Vapor-permeable, substantially water-impermeable multilayer article

• US 9,827,696 B2
• Filed: 06/14/2012
• Issued: 11/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fiberweb, Llc (Berry Global Group Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Fiberweb, Llc (Berry Global Group Inc.)
• Inventors: Afshari, Mehdi
• Primary Examiner(s): Simone, Catherine A
• Application Number:
  US13/523,028
• Publication Number:
  US 20120321856A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,993 Days
• Field of Search: 428156, 428141, 428172, 428323, 428324, 428325, 428337, 428338, 442 76, 442 77, 442394, 442398
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2948/92209 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2948/92704 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 43/28 incorporating preformed parts or layers, e.g. compression moulding around inserts or for coating articles
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/0018 combined with shaping by orienting, stretching or shrinking, e.g. film blowing B29C48/0017 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/08 flexible, e.g. films
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/154 Coating solid articles, i.e. non-hollow articles
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/16 Articles comprising two or more components, e.g. co-extruded layers
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/30 Extrusion nozzles or dies extrusion characterised by the shape or cross-section of the extruded article B29C48/03
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/305 having a wide opening, e.g. for forming sheets
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/914 cooling drums
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/9155 Pressure rollers
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/92 Measuring, controlling or regulating
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 55/08 transverse to the direction of feed
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 55/18 by squeezing between surfaces, e.g. rollers
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 59/04 using rollers or endless belts
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2023/00 Use of polyalkenes or derivatives thereof as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/04 cellular or porous
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/162 Nanoparticles
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2038/0028 Stretching, elongating
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2262/0253 Polyolefin fibres
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2264/102 : Oxide or hydroxide
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2264/104 : Oxysalt, e.g. carbonate, sulfate, phosphate or nitrate particles
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2264/12 : Mixture of at least two particles made of different materials
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2270/00 : Resin or rubber layer containing a blend of at least two different polymers
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2274/00 : Thermoplastic elastomer material
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/3065 : Flame resistant or retardant, fire resistant or retardant
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/516 : mono-axially
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/518 : bi-axially
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/54 : Yield strength; Tensile strength
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/718 : Weight, e.g. weight per square meter
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/724 : Permeability to gases, adsorption
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/7265 : Non-permeable
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2309/02 : Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2323/04 : Polyethylene
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2419/06 : Roofs, roof membranes
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/12 : next to a fibrous or filamentary layer
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/205 : the fillers creating voids or cavities, e.g. by stretching
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/32 : comprising polyolefins comprising vinyl (co)polymers or acrylic (co)polymers B32B27/30
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 37/153 : at least one layer is extruded and immediately laminated while in semi-molten state
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/24 : one layer being a fibrous or filamentary layer
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/26 : another layer next to it also being fibrous or filamentary relative arrangement of fibres or filaments of different layers B32B5/12
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 30/00 : Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 13/00 : Other non-woven fabrics
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24612 : Composite web or sheet
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/678 : Olefin polymer or copolymer sheet or film [e.g., polypropylene, polyethylene, ethylene-butylene copolymer, etc.]

Abstract

This disclosure relates to an article (e.g., a vapor-permeable, substantially water-impermeable multilayer article) that includes a nonwoven substrate and a film supported by the nonwoven substrate. The film includes a polyolefin, a nanoclay, and a pore-forming filler.

Claims

1. An article, comprising:

(i) a breathable film comprising a polyolefin, a nanoclay, and a pore-forming filler, wherein the breathable film comprises pores around the pore-forming filler; and

(ii) a nonwoven substrate, wherein the breathable film is supported by the nonwoven substrate;

wherein the nanoclay comprises particles having an average aspect ratio of from about 200 to about 500; and

wherein the article has a moisture vapor transmission rate of at least about 35 g/m²/day to at most about 140 g/m²/day when measured at 23°

C. and 50 RH % and an elongation of at least about 5% to about 100% as measured according to ASTM D5034.

2. The article of claim 1, wherein the nanoclay comprises montmorillonite clay.

3. The article of claim 1, wherein the nanoclay has an average thickness of from about 0.5 nm to about 2 nm.

4. The article of claim 2, wherein the breathable film comprises from about 0.1% by weight to about 20% by weight of the nanoclay.

5. The article of claim 1, wherein the polyolefin comprises a polyethylene, a polypropylene, or a copolymer thereof.

6. The article of claim 5, wherein the polyolefin comprises a polyethylene selected from the group consisting of low-density polyethylene, linear low-density polyethylene, and high-density polyethylene.

7. The article of claim 5, wherein the breathable film further comprises a functionalized polyolefin.

8. The article of claim 1, wherein the pore-forming filler comprises calcium carbonate.

9. The article of claim 8, wherein the breathable film comprises from about 30% by weight to about 70% by weight of the calcium carbonate.

10. The article of claim 1, wherein the breathable film further comprises an elastomer.

11. The article of claim 10, wherein the elastomer is a thermoplastic olefin elastomer.

12. The article of claim 11, wherein the elastomer is a propylene-ethylene copolymer.

13. The article of claim 1, wherein the nonwoven substrate comprises randomly disposed polymeric fibers, at least some of the fibers being bonded to one another.

14. The article of claim 1, wherein, when the article has a unit weight of 1.25 osy, the article has a tensile strength of at least about 40 pounds in the machine direction as measured according to ASTM D5034.

15. The article of claim 1, wherein, when the article has a unit weight of 1.25 osy, the article has a tensile strength of at least about 35 pounds in the cross-machine direction as measured according to ASTM D5034.

16. The article of claim 1, wherein the article has a hydrostatic head of at least about 55 cm.

17. The article of claim 1, wherein the article is embossed.

18. A construction material, comprising the article of claim 1.

19. The construction material of claim 18, wherein the construction material is a housewrap or a roofwrap.

20. The article of claim 1, wherein:

the nanoclay comprises particles of montmorillonite clay having an average thickness of from about 0.5 nm to about 2 nm;

the polyolefin comprises a polyethylene, polypropylene, or a copolymer thereof; and

the pore-forming filler comprises calcium carbonate.

21. The article of claim 20, wherein the breathable film is supported by a nonwoven substrate comprising randomly disposed polymeric fibers, at least some of the fibers being bonded to one another.

22. The article of claim 21, wherein:

the article has a unit weight of 1.25 osy;

the article has a tensile strength of at least about 35 pounds in at least one of the machine direction or the cross-machine direction as measured according to ASTM D5034; and

the article has a hydrostatic head of at least about 55 cm.

23. The article of claim 22, further comprising a thermoplastic olefin elastomer.

24. The article of claim 1, wherein the breathable film comprises a first breathable film, and the article further comprises a second breathable film comprising nanoclay and pore-forming filler;

and wherein the nonwoven substrate is disposed between the first breathable film and the second breathable film.

25. The article of claim 1, wherein the moisture vapor transmission rate comprises at least about 35 g/m²/day to at most about 110 g/m²/day when measured at 23°

C. and 50 RH %.