TRANSPARENT POLYURETHANE PROTECTIVE COATING, FILM AND LAMINATE COMPOSITIONS WITH ENHANCED ELECTROSTATIC DISSIPATION CAPABILITY, AND METHODS FOR MAKING SAME

• US 20120021209A1
• Filed: 07/22/2010
• Published: 01/26/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GKN Aerospace Transparency Systems, Inc. (Melrose Industries Plc)
• Original Assignee: GKN Aerospace Transparency Systems, Inc. (Melrose Industries Plc)
• Inventors: MONCUR, MARLOWE, Hoo, Lin, Sandlin, Stephen
• Granted Patent: US 9,580,564 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 428/336
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2255/10 on synthetic resin layer or on natural or synthetic rubber layer
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2255/20 Inorganic coating
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2255/205 Metallic coating
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/202 Conductive
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/21 Anti-static
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/412 Transparent
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2605/18 Aircraft blades, propellers B32B2603/00
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/08 of synthetic resin
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/365 comprising polycarbonates
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/40 comprising polyurethanes
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 1/1484 Windows B64C1/1492 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 1/1492 Structure and mounting of the transparent elements in the window or windscreen
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 2375/04 Polyurethanes
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 5/12 Bonding of a preformed macromolecular material to the same or other solid material such as metal, glass, leather, e.g. using adhesives
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/10 Methods of surface bonding and/or assembly therefor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/265 1 mil or less
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31554 Next to second layer of polyamidoester
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31598 Next to silicon-containing [silicone, cement, etc.] layer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31609 Particulate metal or metal compound-containing

Abstract

The present invention is embodied in a transparent, polyurethane laminate or multi-layer coating comprising a first transparent polyurethane layer, a middle conductive material layer disposed on the first transparent polyurethane layer, and a second transparent polyurethane layer disposed on the conductive layer. In one embodiment, the subject invention addresses the problem of static charge buildup on aircraft transparencies by allowing charge to drain through the second transparent polyurethane layer to the conductive material layer and then to the edge of the conductive material layer, where it is mated to the airframe. The present invention is also embodied in a method for forming a transparent polyurethane laminate on a transparent substrate and a method for forming a free-standing laminate.

Claims

1. A laminate comprising:

a first transparent polyurethane layer;

a conductive layer disposed on the first transparent polyurethane layer; and

a second transparent polyurethane layer disposed on the conductive layer;

wherein the conductive layer is formed as a porous network; and

wherein the first transparent polyurethane layer bonds with the second transparent polyurethane layer through the porous network.

2. The laminate of claim 1, wherein the conductive layer comprises a nanoparticle dispersion.

3. The laminate of claim 2, wherein the nanoparticle dispersion is cured with a silicate binder.

4. The laminate of claim 2, wherein the nanoparticle dispersion is a colloidal metal nanoparticle dispersion.

5. The laminate of claim 2, wherein the nanoparticle dispersion is a colloidal metal oxide nanoparticle dispersion.

6. The laminate of claim 5, wherein the colloidal metal oxide nanoparticle dispersion is a colloidal indium tin oxide nanoparticle dispersion.

7. The laminate of claim 1, wherein the second transparent polyurethane layer comprises an aliphatic polyesterurethane.

8. The laminate of claim 7, wherein the aliphatic polyesterurethane is formed from a diisocyanate, a polycaprolactone diol, and a polycaprolactone triol.

9. The laminate of claim 1, wherein the second transparent polyurethane layer is approximately 0.0002 inches to approximately 0.0006 inches thick.

