Metallization process and product produced thereby
First Claim
1. A layered structure comprising (a) a substrate layer;
- (b) a metal-containing layer;
(c) an adhesive layer adhering said metal of said metal-containing layer to said substrate layer; and
(d) a cured polymeric breakaway layer, having a top surface and a bottom surface, said bottom surface of said cured polymeric breakaway layer contacting said metal of said metal-containing layer, whereby said cured polymeric breakaway layer is not absorbed into said metal of said metal-containing layer.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A layered structure produced by metallizing a substrate including: (a) providing a transfer film including film layer and metal layer bonded together by a cured breakaway layer; (b) providing a substrate; (c) applying electron beam curable transfer adhesive to a portion of the substrate; (d) securing the transfer film to the substrate, where the transfer adhesive is between the metal layer and substrate, forming an intermediate product; (e) passing the intermediate product through an electron beam curing apparatus to cure the transfer adhesive; and (f) removing the transfer film. In the metallized product, the cured breakaway coating is bonded only to the metal. The cured breakaway layer preferably has a cured elongation at break, in tension, of less than about 20%. Precise metallized edges are produced, e.g., edge variation of about ±0.010 in., or better. The process can be utilized with total or selective metal transfer.
116 Citations
33 Claims
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1. A layered structure comprising (a) a substrate layer;
- (b) a metal-containing layer;
(c) an adhesive layer adhering said metal of said metal-containing layer to said substrate layer; and
(d) a cured polymeric breakaway layer, having a top surface and a bottom surface, said bottom surface of said cured polymeric breakaway layer contacting said metal of said metal-containing layer, whereby said cured polymeric breakaway layer is not absorbed into said metal of said metal-containing layer.
- (b) a metal-containing layer;
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2. A layered structure comprising (a) a substrate layer;
- (b) a metal-containing layer;
(c) an adhesive layer adhering said metal of said metal-containing layer to said substrate layer;
(d) a cured polymeric breakaway layer, having a top surface and a bottom surface, said bottom surface of said cured polymeric breakaway layer contacting said metal of said metal-containing layer; and
(e) a film layer temporarily adhered to said top surface of said cured polymeric breakaway layer. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5)
- (b) a metal-containing layer;
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6. A layered structure comprising (a) a substrate layer having a predetermined surface area;
- (b) a metal-containing layer;
(c) an adhesive-containing layer corresponding to a portion of said predetermined surface area of said substrate layer, thereby adhering only a corresponding portion of said metal in said metal-containing layer to said substrate layer;
(d) a breakaway layer, having a top surface and a bottom surface; and
(e) a film layer temporarily adhered to said top surface of said breakaway layer, whereby upon removal of said film layer from said top surface of said breakaway layer, said bottom surface of said breakaway layer covers substantially only said corresponding portion of said metal of said metal-containing layer. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
- (b) a metal-containing layer;
-
29. A layered structure comprising (a) a substrate layer;
- (b) a metal-containing layer;
(c) a radiation curable adhesive layer adhering said metal of said metal-containing layer to said substrate layer;
(d) a cured polymeric breakaway layer, having a top surface and a bottom surface; and
(e) a film layer temporarily adhered to said top surface of said cured polymeric breakaway layer, said bottom surface of said cured polymeric breakaway layer covering said metal of said metal-containing layer, and said top surface of said cured polymeric breakaway layer exhibiting a dyne level of about 34 to about 58 dynes/cm and being printable, and said metal of said metal-containing layer having a thickness of about 20 Å
to about 1000 Å
.
- (b) a metal-containing layer;
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30. A layered structure comprising (a) a substrate layer;
- (b) a metal-containing layer;
(c) a curable adhesive layer adhering said metal of said metal-containing layer to said substrate layer;
(d) a cured polymeric breakaway layer, having a top surface and a bottom surface; and
(e) a film layer temporarily adhered to said top surface of said cured polymeric breakaway layer, said bottom surface of said cured polymeric breakaway layer coating said metal of said metal-containing layer, said cured polymeric breakaway layer having a cured elongation at break when tested in tension of about 100% to about 300%, and said breakaway layer having a thickness of less than about 7 microns. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33)
- (b) a metal-containing layer;
Specification