ARCHITECTURAL ARTICLES COMPRISING A FLUOROPOLYMERIC MULTILAYER OPTICAL FILM AND METHODS OF MAKING THE SAME

• US 20110262754A1
• Filed: 12/17/2009
• Published: 10/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: Blong, Thomas J., Mayer, Ludwig, Hebrink, Timothy J., Zehentmaier, Sebastian F.
• Application Number:
  US13/142,006
• Publication Number:
  US 20110262754A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 428/421
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2262/0253 Polyolefin fibres vinyl or acrylic copolymers B32B2262/0223 or B32B2262/0246
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2262/101 Glass fibres
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2270/00 Resin or rubber layer containing a blend of at least two different polymers
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2274/00 Thermoplastic elastomer material thermoplastic elastomer fibres B32B2262/0215, thermoplastic elastomer particles B32B2264/0221, thermoplastic elastomer foam B32B2266/0292
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/3065 Flame resistant or retardant, fire resistant or retardant
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/402 Coloured
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/5825 Tear resistant
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/71 Resistive to light or to UV
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/712 Weather resistant
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/714 Inert, i.e. inert to chemical degradation, corrosion
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/75 Printability
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2551/00 Optical elements
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2551/08 Mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/08 of synthetic resin
• 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 27/30 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 27/322 comprising halogenated polyolefins, e.g. PTFE
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/325 comprising polycycloolefins
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/36 : comprising polyesters
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/365 : comprising polycarbonates
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/40 : comprising polyurethanes
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/022 : Non-woven fabric
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/024 : Woven fabric
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 7/12 : using interposed adhesives or interposed materials with bonding properties
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/3154 : Of fluorinated addition polymer from unsaturated monomers

Abstract

This disclosure relates to an architectural article comprising a multilayer optical film comprising optically thin polymeric layers, wherein at least one of the optically thin polymeric layers comprises a fluoropolymer, and wherein the multilayer optical film is UV-stable.

Claims

1. An architectural article comprising a multilayer optical film with an optical stack, wherein the optical stack comprises a plurality of first optical layers and a plurality of second optical layers disposed in a repeating sequence with the plurality of first optical layers, wherein at least one of the plurality of optical layers comprises a fluoropolymeric material and the optical stack is UV-stable.

2. An architectural article according claim 1, wherein the fluoropolymeric material comprises a homopolymer or a copolymer derived from interpolymerized units of at least one of the monomers:

TFE, VDF, HFP, CTFE, (fluoro alkyl vinyl) ethers, (fluoro vinyl alkoxy) ethers, fluorinated styrenes, HFPO, fluorinated siloxanes, or combinations thereof.

3. An architectural article according claim 2, wherein the fluoropolymeric material comprises at least one of the following:

homopolymers of TFE, copolymers of ethylene and TFE copolymers;

copolymers of TFE, HFP, and VDF;

homopolymers of VDF;

copolymers of VDF;

homopolymers of VF;

copolymers of HFP and TFE;

copolymers of TFE and propylene;

copolymers of TFE and (perfluorovinyl) ether;

copolymers of TFE and perfluoroalkyl vinyl ether;

copolymers of TFE, (perfluorovinyl)ether, and (perfluoromethyl vinyl)ether;

copolymers of HFP, TFE, and ethylene;

homopolymers of chlorotrifluoroethylene;

copolymers of ethylene and CTFE;

homopolymers of HFPO;

homopolymers of 4-fluoro-(2-trifluoromethyl)styrene;

copolymers of TFE and norbornene;

copolymers of HFP and VDF;

or combinations thereof.

4. The architectural article as in claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of optical layers comprises a homopolymer or copolymer derived from interpolymerized units of at least one of the following monomers:

acrylate, olefins, styrene, carbonate, vinyl acetate, vinylidene chloride, dimethyl siloxane, siloxane, or combinations thereof; and

/or at least one of the functional groups;

urethanes, and polyesters, or combinations thereof.

5. An architectural article according to claim 1, wherein each first optical layer comprises a melt-processible copolymer comprising interpolymerized monomers of tetrafluoroethylene, with the proviso that the melt-processible copolymer is not a fluorinated ethylene-propylene copolymer per ASTM D 2116-07 or a perfluoroalkoxy resin per ASTM D 3307-08;

and each second optical layer comprising a non-fluorinated polymeric material selected from the group consisting of;

poly(methyl methacrylate);

copolymers of poly(methyl methacrylate);

polypropylene;

copolymers of propylene;

polystyrenes;

copolymers of styrene;

polyvinylidene chloride;

polycarbonates;

thermoplastic polyurethanes;

copolymers of ethylene;

cyclic olefin copolymers; and

combinations thereof.

6. An architectural article according to claim 5 wherein the melt-processible copolymer is selected from the group consisting of:

copolymers of tetrafluoroethylene, hexafluoropropylene, and vinylidene fluoride;

copolymers of hexafluoropropylene, tetrafluoroethylene, and ethylene;

copolymers of tetrafluoroethylene and propylene;

copolymers of tetrafluoroethylene and norbornene; and

copolymers of ethylene and tetrafluoroethylene.

7. An architectural article according to claim 1, wherein each first optical layer and each second optical layer comprises a fluoropolymeric material.