10. A method for forming a laminate on a transparent substrate, the method comprising the steps of:

forming a first transparent polyurethane layer on the transparent substrate;

forming a conductive layer as a porous network on the first transparent polyurethane layer;

Ruining a second transparent polyurethane layer on the conductive layer; and

bonding the first transparent polyurethane layer to the second transparent polyurethane layer through the porous network.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of forming a first transparent polyurethane la comprises

applying an approximately 70-percent-solids-content aliphatic polyesterurethane precursor solution to the transparent substrate,

evaporating the solvent, and

curing the precursors.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of forming a conductive layer comprises coating the first transparent polyurethane layer with a nanoparticle dispersion.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of forming a conductive layer further comprises curing the nanoparticle dispersion with a silicate binder.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of coating the first transparent polyurethane layer with a nanoparticle dispersion comprises the step of coating the first transparent polyurethane layer with a colloidal metal nanoparticle dispersion.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of coating the first transparent polyurethane layer with a nanoparticle dispersion comprises the step of coating the first transparent polyurethane layer with a colloidal metal oxide nanoparticle dispersion.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of coating the first transparent polyurethane layer with a colloidal metal oxide nanoparticle dispersion comprises the step of coating the first transparent polyurethane layer with a colloidal indium tin oxide nanoparticle dispersion.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of forming a conductive layer comprises applying an approximately five-percent-solids coating solution containing a colloidal indium tin oxide nanoparticle dispersion to the first transparent polyurethane layer to produce a colloidal nanoparticle coating.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the step of forming a conductive layer further comprises applying an approximately 0.1-percent-solids silicate coating solution over the colloidal nanoparticle coating.

19. The method of claim 10, wherein the second transparent polyurethane layer comprises an aliphatic polyesterurethane.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the aliphatic polyesterurethane is formed from a diisocyanate, a polycaprolactone diol, and a polycaprolactone triol.

21. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of forming a second transparent polyurethane layer comprises

applying an approximately 45-percent-solids-content aliphatic polyesterurethane precursor solution to the conductive layer,

evaporating the solvent, and

curing the precursors.

22. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of forming a second transparent polyurethane layer comprises forming the second transparent polyurethane layer to be approximately 0.0002 inches to approximately 0.0006 inches thick.

23. A method for forming a free-standing laminate, the method comprising the steps of:

forming a conductive layer as a porous network on a transparent polyurethane sheet;

forming a thin layer of transparent polyurethane on the conductive layer; and

bonding the thin layer of transparent polyurethane to the transparent polyurethane sheet through the porous network.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the step of forming a conductive layer comprises coating the transparent polyurethane sheet with a nanoparticle dispersion.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the step of forming a conductive layer further comprises curing the nanoparticle dispersion with a silicate binder.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein the step of coating the transparent polyurethane sheet with a nanoparticle dispersion comprises the step of coating the transparent polyurethane sheet with a colloidal metal nanoparticle dispersion.

27. The method of claim 24, wherein the step of coating the transparent polyurethane sheet with a nanoparticle dispersion comprises the step of coating the transparent polyurethane sheet with a colloidal metal oxide nanoparticle dispersion.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the step of coating the transparent polyurethane sheet with a colloidal metal oxide nanoparticle dispersion comprises the step of coating the transparent polyurethane sheet with a colloidal indium tin oxide nanoparticle dispersion.

29. The method of claim 23, wherein the step of forming a conductive layer comprises applying an approximately rive-percent-solids coating solution containing a colloidal indium tin oxide nanoparticle dispersion to the transparent polyurethane sheet to produce a colloidal nanoparticle coating.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the step of forming a conductive layer further comprises applying an approximately 0.1-percent-solids silicate coating solution over the colloidal nanoparticle coating.

31. The method of claim 23, wherein the thin layer of transparent polyurethane comprises an aliphatic polyesterurethane.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the aliphatic polyesterurethane is formed from a diisocyanate, a polycaprolactone diol, and a polycaprolactone triol.

33. The method of claim 23, wherein the step of forming a thin layer of transparent polyurethane comprises applying an approximately 45-percent-solids-content aliphatic polyesterurethane precursor solution containing a solvent to the conductive layer,

evaporating the solvent, and

curing the solution.

34. The method of claim 23, wherein the step of forming a thin layer of transparent polyurethane comprises forming the thin layer of transparent polyurethane to be approximately 0.0002 inches to approximately 0.0006 inches thick.