Printable film

• US 8,673,415 B2
• Filed: 08/09/2011
• Issued: 03/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Innovia Films Limited (Innovia Films)
• Original Assignee: Innovia Films Limited (Innovia Films)
• Inventors: Power, Gary, Marshall, Colin, Servante, Alastain Hugh
• Primary Examiner(s): RAUDENBUSH, ELLEN SUZANNE
• Application Number:
  US13/206,232
• Publication Number:
  US 20120135650A1
• Time in Patent Office: 952 Days
• Field of Search: 430/270.1, 430/286.1, 428/32.71, 428/327
• US Class Current: 428/35.7
• CPC Class Codes: B41M 5/504 Backcoats
• CPC Class Codes: B41M 5/506 Intermediate layers
• CPC Class Codes: B41M 5/508 Supports
• CPC Class Codes: B41M 5/52 Macromolecular coatings
• CPC Class Codes: B41M 5/5254 characterised by the use of polymers obtained by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds, e.g. vinyl polymers
• CPC Class Codes: B41M 5/5281 Polyurethanes or polyureas
• CPC Class Codes: B41M 7/0081 using electromagnetic radiation or waves, e.g. ultraviolet radiation, electron beams
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 2451/00 Characterised by the use of graft polymers in which the grafted component is obtained by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds for ABS polymers C08J2455/02; Derivatives of such polymers
• 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 7/044 Forming conductive coatings; Forming coatings having anti-static properties
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 7/046 Forming abrasion-resistant coatings; Forming surface-hardening coatings
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/1352 Polymer or resin containing [i.e., natural or synthetic]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24802 Discontinuous or differential coating, impregnation or bond [e.g., artwork, printing, retouched photograph, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24851 Intermediate layer is discontinuous or differential
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24893 including particulate material
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/25 Web or sheet containing structurally defined element or component and including a second component containing structurally defined particles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/254 Polymeric or resinous material
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/26 Web or sheet containing structurally defined element or component, the element or component having a specified physical dimension
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/265 1 mil or less
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2848 : Three or more layers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31551 : Of polyamidoester [polyurethane, polyisocyanate, polycarbamate, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31573 : Next to addition polymer of ethylenically unsaturated monomer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31667 : Next to addition polymer from unsaturated monomers, or aldehyde or ketone condensation product
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31678 : Of metal
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31699 : Ester, halide or nitrile of addition polymer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31725 : Of polyamide
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31786 : Of polyester [e.g., alkyd, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31797 : Next to addition polymer from unsaturated monomers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31855 : Of addition polymer from unsaturated monomers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31906 : Ester, halide or nitrile of addition polymer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31913 : Monoolefin polymer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31928 : Ester, halide or nitrile of addition polymer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31935 : Ester, halide or nitrile of addition polymer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31938 : Polymer of monoethylenically unsaturated hydrocarbon
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31993 : Of paper
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/20 : Coated or impregnated woven, knit, or nonwoven fabric which is not [a] associated with another preformed layer or fiber layer or, [b] with respect to woven and knit, characterized, respectively, by a particular or differential weave or knit, wherein the coating or impregnation is neither a foamed material nor a free metal or alloy layer

Abstract

The invention relates to printable films comprising a substrate and at least a surface layer, said layer covering at least one face of said substrate and comprising a water-dispersible polymer and an ethylenically unsaturated compound; to a process for the manufacture of such films; to printed films and especially to printed labels obtained from such printable films.

Claims

1. A printable film, comprising:

a substrate;

a surface layer covering a face of said substrate,

wherein said surface layer comprises;

10 to 98% by weight of a water dispersible polymer that provides a smooth film surface for printing; and

2 to 90% by weight of an ethylenically unsaturated compound that plasticizes said surface layer,

wherein said surface layer is printable with radiation curable ink and wherein said surface layer further comprises a cross-linking agent in an amount from 1 to 5% by weight of the water dispersible polymer and does not contain a polymerization photoinitiator and said ethylenically unsaturated compound does not react with said water-dispersible polymer when said surface layer is irradiated with UV radiation.

2. The printable film of claim 1, wherein the substrate is selected from the group consisting of polymer films, polyolefin films, papers, synthetic papers, woven fabrics, nonwoven fabrics, ceramic sheets, metallic fiber sheets, metalized sheets (film), metallic foils, metallic plates, and multilayer composite sheets formed by combination of said materials.

3. The printable film of claim 2, wherein the substrate is an oriented polypropylene film.

4. The printable film of claim 1, wherein said water dispersible polymer forms a matrix and wherein said ethylenically unsaturated compound is included in said matrix and is present in an amount from 2% to 15% by weight of the water dispersible polymer.

5. The printable film of claim 1, wherein said ethylenically unsaturated compound is an ester derivative of an α

,β

-ethylenically unsaturated acid with a polyol or alkoxylated polyol.

6. The printable film of claim 5, wherein said α

,β

-ethylenically unsaturated acid is selected from the group consisting of acrylic acids, methacrylic acids, itaconic acids, citraconic acids, maleic acids, and fumaric acids.

7. The printable film of claim 1, wherein said ethylenically unsaturated compound contains 1 to 10 ethylenical bonds per molecule.

8. The printable film of claim 1, wherein said ethylenically unsaturated compound contains 2 to 5 ethylenical bonds per molecule.

9. The printable film of claim 1, wherein said water dispersible polymer comprises a homopolymer of (meth)acrylic acid, or alkyl (meth)acrylate with the alkyl radical having 1 to 10 carbon atoms.

10. The printable film of claim 1, wherein said water dispersible polymer comprises a copolymer of (meth)acrylic acid and alkyl (meth)acrylate with the alkyl radical having 1 to 10 carbon atoms.

11. The printable film of claim 1, wherein said water dispersible polymer comprises a copolymer of vinylic or allylic compounds.

12. The printable film of claim 1, wherein the water dispersible polymer comprises a urethane or urethane acrylate polymer.

13. The printable film of claim 1, wherein said cross-linking agent comprises ammonium zirconium carbonate.

14. The printable film of claim 1, wherein said water dispersible polymer is a urethane polymer which is not a polyurethane acrylate and wherein said urethane polymer provides a smooth film surface for printing.

15. The printable film of claim 1, wherein said surface layer comprises a radiation curable ink.

16. The printable film of claim 1, wherein said surface layer comprises an electron beam curable ink.