8. An architectural article according to claim 1 wherein the optical stack comprise layer pairs selected from the group consisting of:

poly(methyl methacrylate) and (copolymers of tetrafluoroethylene, hexafluoropropylene, and vinylidene fluoride) layer pairs;

poly(methyl methacrylate) and (copolymers of hexafluoropropylene, tetrafluoroethylene, and ethylene) layer pairs;

polycarbonate and (copolymers of tetrafluoroethylene, hexafluoropropylene, and vinylidene fluoride) layer pairs;

polycarbonate and (copolymers of hexafluoropropylene, tetrafluoroethylene, and ethylene) layer pairs;

polycarbonate and (copolymers of ethylene and tetrafluoroethylene) layer pairs;

copolymers of polypropylene and (copolymers of tetrafluoroethylene, hexafluoropropylene, and vinylidene fluoride) layer pairs;

polypropylene and (copolymers of hexafluoropropylene, tetrafluoroethylene, and ethylene) layer pairs;

polystyrene and (copolymers of tetrafluoroethylene, hexafluoropropylene, and vinylidene fluoride) layer pairs;

copolymers of polystyrene and (copolymers of tetrafluoroethylene, hexafluoropropylene, and vinylidene fluoride) layer pairs;

copolymers of polystyrene and (copolymers of hexafluoropropylene, tetrafluoroethylene, and ethylene) layer pairs;

copolymers of polysethylene and (copolymers of tetrafluoroethylene, hexafluoropropylene, and vinylidene fluoride) layer pairs;

copolymers of polyethylene and (copolymers of hexafluoropropylene, tetrafluoroethylene, and ethylene) layer pairs;

cyclic olefin copolymers and (copolymers of tetrafluoroethylene, hexafluoropropylene, and vinylidene fluoride) layer pairs;

cyclic olefin copolymers and (copolymers of hexafluoropropylene, tetrafluoroethylene, and ethylene) layer pairs; and

thermoplastic polyurethane and (copolymers of tetrafluoroethylene, hexafluoropropylene, and vinylidene fluoride) layer pairs;

homopolymers of vinylidene fluoride and (copolymers of tetrafluoroethylene, hexafluoropropylene, and vinylidene fluoride) layer pairs;

(copolymers of ethylene and chlorotrifluoroethylene) and (copolymers of tetrafluoroethylene, hexafluoropropylene, and vinylidene fluoride) layer pairs;

(copolymers of hexafluoropropylene, tetrafluoroethylene, and ethylene) and (copolymers of tetrafluoroethylene, hexafluoropropylene, and vinylidene fluoride) layer pairs;

(copolymers of hexafluoropropylene, tetrafluoroethylene, and ethylene) and (copolymers of ethylene and tetrafluoroethylene) layer pairs;

(copolymers of hexafluoropropylene, tetrafluoroethylene, and ethylene) and copolymers of tetrafluoroethylene and norborene layer pairs; and

(copolymers of ethylene and tetrafluoroethylene) and (copolymers of tetrafluoroethylene, hexafluoropropylene, and vinylidene fluoride) layer pairs.

9. An architectural article according to claim 1, wherein the fluoropolymeric material comprises at least three different monomers.

11. An architectural article according to claim 1, wherein the optical stack transmits at least one of the following:

a) at least a portion of the wavelengths between about 400-700 nm;

b) at least a portion of the wavelengths greater than about 700 nm;

c) at least a portion of the wavelengths less than about 300 nm;

or

d) at least a portion of the wavelengths between about 300-400 nm.

12. An architectural article according to claim 1, wherein the optical stack reflects at least one of the following:

a) at least a portion of the wavelengths between about 400-700 nm;

b) at least a portion of the wavelengths greater than about 700 nm;

c) at least a portion of the wavelengths less than about 300 nm;

or

d) at least a portion of the wavelengths between about 300-400 nm.

14. An architectural article according to claim 1, further comprising a UV-absorbing compound, an IR-absorbing compound, or combinations thereof, wherein the melt-processible copolymer, the non-fluorinated polymeric material, or an optional additional layer comprises the UV-absorbing compound, the IR-absorbing compound, or combinations thereof.

15. An architectural article according to claim 1, wherein the multilayer optical film is disposed on a flexible inorganic or organic, woven or non-woven, fiber mesh or a polymeric material.

16. An architectural article according to claim 1, wherein the multilayer optical film is in a cushion construct or a tension construct.

17. An architectural article according to claim 16, wherein the multilayer optical film is at least one of:

an outer sheet, a middle sheet, or an inner sheet of the cushion construct.

18. An architectural article according to claim 16, wherein the cushion construct further includes a polymeric film comprising interpolymerized units of ethylene and tetrafluoroethylene.

19. An architectural article according to claim 18, wherein the multilayer optical film is laminated onto at least one of:

an exterior surface of the polymeric film, an interior surface of the polymeric film, or sandwiched between the exterior and the interior surface of the polymeric film.

20. An architectural article according to claim 16, wherein the multilayer optical film is disposed in a support structure and the multilayer optical film in the support structure has a flex modulus of less than 2.5 GPa.

22. A method of using an architectural article according to claim 16, the method comprising using the architectural article in a construction of a roof, a faç

ade, a wall, an outer shell, a window, a skylight, an atrium, or combinations thereof

23. A method of making an architectural article as in claim 1, comprising:

alternating a first optical layer with a first refractive index and a second optical layer with a second refractive index to construct an optical stack comprising a plurality of layers wherein the first refractive index is different than the second refractive index, at least one of the optical layers comprises a fluoropolymeric material, and the optical stack is UV-stable.

10. (canceled)

13. (canceled)

21. (canceled)

24. (canceled)