Stretch releasable foams, articles including same and methods for the manufacture thereof

• US 7,063,887 B2
• Filed: 02/04/2002
• Issued: 06/20/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: Zhou, Zhiming, Kobe, James J., LaPerre, James D.
• Primary Examiner(s): ZIRKER, DANIEL R
• Application Number:
  US10/067,047
• Publication Number:
  US 20030170443A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,597 Days
• Field of Search: 428/317.9, 428/317.3, 428/317.5, 428/355.RA, 428/343, 428/313.5
• US Class Current: 428/317.9
• CPC Class Codes: C09J 2301/124 the adhesive layer being present on both sides of the carrier, e.g. double-sided adhesive tape
• CPC Class Codes: C09J 2301/302 the adhesive being pressure-sensitive, i.e. tacky at temperatures inferior to 30°C
• CPC Class Codes: C09J 2301/308 the adhesive tape or sheet losing adhesive strength when being stretched, e.g. stretch adhesive
• CPC Class Codes: C09J 2301/312 parameters being the characterizing feature
• CPC Class Codes: C09J 2301/412 presence of microspheres
• CPC Class Codes: C09J 2400/243 in the substrate
• CPC Class Codes: C09J 2400/263 in the substrate
• CPC Class Codes: C09J 2421/006 in the substrate
• CPC Class Codes: C09J 2423/006 in the substrate
• CPC Class Codes: C09J 2433/00 Presence of (meth)acrylic polymer
• CPC Class Codes: C09J 2433/006 in the substrate
• CPC Class Codes: C09J 2475/00 Presence of polyurethane
• CPC Class Codes: C09J 7/26 Porous or cellular plastics
• CPC Class Codes: C09J 7/29 Laminated material metallised plastics C09J7/22
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249972 Resin or rubber element
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249983 As outermost component
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249984 Adhesive or bonding component contains voids
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249986 Void-containing component contains also a solid fiber or solid particle
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/28 Web or sheet containing structurally defined element or component and having an adhesive outermost layer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2861 having readily strippable combined with readily readhearable properties [e.g., stick-ons, etc.]

Abstract

A foam adhesive article is provided comprising a polymeric foam material having an outer surface, the outer surface of the polymeric foam material having adhesive properties; and fibrous reinforcing material, the fibrous reinforcing material dispersed within the polymeric foam material and imparting stretch release properties to the article. A method for preparing the foam adhesive article is also described comprising (a) melt mixing a foamable polymer composition, and a fiber forming resin to form an expandable extrudable composition; and (b) extruding the expandable extrudable composition through a die to provide the foam adhesive article.

Claims

1. A foam adhesive article, comprising:

A polymeric foam material having an outer surface, the outer surface of the polymeric foam material having adhesive properties; and

Fibrous reinforcing material dispersed throughout the polymeric foam material, the fibrous reinforcing material consisting essentially of fibrous material that is oriented in the machine direction and imparting stretch release properties to the article; and

the foam article having a Shore A hardness of less than about 60, a tensile break strength of at least about 150% of the yield strength of the article, and an elongation at break of greater than about 200%.

2. The foam adhesive article of claim 1 wherein the foam article has a foam split strength greater than about 1.76 kN/m (10 lbs/inch), and a 90 degree adhesion to glass or stainless steel of greater than about 1.76 kN/m (10 lbs/inch).

3. The foam adhesive article of claim 1 further comprising a tab.

4. The foam adhesive article of claim 1 wherein the polymeric foam material is a sheet and the outer surface comprises a first major surface and a second major surface, an adhesive layer disposed on at least a portion of one of the first major surface or second major surface to provide the adhesive properties.

5. The foam adhesive article of claim 2 wherein a first adhesive layer is disposed on at least a portion of the first major surface and a second adhesive layer is disposed on at least a portion of the second major surface.

6. The foam adhesive article of claim 1 wherein the fibrous reinforcing material comprises substantially continuous viscoelastic fibers.

7. The foam adhesive article of claim 1 wherein the fibrous reinforcing material comprises substantially continuous elastic fibers having greater than about 50% recovery after being elongated 100%.

8. The foam adhesive article of claim 1 wherein the fibrous reinforcing material comprises at least one fiber having a diameter of less than about 5 micrometers.

9. The foam adhesive article of claim 1 wherein the fibrous reinforcing material comprise elastic microfibers comprising thermoplastic elastomers.

10. The foam adhesive article of claim 1 wherein the fibrous reinforcing material comprise viscoelastic microfibers comprising a copolymer of polyoctene and ethylene.

11. The foam adhesive article of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of expandable polymeric microspheres.

12. The foam adhesive article according to claim 1 wherein the polymeric foam material comprises material selected from the group consisting of elastomers, rubbers, thermoplastic elastomers, rubber based and acrylic adhesives, polyolefin polymers, acrylate polymers and methacrylate polymers, acrylate and methacrylate copolymers, and combinations thereof.

13. The foam adhesive article of claim 1 wherein the polymeric foam material is a pressure sensitive adhesive.

14. The foam adhesive article of claim 1 further comprising a pressure sensitive adhesive associated with the outer surface, the adhesive comprising material selected from the group consisting of acrylic polymers, polyurethanes, thermoplastic elastomers, block copolymers, polyolefins, silicones, rubber based adhesives , a copolymer of ethylhexyl acrylate and acrylic acid, a copolymer of isooctyl acrylate and acrylic acid, a blend of an acrylic adhesive and rubber based adhesive, and combinations of the foregoing.

15. A method for preparing a foam adhesive article, comprising:

(a) melt mixing a foamable polymer composition, a foaming agent, and a fiber forming resin to form an expandable extrudable composition; and

(b) extruding the expandable extrudable composition through a die to provide a foam adhesive article according to claim 1.

16. The method according to claim 15 wherein the foaming agent comprises a plurality of expandable microspheres, a chemical blowing agent, a high pressure injectable gas, or combinations thereof.

17. A method according to claim 15, further comprising (c) applying an adhesive onto at least a portion of the outer surface of the foam.

18. A method according to claim 15, further comprising (d) exposing the expandable extrudable composition to radiation to crosslink the composition and provide the foam.

19. A method according to claim 15 wherein the fiber forming resins comprise homopolymers, copolymers, terpolymers, and tetrapolymers of materials selected from the group consisting of ethylene, propylene, butene, pentene, hexene, heptene, octene, nonene, decene, vinyl acetate, acrylates, methacrylates, thermoplastic elastomers, and combinations of the foregoing.

20. The article of claim 1 in the form of a tape constructed to stretch release from between a pair of rigid panels.