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

• Current Assignee: Toray Plastics (America), Inc. (Toray Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Toray Plastics (America), Inc. (Toray Industries Incorporated)
• Inventors: Moritz, Jan
• Primary Examiner(s): Chen, Vivian
• Application Number:
  US15/874,949
• Publication Number:
  US 20180141320A1
• Time in Patent Office: 795 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 55/12 biaxial
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 63/02 using sheet or web-like material B29C63/26 and B29C63/38 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/44 Joining a heated non plastics element to a plastics element
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/48 using adhesives , i.e. using supplementary joining material; solvent bonding
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2067/00 Use of polyesters or derivatives thereof, as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 15/08 of synthetic resin
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 15/09 comprising polyesters
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 15/12 of paper or cardboard
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 15/20 comprising aluminium or copper B32B15/016 and B32B15/017 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2250/02 2 layers
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2250/03 3 layers
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2250/04 4 layers
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2250/05 5 or more layers
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2250/244 All polymers belonging to those covered by group B32B27/36
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2250/42 Alternating layers, e.g. ABAB(C), AABBAABB(C)
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2255/10 on synthetic resin layer or on natural or synthetic rubber layer
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2255/205 Metallic coating
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2264/02 Synthetic macromolecular particles
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2264/10 Inorganic particles
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2264/102 Oxide or hydroxide
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2264/104 : Oxysalt, e.g. carbonate, sulfate, phosphate or nitrate particles
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2264/12 : Mixture of at least two particles made of different materials
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/406 : Bright, glossy, shiny surface
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/518 : bi-axially
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/538 : Roughness
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/748 : Releasability
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2309/105 : Thickness
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2311/00 : Metals, their alloys or their compounds
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2311/02 : Noble metals
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2311/08 : Silver
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2311/12 : Copper
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2311/24 : Aluminium
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2367/00 : Polyesters, e.g. PET, i.e. polyethylene terephthalate
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/08 : of synthetic resin
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/18 : characterised by the use of special additives
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/20 : using fillers, pigments, thixotroping agents
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/36 : comprising polyesters
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 3/00 : Layered products comprising a layer with external or internal discontinuities or unevennesses, or a layer of non-planar shape; Layered products comprising a layer having particular features of form
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 37/025 : Transfer laminating
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 37/12 : characterised by using adhesives
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 37/16 : with all layers existing as coherent layers before laminating
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 7/00 : Layered products characterised by the relation between layers; Layered products characterised by the relative orientation of features between layers, or by the relative values of a measurable parameter between layers, i.e. products comprising layers having different physical, chemical or physicochemical properties; Layered products characterised by the interconnection of layers
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 7/04 : Interconnection of layers
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 7/06 : permitting easy separation
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 7/12 : using interposed adhesives or interposed materials with bonding properties
• CPC Class Codes: B44C 1/14 : Metallic leaves or foils, e.g. gold leaf
• CPC Class Codes: B44C 1/16 : for applying transfer pictures or the like
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 2367/02 : Polyesters derived from dicarboxylic acids and dihydroxy compounds; C08J2367/06 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 5/18 : Manufacture of films or sheets
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 7/042 : with two or more layers, where at least one layer of a composition contains a polymer binder
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 7/043 : Improving the adhesiveness of the coatings per se, e.g. forming primers adhesives in the form of films or foils characterised by the primer layers between the polymer carriers and the adhesives C09J7/50
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 2201/003 : Additives being defined by their diameter
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 2201/005 : Additives being defined by their particle size in general
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 3/01 : characterized by their specific function
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 3/013 : Fillers, pigments or reinforcing additives
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 5/00 : Use of organic ingredients
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 67/02 : Polyesters derived from dicarboxylic acids and dihydroxy compounds C08L67/06 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 67/03 : the dicarboxylic acids and dihydroxy compounds having the carboxyl- and the hydroxy groups directly linked to aromatic rings
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 91/06 : Waxes
• CPC Class Codes: C09J 7/20 : characterised by their carriers
• CPC Class Codes: C09J 7/22 : Plastics; Metallised plastics
• CPC Class Codes: C09J 7/25 : based on macromolecular compounds obtained otherwise than by reactions involving only carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds
• CPC Class Codes: C09J 7/255 : Polyesters
• CPC Class Codes: C09J 7/29 : Laminated material metallised plastics C09J7/22
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/14 : Layer or component removable to expose adhesive
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/1419 : Wax containing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/1476 : Release layer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24355 : Continuous and nonuniform or irregular surface on layer or component [e.g., roofing, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24372 : Particulate matter
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/25 : Web or sheet containing structurally defined element or component and including a second component containing structurally defined particles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/264 : Up to 3 mils
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31681 : Next to polyester, polyamide or polyimide [e.g., alkyd, glue, or nylon, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31786 : Of polyester [e.g., alkyd, etc.]

Abstract

A carrier film of thermoplastic polyester has releasable metal adhesive properties suitable for a metal transfer in which the polyester film is metalized and the metal layer is subsequently transferred to a permanent adhesive-coated substrate. The metal layer is in direct contact with the polyester carrier film and no intermediate release layer is present. Desired metal adhesion is provided by dispersing an suitable surfactant, and optionally, a hydrocarbon wax, uniformly into the polyester film. Surfactant on the outer surface of the carrier film modifies metal adhesion to the polyester such that the metal can be removed in a metal transfer operation.

Claims

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.

2. The method of claim 1 in which the carrier film includes about 0.1-1 wt % paraffin wax dispersed in the thermoplastic polyester of the first skin laver.

3. The method of claim 1 in which the step (A) of providing the metal transfer film further comprises fa) obtaining a mixture comprising a thermoplastic polyester resin and release agent, (b) heating the mixture effectively to melt the thermoplastic polyester resin, (c) uniformly dispersing the release agent in the thermoplastic polyester resin, thereby forming a melt dispersion, (d) forming the carrier film wherein at least the first skin layer is formed from a thermoplastic polyester composition comprising the melt dispersion, and (e) stretching the carrier film in a machine direction about 3x-6x and in the transverse direction about 3x-6x, thereby causing the release agent to bloom to an outer surface of the carrier film.

4. The method of claim 1 in which the first skin layer 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 of the first skin layer with roughness characterized by Ra at most about 50 nm and Sra at most about 30.

5. The method of claim 1 in which the carrier film further comprises a second skin layer coextensively adjacent in direct contact with the core layer opposite the first skin layer,

in which at least one of the core layer and the second 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 of the first skin layer with roughness characterized by Ra at most about 50 nm and Sra at most about 30.

6. The method of claim 5 in which any solid particles in the core layer are present in the range of about 0.01 wt % to about 0.1 wt % and have size of about 0.5 μ

m to about 1.0 μ

m.

7. The method of claim 6 in which solid particles are present in the second skin layer in the range of about 0.01 wt % to about 0.1 wt % and have size of about 1.0 μ

m to about 2.4 μ

m.

8. The method of claim 5 in which the carrier film exhibits a specular reflection of at least 160 gloss units measured by glossmeter at a 60°

angle.