Coated Film for Insert Mold Decoration, Methods for Using the Same, and Articles Made Thereby

• US 20110183120A1
• Filed: 07/02/2009
• Published: 07/28/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: SABIC Global Technologies BV (Government of Saudi Arabia)
• Original Assignee: Sabic Innovative Plastics IP BV (Government of Saudi Arabia)
• Inventors: Chakravarti, Jamuna, Gautum, Keshav, Laurin, Michael Matthew, Clinnin, David, Hongladarom, Kwan, Sharygin, Andrei
• Application Number:
  US12/994,284
• Publication Number:
  US 20110183120A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 428/174
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2035/0827 using UV radiation
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2037/0042 the coating being applied in solid sheet form, e.g. as meltable sheet
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 37/0032 the coating being applied upon the mould surface before introducing the moulding compound, e.g. applying a gelcoat B29C44/14 and B29C44/32 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/1418 the inserts being deformed or preformed, e.g. by the injection pressure
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/14688 Coating articles provided with a decoration
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 59/08 by flame treatment ; using hot gases
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 59/10 by electric discharge treatment
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 59/14 by plasma treatment plasma tubes per se H01J
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 71/04 by wave energy or particle radiation , e.g. for curing or vulcanising preformed articles during moulding, e.g. in a mould B29C35/08
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2069/00 Use of PC, i.e. polycarbonates or derivatives thereof, as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2255/10 on synthetic resin layer or on natural or synthetic rubber layer
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2255/26 Polymeric coating
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2270/00 Resin or rubber layer containing a blend of at least two different polymers
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/412 Transparent
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/54 Yield strength; Tensile strength
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/554 Wear resistance
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/584 Scratch resistance
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/714 Inert, i.e. inert to chemical degradation, corrosion
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2451/00 Decorative or ornamental articles wall paper B32B2607/02
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/08 of synthetic resin
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/365 : comprising polycarbonates
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 283/006 : on to polymers provided for in C08G18/00 C08F283/004 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 290/061 : Polyesters; Polycarbonates
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 290/067 : Polyurethanes; Polyureas
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 2369/00 : Characterised by the use of polycarbonates; Derivatives of polycarbonates
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 2433/00 : Characterised by the use of homopolymers or copolymers of compounds having one or more unsaturated aliphatic radicals, each having only one carbon-to-carbon double bond, and only one being terminated by only one carboxyl radical, or of salts, anhydrides, esters, amides, imides, or nitriles thereof; Derivatives of such polymers
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 2475/00 : Characterised by the use of polyureas or polyurethanes; Derivatives of such polymers
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 7/0427 : with only one layer of a composition containing a polymer binder with more layers C08J7/042
• 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: C09D 133/14 : of esters containing halogen, nitrogen, sulfur or oxygen atoms in addition to the carboxy oxygen
• CPC Class Codes: C09D 175/16 : having terminal carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24628 : Nonplanar uniform thickness material
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24967 : Absolute thicknesses specified
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31507 : Of polycarbonate
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31551 : Of polyamidoester [polyurethane, polyisocyanate, polycarbamate, etc.]

Abstract

A coated thermoplastic film can be subjected to printing to obtain a decorative film, preformed (for example, thermoformed), and then inserted into a mold that has the configuration of the preformed decorative film A base polymeric structure comprising a polymer such as a polycarbonate or blend thereof can be injection molded to the exposed surface of the preformed decorative film The molded structure has various applications such as cell phones or other electronic devices, automotive vehicles, appliances, display panels, lenses, etc. A process for making the molded article is also described. The coating for the coated thermoplastic film can be made from a UV-curable composition and can provide superior embossing and thermoformability, hardness, and adhesion, while providing enhanced chemical, scratch and abrasion resistance.

Claims

1. A coated thermoplastic film comprising:

a polymeric film substrate; and

a coating formed from a coating composition that comprises

a urethane acrylate having a functionality of 2.5 to 6.0 acrylate functional groups; and

an acrylate monomer having at least one acrylate functional group;

wherein the coating composition is subsequently cured.

2. The coated thermoplastic film of claim 1, wherein the urethane acrylate functionality has a functionality of 2.5 to 5.5.

3. The coated thermoplastic film of claim 1, wherein the urethane acrylate has an elongation percent at break of at least 10 according to ASTM D882.

4. The coated thermoplastic film of claim 3, wherein the urethane acrylate has an elongation percent of 15 to 100.

5. The coated thermoplastic film of claim 1, wherein the urethane acrylate has a tensile strength of 1,000 to 5,000 psi and a glass transition range of 10 to 50°

C.

6. The coated thermoplastic film of claim 1, wherein the urethane acrylate is an aliphatic urethane acrylate.

7. The coated thermoplastic film of claim 1, wherein the acrylate monomer is a diacrylate compound.

8. The coated thermoplastic film of claim 1, wherein the urethane acrylate is present in the amount of 20 wt % to 90 wt %, and the acrylate monomer is present in the amount of 10 wt % to 80 wt %, based upon a total weight of the coating composition.

9. The coated thermoplastic film of claim 1, wherein the coating composition further comprises a photoinitiator in the amount of 0.1 to 10% by weight of the coating composition.

10. The coated thermoplastic film of claim 1, wherein the film exhibits a Tabor Abrasion Delta Haze, as measured by ASTM D1044, of less than or equal to 5 percent, a minimum adhesion of 5B as measured by ASTM D3002;

and a pencil hardness of at least HB, as measured by ASTM D3363.

