METHODS OF COATING A LOW SURFACE ENERGY SUBSTRATE

According to the invention there is provided a method of coating a low surface energy substrate including the steps of: a) providing a polymeric precursor which includes a group of sub-formula (I) where R1 is i) CRa, where Ra is hydrogen or alkyl, ii) a group S(0)pR13, or SiR14 where R13 and R14 are independently selected from hydrogen or hydrocarbyl, p is 0, 1 or 2 and q is 1 or 2, iii) C(0)N, S(0)2N, C(0)ON, CH2ON, or CH CHRCN where Rc is an electron withdrawing group, or iv) OC(0)CH, C(0)OCH or S(0)2CH; in which R12 is selected from hydrogen, halo, nitro, hydrocarbyl, optionally substituted or interposed with functional groups, or formula (II) R2 and R3 are independently selected from (CR7R8)n, or a group CR9R10, CR7R8CR9R10 or CR9R10CR7R8 where n is 0, 1 or 2, R7 and R8 are independently selected from hydrogen or alkyl, and either one of R9 or R10 is hydrogen and the other is an electron withdrawing group, or R9 and R10 together form an electron withdrawing group; R4 and R5 are independently selected from CH or CR11 where CR11 is an electron withdrawing group, the dotted lines indicate the presence or absence of a bond, X1 is a group CX2X3 where the dotted line bond to which it is attached is absent and a group CX2 where the dotted line to which it is attached is present, Y1 is a group CY2Y3 where the dotted line to which it is attached is absent and a group CY2 where the dotted line to which it is attached is present, and X2, X3, Y2 and Y3 are independently selected from hydrogen, fluorine or other substituents; and b) either (i) coating the low surface energy substrate with the polymeric precursor and polymerising the polymeric precursor to form a polymeric coating, or (ii) polymerising the polymeric precursor and contacting the polymerised polymeric precursor with a low surface energy substrate to form a polymeric coating on the low surface energy substrate.