Barrier film for limiting transmission of oxygen and moisture therethrough

• US 6,706,412 B2
• Filed: 02/21/2001
• Issued: 03/16/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sigma Laboratories Of Arizona LLC
• Original Assignee: Sigma Laboratories Of Arizona LLC
• Inventors: Yializis, Angelo
• Primary Examiner(s): Nakarani, D. S.
• Application Number:
  US09/792,196
• Publication Number:
  US 20030068459A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,119 Days
• Field of Search: 428/457, 428/463, 428/473.5, 428/461, 428/515, 428/519, 428/521, 428/626, 428/627, 428/520, 428/522, 427/595, 427/487, 427/597, 427/596, 427/496, 427/497, 427/505, 427/404, 427/535, 427/536, 427/537, 427/250
• US Class Current: 428/463
• CPC Class Codes: B05D 1/60 Deposition of organic layers from vapour phase vapour phase deposition in general C23C14/00, C23C16/00
• CPC Class Codes: B05D 3/144 of polymeric substrates
• CPC Class Codes: B05D 3/147 Curing
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/00 Layered products comprising a layer of synthetic resin fibrous or filamentary layer made of a synthetic resin B32B5/02; particulate layer made of a synthetic resin B32B5/16; foamed layer made of a synthetic resin B32B5/18
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/20 on organic substrates
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 4/20 using combinations of dielectrics from more than one of groups H01G4/02 - H01G4/06 H01G4/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/12569 Synthetic resin
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/12576 Boride, carbide or nitride component
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/1462 Polymer derived from material having at least one acrylic or alkacrylic group or the nitrile or amide derivative thereof [e.g., acrylamide, acrylate ester, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31515 As intermediate layer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31533 Of polythioether
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/3154 Of fluorinated addition polymer from unsaturated monomers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31678 Of metal
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31681 Next to polyester, polyamide or polyimide [e.g., alkyd, glue, or nylon, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31692 Next to addition polymer from unsaturated monomers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31699 Ester, halide or nitrile of addition polymer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31855 Of addition polymer from unsaturated monomers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31935 Ester, halide or nitrile of addition polymer

Abstract

A hybrid film, comprising a first polymer film having a plasma-treated surface and a second polymer film having first and second surfaces, with the first surface of the second polymer film being disposed along the first plasma-treated surface of the first polymer film, has superior thermal and mechanical properties that improve performance in a number of applications, including food packaging, thin film metallized and foil capacitors, metal evaporated magnetic tapes, flexible electrical cables, and decorative and optically variable films. One or more metal layers may be deposited on either the plasma-treated surface of the substrate and/or the radiation-cured acrylate polymer. A ceramic layer may be deposited on the radiation-cured acrylate polymer to provide an oxygen and moisture barrier film. The hybrid film is produced using a high speed, vacuum polymer deposition process that is capable of forming thin, uniform, high temperature, cross-linked acrylate polymers on specific thermoplastic or thermoset films. Radiation curing is employed to cross-link the acrylate monomer. The hybrid film can be produced in-line with the metallization or ceramic coating process, in the same vacuum chamber and with minimal additional cost.

Claims

1. A barrier film for limiting transmission of oxygen and moisture therethrough comprising:

(a) a polymer substrate having a first vacuum-formed plasma-treated surface;

(b) a first metal layer having first and second surfaces, the first surface of the first metal layer being disposed on the plasma-treated surface of the polymer substrate; and

(c) a vacuum-deposited, first radiation-polymerized acrylate monomer film having first and second surfaces, the second surface of the first polymerized firm being disposed on the first surface of the first metal layer;

wherein the second surface of the first polymerized film is a vacuum-formed plasma-treated surface.

2. The barrier film of claim 1, wherein the polymer substrate is formed from a thermoplastic polymer.

3. The barrier film of claim 1, wherein the polymer substrate is formed from a thermoset polymer.

4. The barrier film of claim 1, wherein the first metal layer is formed from a material selected from the group consisting of aluminum, zinc, nickel, cobalt, iron, iron on aluminum, zinc on silver, zinc on copper, zinc on aluminum, nickel-cobalt alloy, and nickel-cobalt-iron alloy.

