Sheet material and method of manufacture thereof

• US 20040157051A1
• Filed: 02/11/2003
• Published: 08/12/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Bryan L. Ackerman, John S. Trent, Virginia D. Karul, William E. Leboeuf
• Original Assignee: Bryan L. Ackerman, John S. Trent, Virginia D. Karul, William E. Leboeuf
• Inventors: Ackerman, Bryan L., Trent, John S., LeBoeuf, William E., Karul, Virginia D.
• Application Number:
  US10/364,619
• Publication Number:
  US 20040157051A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 428/327
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 47/005 Cutting boards
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2038/047 Perforating
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/581 Resistant to cut
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/726 Permeability to liquids, absorption
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/758 Odour absorbent
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2309/105 Thickness
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2309/14 Velocity, e.g. feed speeds
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2323/10 Polypropylene
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/10 of paper or cardboard
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/12 next to a fibrous or filamentary layer
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/18 characterised by the use of special additives
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/32 comprising polyolefins comprising vinyl (co)polymers or acrylic (co)polymers B32B27/30
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 33/00 Layered products characterised by particular properties or particular surface features, e.g. particular surface coatings; Layered products designed for particular purposes not covered by another single class
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 37/1292 selectively, e.g. in stripes, in patterns B32B37/0076 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 37/153 at least one layer is extruded and immediately laminated while in semi-molten state
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/022 Non-woven fabric
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 23/06 Polyethene
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 23/12 Polypropene
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 23/142 at least partially crystalline copolymers of propene with other olefins
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 23/16 Elastomeric ethene-propene or ethene-propene-diene copolymers, e.g. EPR and EPDM rubbers
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 2666/06 : Homopolymers or copolymers of unsaturated hydrocarbons; Derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/254 : Polymeric or resinous material
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31855 : Of addition polymer from unsaturated monomers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31909 : Next to second addition polymer from unsaturated monomers

Abstract

A sheet material includes a substrate and a layer of material. The layer of material has a propylene polymer and is deposited onto the substrate at a thickness of at least about 1.75 mils and at a speed of at least about 175 feet/minute. A method of manufacturing the sheet material is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A sheet material, comprising:

a substrate; and

a layer of material having a propylene polymer and deposited onto the substrate at a thickness of at least about 1.75 mils and at a speed of at least about 175 feet/minute.

2. The sheet material of claim 1, wherein the material layer comprises a liquid impervious barrier.

3. The sheet material of claim 1, wherein the material layer comprises a processing surface for processing of foods thereon.

4. The sheet material of claim 3, wherein the substrate includes an absorbent ply and the material layer includes passages that allow fluid communication to the absorbent ply.

5. The sheet material of claim 1, wherein the propylene polymer is a polypropylene homopolymer.

6. The sheet material of claim 1, wherein the propylene polymer is a copolymer of polypropylene and less than 10 mole percent of an ethylene comonomer.

7. The sheet material of claim 1, wherein the propylene polymer is a metallocene catalyzed polypropylene.

8. The sheet material of claim 1, wherein the propylene polymer is a Ziegler-Natta catalyzed polypropylene.

9. The sheet material of claim 1, wherein the material layer further includes a processing additive.

10. The sheet material of claim 9, wherein the processing additive is a polymeric material different than the propylene polymer.

11. The sheet material of claim 10, wherein the processing additive is a polyethylene.

12. The sheet material of claim 10, wherein the processing additive is a low density polyethylene.

13. The sheet material of claim 10, wherein the processing additive is a high density polyethylene.

14. The sheet material of claim 10, wherein the processing additive is a polypropylene.

15. The sheet material of claim 10, wherein the processing additive is an impact copolymer polypropylene.

16. The sheet material of claim 15, wherein the impact copolymer polypropylene includes rubber particles.

17. The sheet material of claim 9, wherein the processing additive is talc.

18. The sheet material of claim 1, wherein the material layer is between about 2 mils and about 7 mils thick.

19. The sheet material of claim 1, wherein the material layer is thicker than 7 mils.

20. The sheet material of claim 1, wherein the material layer is at least about 2.50 mils thick and coated at a speed between about 175 feet/minute and about 600 feet/minute.

21. The sheet material of claim 1, wherein the material layer is at least about 3.50 mils thick and coated at a speed between about 175 feet/minute to about 400 feet/minute.

22. The sheet material of claim 1, wherein the material layer is applied as first and second coats applied by first and second extrusion dies, respectively.

23. The sheet material of claim 22, wherein each of the first and second coats is 2.5 mils thick and coated at a speed of about 600 feet/minute.

24. The sheet material of claim 1, wherein the sheet material is disposable.

25. A sheet material, comprising:

a substrate; and

a coating layer including a metallocene catalyzed propylene polymer and coated onto the substrate at a thickness of at least about 1.75 mils at a speed of at least about 175 feet/minute.

26. The sheet material of claim 25, wherein the coating layer is extrusion coated onto a side of the substrate.

27. The sheet material of claim 25, wherein the coating layer is one of a processing surface or a liquid impervious barrier.

28. The sheet material of claim 27, wherein the substrate includes an absorbent ply and the coating layer is a processing surface that includes passages allowing fluid communication to the absorbent ply.

29. The sheet material of claim 25, wherein the metallocene catalyzed propylene polymer is a polypropylene homopolymer.

30. The sheet material of claim 25, wherein the metallocene catalyzed propylene polymer is a copolymer of polypropylene and less than 10% of an ethylene comonomer.

