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Releasable polyester high gloss metal transfer film method

  • US 10,596,794 B2
  • Filed: 01/19/2018
  • Issued: 03/24/2020
  • Est. Priority Date: 11/08/2012
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A method of transferring a metal to a substrate comprising the steps of:

  • (A) providing a metal transfer film consisting of(i) a carrier film having a thickness of about 4-75 μ

    m and consisting essentially of a thermoplastic polyester and a release agent, in which the carrier film contains a core layer consisting essentially of thermoplastic polyester and a first skin layer coextensively adjacent in direct contact with one side of the core layer, a side of the first skin layer opposite the core layer defining a metal-contacting surface, said first skin layer consisting essentially of a thermoplastic polyester and a release agent;

    in which at least one of the core layer and the first skin layer each independently comprises a heterogeneous mixture of finely divided solid particles uniformly dispersed in a continuous phase of the thermoplastic polyester, and in which the solid particles in the carrier film are present in concentration and size effective to provide the metal-contacting surface with roughness characterized by Ra at most about 50 nm and Sra at most about 30;

    in which the release agent is selected from the group consisting of anionic surfactant, non-ionic surfactant, about 0.1-1 wt % paraffin wax dispersed in the thermoplastic polyester, and a mixture thereof, and is present in the thermoplastic polyester of the first skin layer in amount effective to provide the metal-contacting surface with a preselected adhesion value to a metal in the range of about 0.4-39 g/cm (1-100 g/in) measured by a 180 degree ethylene acrylic acid polymer peel test, and(ii) a transferable metal layer in direct contact with the metal-contacting surface of the first skin layer with the metal of the transferable metal layer having a metal thickness equivalent to an optical density in the range of about 0.2-4.0;

    (B) providing a substrate article having a surface coated with an adhesive layer;

    (C) contacting the transferable metal layer of the metal transfer film with the adhesive layer of the substrate such that the metal transfer film bonds to the adhesive layer of the substrate, wherein the transferable metal layer on the metal-contacting surface exhibits a specular reflection of at least 860 gloss units measured by glossmeter at a 60°

    angle; and

    (D) stripping the carrier film from the transferable metal layer, thereby transferring the metal onto the substrate.

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