5. The barrier film of claim 1, further comprising

(d) a second metal layer having first and second surfaces, the first surface of the second metal layer being disposed on the second surface of the first polymerized film; and

(e) a vacuum-deposited, second radiation-polymerized acrylate monomer film having first and second surfaces, the first surface of the second polymerized film being disposed on the second surface of the second metal layer.

6. The barrier film of claim 5, wherein the second surface of the second polymerized film is a plasma-treated surface.

7. The barrier film of claim 5 wherein the second metal layer is formed from a material selected from the group consisting of aluminum, zinc, nickel, cobalt, iron, iron on aluminum, zinc on silver, zinc on copper, zinc on aluminum, nickel-cobalt alloy, and nickel-cobalt-iron alloy, independent of the first metal layer.

8. A barrier film for limiting transmission of oxygen and moisture therethrough comprising:

(a) a polymer substrate having a first vacuum-formed plasma-treated surface;

(b) a vacuum-deposited, first radiation-polymerized acrylate monomer film having first and second surfaces, the first surface of the first polymerized-film being disposed on the first plasma-treated surface of the polymer substrate; and

(c) an inorganic layer having first and second surfaces, the first surface of the inorganic layer being disposed on the second surface of the first polymerized film;

wherein the second surface of the first polymerized film is a vacuum-formed plasma-treated surface.

9. The barrier film of claim 8, wherein the polymer substrate is formed from a thermoplastic polymer.

10. The barrier film of claim 8, wherein the polymer substrate is formed from a thermoset polymer.

11. The barrier film of claim 8, wherein the inorganic layer comprises a material selected from the group consisting of aluminum, zinc, nickel, cobalt, iron, iron on aluminum, zinc on silver, zinc on copper, zinc on aluminum, nickel-cobalt alloy, nickel-cobalt-iron alloy, a silicon oxide, tantalum oxide, aluminum nitride, silicon nitride, silicon oxy-nitride, zinc oxide, indium oxide, and indium tin oxide.

12. The barrier film of claim 11, wherein the inorganic layer comprises a material selected from the group consisting of aluminum oxide and a silicon oxide.

13. A barrier film for limiting transmission of oxygen and moisture therethrough comprising:

(a) a polymer substrate having a first vacuum-formed plasma-treated surface;

(b) a vacuum-deposited, first radiation-polymerized acrylate monomer film having first and second surfaces, the first surface of the first polymerized-film being disposed on the first plasma-treated surface of the polymer substrate;

(c) a first metal layer having first and second surfaces, the first surface of the first metal layer being disposed on the second surface of the first polymerized film; and

(d) a vacuum-deposited, second radiation-polymerized acrylate monomer film having first and second surfaces, the first surface of the second polymerized film being disposed on the second surface of the first metal layer;

wherein the second surface of the first polymerized film is a vacuum-formed plasma-treated surface.

14. The barrier film of claim 13, wherein the polymer substrate is formed from a thermoplastic polymer.

15. The barrier film of claim 13, wherein the polymer substrate is formed from a thermoset polymer.

16. The barrier film of claim 13, wherein the first metal layer is formed from a material selected from the group consisting of aluminum, zinc, nickel, cobalt, iron, iron on aluminum, zinc on silver, zinc on copper, zinc on aluminum, nickel-cobalt alloy, and nickel-cobalt-iron alloy.

17. A barrier film for limiting transmission of oxygen and moisture therethrough comprising:

(a) a polymer substrate having first and second plasma-treated surfaces,

(b) a vacuum-deposited, radiation-polymerized acrylate monomer film disposed on each of the first and second plasma-treated surfaces of the polymer substrate; and

(c) a metal layer disposed on at least one vacuum-deposited, radiation polymerized acrylate monomer film.