Paint replacement films, composites therefrom, and related methods

• US 10,035,932 B2
• Filed: 09/25/2007
• Issued: 07/31/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PPG Advanced Surface Technologies LLC
• Original Assignee: AERO Advanced Paint Technology Inc. (Entrotech, Inc.)
• Inventors: McGuire, Jr., James E.
• Primary Examiner(s): HUANG, CHENG YUAN
• Application Number:
  US12/529,712
• Publication Number:
  US 20100059167A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,962 Days
• Field of Search: 428354, 428337, 156 94
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/08 of synthetic resin
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 7/12 using interposed adhesives or interposed materials with bonding properties
• CPC Class Codes: C09J 2301/162 the carrier being a laminate constituted by plastic layers only
• CPC Class Codes: C09J 2433/00 Presence of (meth)acrylic polymer
• CPC Class Codes: C09J 2475/006 in the substrate
• CPC Class Codes: C09J 7/29 Laminated material metallised plastics C09J7/22
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/263 Coating layer not in excess of 5 mils thick or equivalent
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/266 of base or substrate
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2848 Three or more layers

Abstract

Paint replacement films of the invention comprise at least one adhesive layer; at least one pigmented layer; and at least one polymer layer that is essentially free of low surface energy materials. In addition, paint replacement composite articles and related methods of the invention comprise a paint replacement film and a topcoat on a surface of the paint replacement film opposite the adhesive layer. Paint replacement films and composite articles of the invention are useful when applied to a variety of articles (e.g., a motorized vehicle such as an aircraft).

Claims

1. A paint replacement film comprising at least three distinct layers as follows:

at least one adhesive layer;

at least one pigmented layer having a maximum thickness of about 25 microns; and

at least one polymer layer,

wherein the paint replacement film excluding the at least one adhesive layer has a thickness of about 25 microns to about 50 microns and is essentially free of fluoropolymer materials, and

wherein all adjacent layers within the paint replacement film are covalently bonded to each other to form the paint replacement film.

2. The paint replacement film of claim 1, wherein surface tension of each layer within the paint replacement film is within about 5 dynes per centimeter of surface tension of adjacent layers therein.

3. The paint replacement film of claim 2, wherein each of the at least one adhesive layer, the at least one pigmented layer, and the at least one polymer layer is covalently bonded to at least one other of the at least one adhesive layer, the at least one pigmented layer, and the at least one polymer layer.

4. The paint replacement film of claim 1, wherein the at least one pigmented layer comprises ink.

5. The paint replacement film of claim 1, wherein the at least one pigmented layer is discontinuous.

6. The paint replacement film of claim 1, wherein the at least one polymer layer is thicker than the at least one pigmented layer.

7. The paint replacement film of claim 1, wherein the at least one polymer layer is polyurethane-based.

8. The paint replacement film of claim 7, wherein each of the at least one adhesive layer, the at least one pigmented layer, and the at least one polymer layer is covalently bonded to at least one other of the at least one adhesive layer, the at least one pigmented layer, and the at least one polymer layer.

9. The paint replacement film of claim 1, wherein the at least one polymer layer has a thickness of about 10 microns to about 50 microns.

10. The paint replacement film of claim 1, wherein the at least one polymer layer has a thickness of about 25 microns or less.

11. The paint replacement film of claim 1, wherein the at least one adhesive layer comprises a pressure-sensitive adhesive.

12. The paint replacement film of claim 1, wherein the at least one adhesive layer comprises a (meth)acrylate.

13. The paint replacement film of claim 11, wherein the paint replacement film is capable of being efficiently removed from a surface of an article to which it is applied in a unitary piece when desired.

14. The paint replacement film of claim 1, wherein the at least one adhesive layer has a thickness of about 5 microns to about 150 microns.

15. The paint replacement film of claim 1, wherein the at least one adhesive layer has a thickness of about 25 microns or less.

16. The paint replacement film of claim 1, wherein the paint replacement film consists of sequential layers as follows:

optionally, a release liner;

the at least one adhesive layer;

the at least one pigmented layer having a maximum thickness of about 8 microns;

the at least one polymer layer, wherein the at least one polymer layer is essentially free of low surface energy materials and comprises a urethane, an epoxy, an acrylic, or a polyester; and

optionally, a carrier opposite the release liner,

wherein the paint replacement film exhibits flexibility for adherence of the paint replacement film to curved or otherwise non-planar surfaces.

17. The paint replacement film of claim 16, wherein the paint replacement film is capable of being efficiently removed from a surface of an article to which it is applied in a unitary piece when desired.

18. The paint replacement film of claim 16, wherein the at least one polymer layer that is essentially free of low surface energy materials comprises a urethane, an epoxy, or a polyester.

19. The paint replacement film of claim 1, wherein the at least one adhesive layer is on an exterior surface of the paint replacement film.

20. The paint replacement film of claim 1, wherein the at least one pigmented layer and the at least one polymer layer are covalently bonded to each other.

21. The paint replacement film of claim 1, wherein each of the at least one adhesive layer, the at least one pigmented layer, and the at least one polymer layer is covalently bonded to at least one other of the at least one adhesive layer, the at least one pigmented layer, and the at least one polymer layer.

22. The paint replacement film of claim 1, wherein the paint replacement film is capable of being efficiently removed from a surface of an article to which it is applied in a unitary piece when desired.

23. The paint replacement film of claim 1, wherein the paint replacement film excluding the at least one adhesive layer is essentially free of low surface energy materials.

24. An article comprising at least one surface having on at least a portion thereof the paint replacement film of claim 1.

25. The article of claim 24, wherein the article comprises a motorized vehicle.

26. The article of claim 24, wherein the article comprises an aircraft.

27. A paint replacement composite article comprising:

the paint replacement film of claim 1, and

a topcoat on a surface of the paint replacement film opposite the at least one adhesive layer.

28. The paint replacement composite article of claim 27, wherein the topcoat comprises a polyurethane-based material.

29. The paint replacement composite article of claim 27, wherein the topcoat comprises a clearcoat.

30. The paint replacement composite article of claim 27, wherein the topcoat is about 20 microns to about 40 microns thick.

31. A method of protecting a surface, the method comprising:

adhering the paint replacement film of claim 1 to at least a portion of at least one exterior surface of an article, and

applying a topcoat to essentially the entire exposed exterior surface of the article, except for those surfaces where the topcoat would detract from function of the underlying surface or article.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the article comprises an aircraft.