Optical bodies including rough strippable boundary layers

• US 9,709,700 B2
• Filed: 04/06/2005
• Issued: 07/18/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: Stover, Carl A., Denker, Martin E., Taylor, Robert D., Strobel, Joan M., Rosell, Barry S., Black, William B., Thompson, Richard J., Bluem, Gregory L., Kobilansky, Anna A., Purcell, John P., Hebrink, Timothy J., Jackson, Jeffery N., Derks, Kristopher J., Weber, Michael F., Hamer, Kevin M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Robinson, Elizabeth A
• Application Number:
  US11/100,191
• Publication Number:
  US 20060228592A1
• Time in Patent Office: 4,486 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/32 comprising polyolefins comprising vinyl (co)polymers or acrylic (co)polymers B32B27/30
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 1/04 made of organic materials, e.g. plastics G02B1/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24372 Particulate matter
• 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 428/31507 Of polycarbonate
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31739 Nylon type
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31786 Of polyester [e.g., alkyd, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31935 Ester, halide or nitrile of addition polymer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31938 Polymer of monoethylenically unsaturated hydrocarbon

Abstract

Optical bodies are disclosed that include a first optical film, a second optical film and at least one rough strippable boundary layer disposed between the first and second optical films. Also disclosed are optical bodies including a strippable boundary layer disposed between the first and second optical films and including a first polymer and a second polymer that is substantially immiscible in the first polymer. The present disclosure also provides methods of processing optical bodies that include stretching the optical bodies.

Claims

1. An optical body, comprising:

a first optical film;

a second optical film; and

at least one rough strippable boundary layer disposed between the first and second optical films, wherein each of the first and second optical films comprises at least one of a multilayer reflective polarizer optical film and a multilayer mirror film, wherein the rough strippable boundary layer comprises a continuous phase and a disperse phase,

wherein the rough strippable boundary layer comprises a homopolymer of polypropylene;

wherein a first major surface of the rough strippable boundary layer is adjacent to a first major surface of the first optical film along a first interface and an opposed second major surface of the rough strippable boundary layer is adjacent to a first major surface of the second optical film, and

wherein the ratio of the continuous phase and the disperse phase in the rough strippable boundary layer defines a degree of surface roughness and adhesion of the rough strippable boundary layer to the first major surface of the first optical film along the first interface, wherein the degree of surface roughness and the adhesion of the rough strippable boundary layer to the first major surface of the first optical film along the first interface defined by the rough strippable is such that the rough strippable boundary layer is removable, via application of a peel force, from the first optical film along all of the first interface to expose the first major surface of the first optical film and to provide the first optical film separate from the rough strippable boundary layer.

2. The optical body of claim 1, wherein at least one rough strippable boundary layer further comprises a nucleating agent.

3. The optical body of claim 1, wherein the rough strippable boundary layer further comprises voids.

4. The optical body of claim 1, wherein at least one of the optical films comprises at least one underskin layer.

5. The optical body of claim 4, wherein the underskin layer comprises styrene acrylonitrile, polycarbonate, PET or cycloaliphatic polyester/polycarbonate.

6. The optical body of claim 4, wherein the underskin layer comprises a first material and a second material substantially immiscible in the first material, said second material being polymeric or inorganic.

7. The optical body of claim 1, wherein at least one rough strippable boundary layer further comprises a coloring agent.

8. The optical body of claim 1, said optical body being substantially transparent.

9. The optical body of claim 1, wherein the optical body comprises a birefringent material.

10. The optical body of claim 1, further comprising a first exterior strippable boundary layer on a second major surface of the first optical film, wherein the second major surface of the first optical film is opposed to the first major surface of the first optical film and comprises an outer surface of the first optical film.

11. The optical body of claim 10, further comprising a skin layer on the first exterior strippable boundary layer.

12. The optical body of claim 10, further comprising a second exterior strippable boundary layer on a second major surface of the second optical film, wherein the second major surface of the second optical film is opposed to the first major surface of the second optical film and comprises an outer surface of the second optical film.

13. The optical body of claim 12, further comprising a skin layer on the second exterior strippable boundary layer.

14. The optical body of claim 1, wherein the first optical film includes a first optical layer along the first interface with the rough strippable boundary layer, the first optical layer having a first composition, and wherein the continuous phase of the rough strippable boundary layer is selected based on the composition of the first optical film such that the rough strippable boundary layer is removable, via the application of the peel force, from the first optical layer along all of the first interface to expose the first major surface of the first optical film.

15. The optical body of claim 14, wherein the composition of the first optical layer includes naphthalene dicarboxylate and dimethyl terephthalate.

16. The optical body of claim 15, wherein the composition of the first optical layer includes 55 mol % naphthalene dicarboxylate and 45 mol % dimethyl terephthalate.

17. An optical body comprising:

a first optical film;

a second optical film; and

a strippable boundary layer disposed between the first and second optical films, the strippable boundary layer comprising a first polymer and a second polymer that is substantially immiscible in the first polymer, wherein each of the first and second optical films comprises at least one of a multilayer reflective polarizer optical film, and a multilayer mirror film,

wherein the strippable boundary layer comprises a homopolymer of polypropylene,

wherein a first major surface of the strippable boundary layer is adjacent to a first major surface of the first optical film along a first interface and an opposed second major surface of the strippable boundary layer is adjacent to a first major surface of the second optical film, and

wherein the ratio of the first polymer and the second polymer in the strippable boundary layer defines a degree of surface roughness and adhesion of the strippable boundary layer to the first major surface of the first optical film along the first interface, wherein the degree of surface roughness and the adhesion of the strippable boundary layer to the first major surface of the first optical film along the first interface defined by the strippable is such that the strippable boundary layer is removable, via application of a peel force, from the first optical film along all of the first interface to expose the first major surface of the first optical film and to provide the first optical film separate from the strippable boundary layer.

18. The optical body of claim 17, wherein the first polymer has crystallinity that is lower than crystallinity of the second polymer.

19. The optical body of claim 17, wherein the strippable boundary layer further comprises a third polymer.

20. The optical body of claim 17, wherein the strippable boundary layer further comprises an inorganic material.

21. The optical body of claim 17, wherein the strippable boundary layer further comprises a coloring agent.

22. The optical body of claim 17, wherein the optical body comprises a birefringent material.

23. The optical body of claim 17, further comprising a second strippable boundary layer adjacent to the strippable boundary layer, wherein the second strippable boundary layer is between the strippable boundary layer and the first major surface of the second optical film, and wherein the adhesion of the second strippable boundary layer to the first major surface of the second optical film is different from the first adhesion of the strippable boundary layer to the first major surface of the first optical film.

24. The optical body of claim 17, wherein the first optical film includes a first optical layer along the first interface with the rough strippable boundary layer, the first optical layer having a first composition, and wherein the continuous phase of the rough strippable boundary layer is selected based on the composition of the first optical film such that the rough strippable boundary layer is removable, via the application of the peel force, from the first optical layer along all of the first interface to expose the first major surface of the first optical film.

25. The optical body of claim 24, wherein the composition of the first optical layer includes naphthalene dicarboxylate and dimethyl terephthalate.

26. The optical body of claim 25, wherein the composition of the first optical layer includes 55 mol % naphthalene dicarboxylate and 45 mol % dimethyl terephthalate.