Optical films incorporating cyclic olefin copolymers

• US 20060093846A1
• Filed: 10/14/2005
• Published: 05/04/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: Getschel, Joel A., Jones, Clinton L., Strobel, Joan M., Chien, Bert T., Strobel, Mark A., Bosl, Ellen R.
• Granted Patent: US 7,348,066 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 428/520
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2250/24 All layers being polymeric
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2255/10 on synthetic resin layer or on natural or synthetic rubber layer
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2255/28 Multiple coating on one surface
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/40 having particular optical properties light or UV resistant B32B2307/71
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/408 Matt, dull surface
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2457/202 LCD, i.e. liquid crystal displays
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/08 of synthetic resin
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/16 specially treated, e.g. irradiated
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/18 characterised by the use of special additives
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/30 comprising vinyl (co)polymers; comprising acrylic (co)polymers
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/32 comprising polyolefins comprising vinyl (co)polymers or acrylic (co)polymers B32B27/30
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/325 comprising polycycloolefins
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 3/30 characterised by a layer formed with recesses or projections, e.g. hollows, grooves, protuberances, ribs apertured layer B32B3/266; layer with cavities or internal voids B32B3/26
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 2365/00 Characterised by the use of macromolecular compounds obtained by reactions forming a carbon-to-carbon link in the main chain C08J2307/00 - C08J2357/00, C08J2361/00 take precedence; Derivatives of such polymers
• 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: C08J 7/046 Forming abrasion-resistant coatings; Forming surface-hardening coatings
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31917 Next to polyene polymer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31924 Including polyene monomers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31928 Ester, halide or nitrile of addition polymer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31931 Polyene monomer-containing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31935 : Ester, halide or nitrile of addition polymer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31938 : Polymer of monoethylenically unsaturated hydrocarbon

Abstract

A norbornene-based cyclic olefin layer with a curable layer disposed thereon is described. The curable layer may additionally be imparted with a texture. The norbornene-based cyclic olefin films with curable layers can be incorporated into optical bodies which include an optical film, such as an oriented multilayer optical film. In addition, the invention includes a method of coating a curable layer onto a norbornene-based polymer layer or film without requiring a primer layer. Methods of making the norbornene-based cyclic olefin layer containing films are also disclosed.

Claims

1. An optical body comprising:

a norbornene-based cyclic olefin layer; and

a curable layer attached to the norbornene-based cyclic olefin layer, wherein the curable layer comprises a curable material that exhibits a level of adhesion to the norbornene-based cyclic olefin layer greater than or equal to 1B as determined by ASTM D3359-02.

2. The optical body of claim 1, wherein the curable material is a photopolymerizable material.

3. The optical body of claim 1, wherein the curable layer comprises a curable material that functions as a UV stabilizer, abrasion resistant material, hardcoat material, anti-reflective coating, or a diffuser.

4. The optical body of claim 1, wherein the curable layer comprises ethlyenically unsaturated monomers, ethlyenically unsaturated oligomers or blends thereof, wherein the index of refraction of the uncured curable material is greater than 1.55.

5. The optical body of claim 4, wherein the curable material comprises a reaction product of Tetrabromobisphenol A glycidyl ether and (meth)acrylic acid.

6. The optical body of claim 1, wherein the curable layer comprises ethlyenically unsaturated monomers, ethlyenically unsaturated oligomers or blends thereof, and the curable layer further comprises inorganic nanoparticles.

7. The optical body of claim 6, wherein the curable material comprises a reaction product of Tetrabromobisphenol A glycidyl ether and (meth)acrylic acid.

8. The optical body of claim 1, wherein the curable material comprises a multi-functional (meth)acrylate.

9. The optical body of claim 1 wherein the curable material comprises a monofunctional (meth)acrylate with a refractive index greater than 1.50.

10. The multilayer film of claim 1, wherein the norbornene-based cyclic olefin film consists essentially of a copolymer comprising norbornene or a derivative thereof, and ethylene.

11. The multilayer film of claim 1, wherein the curable layer has a structured surface.

12. The multilayer film of claim 11, wherein the structured surface comprises a plurality of linear prismatic structures.

13. The optical body of claim 1, further comprising an optical film.

14. The optical body of claim 13, wherein at least one curable layer comprising a curable material is attached to a major surface of the norbornene-based cyclic olefin layer, wherein the major surface is disposed generally opposite the optical film.

15. The optical body of claim 13, wherein the curable layer comprising a curable material is disposed between the optical film and the norbornene-based cyclic olefin layer.

16. The optical body of claim 15, wherein the curable material is an adhesive.

17. The optical body of claim 15, wherein the optical film is a multilayer polymeric reflective optical film or a continuous/disperse phase reflective optical film.

18. A display device including an optical body according to claim 1, a light source and a display panel.

19. A method of applying a curable layer to a norbornene-based cyclic olefin layer, comprising:

corona treating a norbornene-based cyclic olefin layer; and

applying a curable material to the corona-treated norbornene-based cyclic olefin layer, thereby forming a curable layer;

wherein the elapsed time between corona-treating the norbornene-based cyclic olefin layer and applying a curable layer is less than 75 seconds.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the elapsed time is less than 30 seconds.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the elapsed time is less than 2 seconds.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein the elapsed time is less than 1 second.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein the corona treating is performed in an ambient air atmosphere.

24. The method of claim 19, wherein the corona treating is performed in a nitrogen atmosphere.

25. The method of claim 19, wherein corona treating a norbornene-based cyclic olefin layer comprises feeding the norbornene-based cyclic olefin layer adjacent to a source electrode in ambient air environment.

26. The method of claim 19, wherein applying a curable layer comprises:

coating a curable material on the corona-treated solid norbornene-based co-polymer layer; and

curing the curable material.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the elapsed time between coating the curable material and curing the curable material is less than 4 minutes.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein the elapsed time between coating the curable material and curing the curable material is less than 30 seconds.

29. The method of claim 26, further comprising imparting surface structures into the curable layer prior to curing.

30. The method of claim 19, the norbornene-based cyclic olefin film is disposed on an optical film, such that the curable layer becomes an outer layer of an optical body.

31. The method of claim 19, wherein the curable layer comprises a curable adhesive material;

and the method additionally comprising;

laminating the norbornene-based cyclic olefin layer and curable adhesive material to an optical film;

curing the curable adhesive layer, thereby forming an optical body.

32. A method of applying a curable layer to a norbornene-based cyclic olefin layer, the method comprising:

nitrogen corona treating the norbornene-based cyclic olefin layer; and

applying a curable material to the corona-treated norbornene-based cyclic olefin layer, thereby forming a curable layer;

wherein the elapsed time between corona-treating the norbornene-based cyclic olefin layer and applying a curable layer is less than an hour.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the elapsed time is less than 30 minutes

34. The method of claim 32, wherein the elapsed time is less than 10 minutes.

35. The method of claim 32, wherein the elapsed time is less than 2 minutes.

36. The method of claim 32, wherein the elapsed time is less than 1 minute.

37. The method of claim 32, further comprising:

curing the curable material.