31. The sheet material of claim 25, wherein the coating layer further comprises a processing additive.

32. The sheet material of claim 31, wherein the processing additive is a polymeric material different than the metallocene catalyzed propylene polymer.

33. The sheet material of claim 31, wherein the processing additive is talc.

34. The sheet material of claim 25, wherein the coating layer is at least about 2.50 mils thick and coated at a speed between about 175 feet/minute and about 600 feet/minute.

35. The sheet material of claim 25, wherein the coating layer is at least about 3.50 mils thick and coated at a speed between about 175 feet/minute to about 400 feet/minute.

36. The sheet material of claim 25, wherein the coating layer is applied in first and second coats by first and second extrusion dies, respectively.

37. The sheet material of claim 36, wherein each of the first and second coats is 2.5 mils thick and coated at a speed of about 600 feet/minute.

38. A sheet material, comprising:

a substrate having an absorbent ply and first and second sides;

a coating layer coated onto the first side by an extrusion die wherein the coating layer includes a propylene polymer and wherein the coating layer is coated at a thickness of at least about 1.75 mils at a speed of at least about 175 feet/minute;

passages formed in the coating layer that allow fluid communication to the absorbent ply; and

a liquid impervious barrier disposed on the second side.

39. The sheet material of claim 38, wherein the propylene polymer comprises a metallocene catalyzed polypropylene.

40. The sheet material of claim 38, wherein the propylene polymer comprises a Ziegler-Natta catalyzed polypropylene.

41. The sheet material of claim 38, wherein the coating layer further comprises a processing additive.

42. The sheet material of claim 41, wherein the processing additive is a polymeric material different than the propylene polymer.

43. The sheet material of claim 41, wherein the processing additive is talc.

44. The sheet material of claim 38, wherein the coating layer is between about 2 mils and about 2.50 mils thick and coated at a speed between about 175 feet/minute and about 600 feet/minute.

45. The sheet material of claim 38, wherein the coating layer is at least about 3.50 mils thick and coated at a speed between about 175 feet/minute and about 400 feet/minute.

46. A sheet material, comprising:

a substrate including a first absorbent layer; and

a coating layer that includes a propylene polymer wherein the coating layer is coated onto a second absorbent layer at a thickness of at least about 1.75 mils at a speed of at least about 175 feet/minute;

wherein the second absorbent layer is joined to the first absorbent layer.

47. The sheet material of claim 46, wherein the propylene polymer comprises a metallocene catalyzed polypropylene.

48. The sheet material of claim 46, wherein the propylene polymer comprises a Ziegler-Natta catalyzed polypropylene.

49. The sheet material of claim 46, wherein the coating layer further comprises a processing additive.

50. The sheet material of claim 49, wherein the processing additive is a polymeric material different than the propylene polymer.

51. The sheet material of claim 49, wherein the processing additive is talc.

52. The sheet material of claim 46, wherein the coating layer is between about 2 mils and about 2.50 mils thick and coated at a speed between about 175 feet/minute and about 600 feet/minute.

53. The sheet material of claim 46, wherein the coating layer is at least about 3.50 mils thick and coated at a speed between about 175 feet/minute to about 400 feet/minute.

54. A method of manufacturing a sheet material, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a propylene polymer composition; and

extruding a layer of the composition onto a substrate at a thickness of at least about 1.75 mils and at a speed of at least about 175 feet/minute.

55. The method of claim 54, wherein the layer comprises a processing surface for processing of foods thereon.

56. The method of claim 54, wherein the layer comprises a liquid impervious barrier.

57. The method of claim 54, wherein the substrate includes a first absorbent ply, the method further comprising the step of joining the substrate to a further layer having a liquid impervious barrier and a second absorbent ply.

58. The method of claim 54, further comprising the step of forming passages in the layer to allow fluid communication to the substrate.

59. The method of claim 54, wherein the propylene polymer composition includes a polypropylene homopolymer.

60. The method of claim 54, wherein the propylene polymer composition includes a copolymer of polypropylene and less than 10% of an ethylene comonomer.

61. The method of claim 54, wherein the propylene polymer composition includes a metallocene catalyzed polypropylene.

62. The method of claim 54, wherein the propylene polymer includes a Ziegler-Natta catalyzed polypropylene.

63. The method of claim 54, wherein the propylene polymer composition includes a processing additive.

64. The method of claim 63, wherein the processing additive is a polymeric material different than the propylene polymer.

65. The method of claim 64, wherein the processing additive is a polyethylene.

66. The method of claim 64, wherein the processing additive is a low density polyethylene.

67. The method of claim 64, wherein the processing additive is a high density polyethylene.

68. The method of claim 64, wherein the processing additive is a polypropylene.

69. The method of claim 64, wherein the processing additive is an impact copolymer polypropylene.

70. The method of claim 69, wherein the impact copolymer polypropylene includes rubber particles.

71. The method of claim 63, wherein the processing additive is talc.

72. The method of claim 54, wherein the layer is between about 2 mils and about 7 mils thick.

73. The method of claim 54, wherein the layer is thicker than 7 mils.

74. The method of claim 54, wherein the layer is at least about 2.50 mils thick and coated at a speed between about 175 feet/minute and about 600 feet/minute.

75. The method of claim 54, wherein the layer is at least about 3.50 mils thick and coated at a speed between about 175 feet/minute to about 400 feet/minute.

76. The method of claim 54, wherein the layer is applied in first and second coats by first and second extrusion dies, respectively.

77. The method of claim 76, wherein each of the first and second coats is 2.5 mils thick and coated at a speed of about 600 feet/minute.