Acrylic coated polycarbonate article

• US 5,455,105 A
• Filed: 10/29/1993
• Issued: 10/03/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Crouch, Earl T., Coyle, Dennis J., Kerr, Stuart R. III, Katsamberis, Dimitris, Lewis, Larry N.
• Primary Examiner(s): SLUBY, PATRICIA
• Application Number:
  US08/146,274
• Time in Patent Office: 704 Days
• Field of Search: 428/412, 428/334, 428/522, 428/409, 428/215, 428/331, 428/913
• US Class Current: 428/215
• CPC Class Codes: B05D 2201/00 Polymeric substrate or laminate
• CPC Class Codes: B05D 2252/02 of indefinite length
• CPC Class Codes: B05D 3/067 Curing or cross-linking the coating
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 2369/00 Characterised by the use of polycarbonates; Derivatives of polycarbonates
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 2433/06 of esters containing only carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, the oxygen atom being present only as part of the carboxyl radical
• 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: Y10S 428/913 Material designed to be responsive to temperature, light, moisture
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24967 Absolute thicknesses specified
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/259 Silicic material
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/263 Coating layer not in excess of 5 mils thick or equivalent
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31 Surface property or characteristic of web, sheet or block
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31507 Of polycarbonate
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31935 Ester, halide or nitrile of addition polymer

Abstract

A meshed for producing an abrasion-resistant, ultraviolet radiation cured coating on a surface of a polymeric substrate is disclosed, as well as the article produced from the method. The uncured coating material which is substantially free of non-reactive volatile components is (i) applied to the substrate (ii) heated along with the substrate to a temperature sufficient to drive a portion of the coating material into a region beneath the surface of the substrate, (iii) and cured onto the substrate by exposing the coating material under anaerobic conditions to sufficient ultraviolet radiation to cure the coating material. Heating of the solvent-free coating prior to ultraviolet radiation cure and while in contact with the substrate results in improved adhesion of the coating to the substrate.

Claims

1. A coated aromatic polycarbonate article, said article comprising:

a) an ultraviolet radiation cured acrylic coating material layer having a thickness of from 0.5 to 5 mils;

b) an aromatic polycarbonate resin substrate said substrate having a penetrated region beneath the surface of the substrate adjacent said coating, said region comprising ultraviolet radiation cured coating material and aromatic polycarbonate resin, said region having a thickness of from between 0.1 micron and 5 microns, said cured coating being directly adhered to said substrate by heating the uncured coating composition and the surface of the substrate to a temperature selected from between 90°

F. and 150°

F. and ultraviolet radiation curing the applied coating material and the penetrated region whereby an interlocking bond between the substrate and the cured coating is formed.

2. The article of claim 1 wherein the coating material is substantially free of volatile, non-reactive components.

3. The article of claim 1 wherein the applied coating material contains a latent ultraviolet screener.

4. The article of claim 1 wherein the coating material contains a silica filler.

5. The article of claim 1 wherein the substrate is a film.

6. The article of claim 5 wherein the film has a thickness of from 0.5 rail to about 30 mils.