two layers from the gas phase on the unanodized surface, wherein the two layers include a ceramic adhesive layer from the gas phase and at least one reflecting layer from the gas phase on said adhesive layer for the reflection of radiation with wavelengths in the optical range. The reflecting layer is selected from the group consisting of aluminum, silver, gold, copper and alloys containing at least one of aluminum, silver, gold and copper.

Process for forming a reflective surface

A process for manufacturing a partially permeable membrane is such that a 20-200 .mu.m thick aluminum foil in the non-recrystallized condition is etched in an electrolyte at a current density in the range 2-20 kA/m.sup.2 and the surface given an after-treatment to prevent hydration reactions. The membrane is particularly suitable for ultrafiltration, gas separation or pervaporation and to that end can also be employed in combination with a polymer membrane.

Process for manufacturing a partially permeable membrane

A process for manufacturing a microfilter is such that a foil having an aluminum content of at least 99.95% and thickness 20-250 .mu.m is given a recrystallizing anneal, is etched in an electrolyte in stages at constant current density in the range 0.01 to 2 kA/m.sup.2, and the surface given a stabilizing after treatment to prevent hydration reactions.

Process for manufacturing a microfilter

The mold features on its work face a thermally insulating protective layer of sub-micron metal oxide particles. The coating can be applied by spraying an aqueous sol of a metal oxide onto the mold work face which has been heated to at least 60.degree. C. The use of sub-micron sized metal oxide particles enables the formation of a protective coating of very low density and consequently very low thermal conductivity. The coating can furthermore be deposited very economically, and likewise removed again.

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Marcus Textor