Optical films incorporating cyclic olefin copolymers

• US 20060093845A1
• Filed: 10/29/2004
• Published: 05/04/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: Getschel, Joel A., Jones, Clinton L., Strobel, Joan M., Chien, Bert T., Strobel, Mark A., Bosl, Ellen R.
• Granted Patent: US 7,329,465 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 428/520
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2250/24 All layers being polymeric
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2255/10 on synthetic resin layer or on natural or synthetic rubber layer
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2255/28 Multiple coating on one surface
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/40 having particular optical properties light or UV resistant B32B2307/71
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/408 Matt, dull surface
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2457/202 LCD, i.e. liquid crystal displays
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/08 of synthetic resin
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/16 specially treated, e.g. irradiated
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/18 characterised by the use of special additives
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/30 comprising vinyl (co)polymers; comprising acrylic (co)polymers
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/32 comprising polyolefins comprising vinyl (co)polymers or acrylic (co)polymers B32B27/30
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/325 comprising polycycloolefins
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 3/30 characterised by a layer formed with recesses or projections, e.g. hollows, grooves, protuberances, ribs apertured layer B32B3/266; layer with cavities or internal voids B32B3/26
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 2365/00 Characterised by the use of macromolecular compounds obtained by reactions forming a carbon-to-carbon link in the main chain C08J2307/00 - C08J2357/00, C08J2361/00 take precedence; Derivatives of such polymers
• 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 7/046 Forming abrasion-resistant coatings; Forming surface-hardening coatings
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31917 Next to polyene polymer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31924 Including polyene monomers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31928 Ester, halide or nitrile of addition polymer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31931 Polyene monomer-containing
• 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

A norbomene-based cyclic olefin layer with a curable layer disposed thereon is described. The curable layer may additionally be imparted with a texture. The norbomene-based cyclic olefin films with curable layers can be incorporated into optical bodies which include an optical film, such as an oriented multilayer optical film. In addition, the invention includes a method of coating a curable layer onto a norbomene-based polymer layer or film without requiring a primer layer. Methods of making the norbomene-based cyclic olefin layer containing films are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A multilayer film comprising:

a norbomene-based cyclic olefin film; and

a curable layer attached to the norbomene-based cyclic olefin film, wherein the curable layer comprises a curable material.

2. The multilayer film of claim 1, wherein the curable material is a radiation energy-curable material.

3. The multilayer film of claim 1, wherein the curable material is a photopolymerizable material.

4. The multilayer film of claim 1, wherein the curable layer comprises an ethlyenically unsaturated monomer, ethlyenically unsaturated oligomer or blends thereof, wherein the index of refraction of the uncured curable material is greater than 1.55.

5. The multilayer film of claim 4, wherein the curable material comprises the reaction product of Tetrabromobisphenol A glycidyl ether and (meth)acrylic acid.

6. The multilayer film of claim 5, wherein the curable material further comprises a multi-functional acrylate.

7. The multilayer film of claim 6, wherein the multi-functional acrylate is trimethylolpropane triacrylate.

8. The multilayer film of claim 5, wherein the curable material further comprises 2-phenoxyethyl acrylate.

9. The multilayer film of claim 5, wherein the curable material further comprises tribromophenoxy ethyl acrylate

10. The multilayer film of claim 3, wherein the curable material is a UV curable material.

11. The multilayer film of claim 1, wherein the norbomene-based cyclic olefin film consists substantially of a copolymer comprising norbomene or a derivative thereof, and ethylene.

12. The multilayer film of claim 1, wherein the norbomene-based cyclic olefin film is immediately adjacent to the curable layer.

13. The multilayer film of claim 1, wherein the curable layer has a structured surface.

14. The multilayer film of claim 13, wherein the structured surface comprises a plurality of linear prismatic structures.

26. An LCD device including an optical film according to claim 1 or an optical body of claim 15, a light source and an LCD panel.

45. The multilayer film of claim 6, wherein the multi-functional acrylate is a urethane acrylate.

15. An optical body comprising:

an optical film;

at least one norbomene-based cyclic olefin layer disposed on the optical film; and

at least one curable layer comprising a curable material attached to the norbomene-based cyclic olefin layer.