11. The coated thermoplastic film of claim 1, wherein the polymer film substrate is a polycarbonate film substrate.

12. The coated thermoplastic film of claim 11, wherein the polycarbonate film substrate is a co-extruded multilayer film comprising:

a first layer comprising a blend of polycarbonate comprising repeat units of dimethyl bisphenol cyclohexane monomer and a polycarbonate comprising repeat units of bisphenol A; and

a second layer comprising a polycarbonate comprising repeat units of bisphenol A without polycarbonate comprising repeat units of dimethyl bisphenol cyclohexane monomer;

wherein the film exhibits a Tabor Abrasion Delta Haze, as measured by ASTM D1044, of less than or equal to 5 percent, a minimum adhesion of 5B as measured by ASTM D3002; and

a minimum pencil hardness of HB, as measured by ASTM D3363.

13. The coated thermoplastic film of claim 12, wherein the polycarbonate film substrate is 25 to 1,500 micrometers thick, and the coating is 1 to 50 micrometers thick.

14. The thermoplastic film of claim 12, made by a process comprising applying the coating composition onto a moving web of the polycarbonate film substrate, nipping the wet coating between a smooth metal casting roll and a elastomeric roll and, while the coated film is in contact with the casting roll, exposing the coating to UV energy to activate polymerization of the coating, wherein the casting roll temperature is 71.1 to 93.0°

C.

15. The thermoplastic film of claim 12, wherein the coating composition further comprises an acrylate monomer having at least two acrylate functional groups.

16. The thermoplastic film of claim 12, wherein the acrylate monomer having at least one acrylate functional group is hexanediol diacrylate.

17. The thermoplastic film of claim 12, wherein the acrylate monomer having at least two acrylate functional groups is a tri-functional acrylate

18. The thermoplastic film of claim 17, wherein the tri-functional acrylate is pentaerythritol triacrylate.

19. The thermoplastic film of claim 12, wherein the urethane acrylate is present in an amount of 20 wt % to 70 wt %, the acrylate monomer having at least one acrylate functional group is present is an amount of 25 wt % to 70 wt %, and the acrylate monomer having at least two acrylate functional groups is present in an amount of 5 wt % to 10 wt %, wherein weight percents are based upon a total weight of the coating composition.

20. The thermoplastic film of claim 12, wherein the urethane acrylate is present in an amount of 35 wt % to 50 wt %, the acrylate monomer having at least one acrylate functioal group is present is an amount of 35 wt % to 40 wt %, and the acrylate monomer having at least two acrylate functional groups is present in an amount of 15 wt % to 25 wt %, wherein weight percents are based upon a total weight of the coating composition.

21. The coated thermoplastic film of claim 12, wherein the coating composition further comprises a photoinitator in an amount of 0.1 wt % to 10 wt %, based upon a total weight of the coating composition.

22. The thermoplastic film of claim 12, wherein the coating composition further comprises a surface modifier in an amount of 0.1 wt % to 5 wt %, based upon a total weight of the coating composition.

24. An article comprising the coated thermoplastic film of claim 1.

25. A molded article comprising the coated thermoplastic film of claim 1, wherein the film is subjected to printing to obtain a decorative film, in combination with an injection molded polymeric base structure to which the printed film is bonded, and wherein the coated polymeric film has been formed into a non-planar three-dimensional shape matching a three-dimensional shape of the injection molded polymeric base structure.

23. A coated thermoplastic film comprising:

a polycarbonate film substrate; and

a coating formed from a coating composition that comprises

a urethane acrylate having a functionality of 2.5 to 5.5 acrylate functional groups, wherein the urethane acrylate has an elongation percent at break of at least 10 according to ASTM D882;

an acrylate monomer having at least two acrylate functional groups;

wherein the urethane acrylate is present in the amount of 20 to 90% by weight of the coating composition, the acrylate monomer is present in the amount of 10 to 80% by weight of the coating composition, and a photoinitiator is present in the amount of 0.1 to 10% by weight of the coating composition;

wherein the coating composition has been cured at a temperature of 71.1 to 93.0°

C.; and

wherein the film substrate is a co-extruded multilayer film substrate comprising

a first layer, on which the coating is applied, comprising a blend of a first polycarbonate that comprises repeat units of dimethyl bisphenol cyclohexane monomer and a second polycarbonate that comprises repeat units of bisphenol A; and

a second layer, adjacent to the first layer, comprising a polycarbonate that comprises repeat units of bisphenol A, without a polycarbonate that comprises repeat units of dimethyl bisphenol cyclohexane monomer;

wherein the film exhibits a Tabor Abrasion Delta Haze, as measured by ASTM D1044, of less than or equal to 5 percent, a minimum adhesion of 5B as measured by ASTM D3002; and

a pencil hardness of at least HB, as measured by ASTM D3363.

26. A method of molding an article, comprising decorating and shaping a coated thermoplastic film, wherein the coated thermoplastic film comprises

a polymeric film substrate;

and

a coating formed from a coating composition that comprises

a urethane acrylate having a functionality of 2.5 to 6.0 acrylate functional groups; and

an acrylate monomer having at least one acrylate functional group; and

placing the film into a mold, and injecting a resin into the mold cavity space behind the film, wherein said film and said injection molded resin form a single molded part; and

curing the coating composition.

27. A method of molding according to claim 26, comprising printing a surface of the coated thermoplastic film opposite the coating with markings to obtain a decorative film;

forming and trimming the decorative film into a non-planar three-dimensional shape;

fitting the decorative film into the mold having a surface that matches the non-planar three-dimensional shape of the decorative film; and

injecting a substantially transparent resin comprising a polycarbonate resin into the mold cavity behind the decorative film to produce a one-piece, permanently bonded non-planar three-dimensional product.