| abstract |
A method of coating a surface with a polymer layer, which method comprises exposing said surface to a plasma comprising a monomeric unsaturated organic compound which comprises a chain of carbon atoms, which are optionally substituted by halogen; provided that where the compound is a perhalogenated alkene, it has a chain of at least 5 carbon atoms; so as to form an oil or water repellent coating on said substrate. Suitable compounds for use in the methods are compounds of formula (I) where R?1, R2 and R3¿ are independently selected from hydrogen, alkyl, haloalkyl or aryl optionally substituted by halo; provided that at least one of R?1, R2 or R3¿ is hydrogen, and R4 is a group X-R5 where R5 is an alkyl or haloalkyl group and X is a bond; a group of formula -C(O)O(CH¿2?)nY- where n is an integer of from 1 to 10 and Y is a bond or a sulphonamide group; or a group -(O)pR?6(O)¿q(CH2)t- where R6 is aryl optionally substituted by halo, p is 0 or 1, q is 0 or 1 and t is 0 or an integer of from 1 to 10, provided that where q is 1, t is other than 0. The method is particularly useful in the production of oil- and/or water repellent fabrics. |