16. The optical body of claim 15, wherein at least one curable layer comprising a curable material is attached to a major surface of at least one norbomene-based cyclic olefin layer, wherein the major surface is disposed generally opposite the optical film.

17. The optical body of claim 15, wherein at least one curable layer comprising a curable material is disposed between the optical film and at least one norbomene-based cyclic olefin layer.

18. The optical body of claim 17, wherein the curable material is an adhesive.

19. The optical body of claim 15, wherein the curable material is a photo-curable material.

20. The optical body of claim 15, wherein the optical film is a multilayer, polymeric optical film, continuous/disperse phase reflective optical film, diffuse multilayer reflective polarizer, or a multilayer reflective optical film.

21. The optical body of claim 15, wherein the norbomene-based cyclic olefin layer consists of a copolymer comprising norbomene or a derivative thereof, and ethylene.

22. The optical body of claim 15, wherein at least one curable layer comprises a UV-curable material that functions as a UV stabilizer, abrasion resistant material, hardcoat material, anti-reflective coating, or a diffuser.

23. The optical body of claim 15, at least one curable layer comprising a curable material has a structured surface.

24. The optical body of claim 23, wherein the structured surface comprises a plurality of linear prismatic structures.

25. The optical body of claim 24, wherein the norbomene-based cyclic olefin layer is disposed immediately adjacent to the curable layer comprising a curable material having a structured surface.

27. A method of applying a curable layer to a norbomene-based cyclic olefin film, comprising:

corona treating a norbomene-based cyclic olefin film; and

applying a curable material to the corona-treated norbomene-based cyclic olefin film, thereby forming a curable layer;

wherein the elapsed time between corona-treating the norbomene-based cyclic olefin film and applying a curable layer is less than 75 seconds.

28. A method of claim 27, wherein the elapsed time is less than 30 seconds.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein the elapsed time is less than 2 seconds.

30. The method of claim 27, wherein the elapsed time is less than 1 second.

31. The method of claim 27, wherein corona treating a norbomene-based cyclic olefin film is performed by feeding the norbomene-based cyclic olefin film adjacent to a source electrode in ambient air environment.

32. The method of claim 27, wherein applying a curable layer comprises:

coating a curable material on the corona-treated solid norbomene-based co-polymer film; and

curing the curable material.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the elapsed time between coating the curable material and curing the curable material is less than 4 minutes.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the elapsed time is less than 30 seconds.

35. The method of claim 32, wherein the curable material is coated directly onto the norbomene-based cyclic olefin film.

36. The method of claim 27, wherein the curable material is curable material that functions as a curable adhesive, UV stabilizer, abrasion resistant material, hardcoat material, anti-reflective coating, or a diffuser.

37. The method of claim 27, wherein the curable layer comprises a structured surface.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein the curable layer comprises a curable material with a structured surface, and the norbomene-based cyclic olefin film is disposed on an optical film, such that the curable layer is an outer layer of an optical body.

39. The method of claim 27, wherein the curable layer comprises a curable adhesive material;

and the method additionally comprising;

laminating the norbomene-based cyclic olefin film and curable adhesive material to an optical film;

curing the curable adhesive layer, thereby forming an optical body.

40. A method of making an optical body, wherein the optical body comprises an optical film, the method comprising:

providing an optical film comprising at least one norbomene-based cyclic olefm outer layer;

corona treating the norbomene-based cyclic olefin layer; and

coating a curable layer on the norbomene-based cyclic olefin layer, wherein the elapsed time between the corona treatment and the coating of the curable layer is less than 75 seconds.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein corona treating is preformed in ambient air atmosphere.

42. The method of claim 40, additionally comprising:

curing the curable layer on the norbomene-based cyclic olefin layer.

43. The method of claim 40, additionally comprising:

imparting a plurality of surface structures into a major surface of the curable layer; and

curing the curable layer on the norbomene-based cyclic olefin layer.

44. The method of claim 43, wherein the time interval between coating the curable layer and curing the curable layer is less than 1 minute.