LAMINATE STRUCTURE AND METHOD FOR MAKING

• US 20120107615A1
• Filed: 09/23/2011
• Published: 05/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics Corporation (Compagnie De Saint-Gobain)
• Original Assignee: Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics Corporation (Compagnie De Saint-Gobain)
• Inventors: McCoy, Jessica L., Conley, Karen M., DiCorleto Gibson, Julia, Lemberger, Michael J., Hetzler, Kevin G.
• Application Number:
  US13/243,160
• Publication Number:
  US 20120107615A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 428/412
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/41 Opaque
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/412 Transparent
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/414 Translucent
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/554 Wear resistance
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/712 Weather resistant
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/7246 Water vapor barrier
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2457/12 Photovoltaic modules
• 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 27/304 comprising vinyl halide (co)polymers, e.g. PVC, PVDC, PVF, PVDF
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/306 comprising vinyl acetate or vinyl alcohol (co)polymers
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/32 comprising polyolefins comprising vinyl (co)polymers or acrylic (co)polymers B32B27/30
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/322 comprising halogenated polyolefins, e.g. PTFE
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 7/12 using interposed adhesives or interposed materials with bonding properties
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/0481 characterised by the composition of the encapsulation material
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/049 Protective back sheets
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/50 Photovoltaic [PV] energy
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/10 Methods of surface bonding and/or assembly therefor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31507 Of polycarbonate
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/3154 : Of fluorinated addition polymer from unsaturated monomers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31544 : Addition polymer is perhalogenated

Abstract

The disclosure is directed to a laminate structure including an encapsulant layer and a thermoplastic polymer layer. The encapsulant layer has a major surface, wherein the major surface of the encapsulant is treated to increase adhesion. The thermoplastic polymer layer has a melting point temperature or glass transition temperature greater than about 165° C., wherein the thermoplastic layer has a major surface that is treated to increase adhesion and is disposed on the treated major surface of the encapsulant layer. The disclosure is further directed to a method of forming the aforementioned laminate structure.

Claims

1. A laminate structure comprising:

an encapsulant layer having a major surface, wherein the major surface of the encapsulant layer is treated to increase adhesion; and

a thermoplastic polymer layer having a melting point temperature or glass transition temperature greater than about 165°

C., wherein the thermoplastic layer has a major surface that is treated to increase adhesion and is disposed on the treated major surface of the encapsulant layer.

2. The laminate structure of claim 1, wherein the thermoplastic polymer layer is a fluoropolymer.

3. The laminate structure of claim 2, wherein the fluoropolymer includes a homopolymer, copolymer, terpolymer, or polymer blend formed from a monomer of a tetrafluoroethylene, a hexafluoropropylene, a chlorotrifluoroethylene, a trifluoroethylene, a vinylidene fluoride, a vinyl fluoride, a perfluoropropyl vinyl ether, a perfluoromethyl vinyl ether, or any combination thereof.

5. The laminate structure of claim 1, wherein the thermoplastic polymer layer includes polymethyl pentene, polyimide, polyester, polyamide, polycarbonate, polyethylene, polyetherimide, polyethylene terephthalate, polyetheretherketone, or combinations thereof.

6. The laminate structure of claim 1, wherein the thermoplastic polymer layer has a melting point temperature or glass transition temperature greater than about 200°

C.

7. The laminate structure of claim 1, wherein the encapsulant layer includes a homopolymer, a copolymer, a terpolymer, an ionomer, an alloy, or any combination thereof formed from a monomer of an ethylene, a propylene, a butene, a pentene, a methyl pentene, an octene, a norbornene, or any combination thereof.

9. The laminate structure of claim 1, wherein the encapsulant layer includes a functional group to increase the surface functionality of the major surface.

11. The laminate structure of claim 1, wherein the encapsulant layer is not substantially cured.

12. The laminate structure of claim 1, wherein the treatment to increase the adhesion of the encapsulant layer and the fluoropolymer layer includes surface treatment, chemical treatment, sodium etching, plasma treatment, or any combination thereof.

18. The laminate structure of claim 1, wherein the thermoplastic polymer layer and the encapsulant layer have an adhesion that increases over time.

19. The laminate structure of claim 1, wherein the laminate structure is a protective sheet for an electronic device or a laminate for a sign.

20. The laminate structure of claim 1, further comprising a second thermoplastic polymer layer overlying a second major surface of the encapsulant layer.

21. The laminate structure of claim 1, further comprising a second encapsulant layer overlying a second major surface of the thermoplastic polymer layer.

4. (canceled)

8. (canceled)

10. (canceled)

13-17. -17. (canceled)

22. A laminate structure comprising:

an ethylene vinyl acetate layer having a major surface, wherein the major surface of the ethylene vinyl acetate is corona treated to increase adhesion; and

a copolymer of ethylene and tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE) layer having a major surface, wherein the major surface of the fluoropolymer layer is C-treated to increase adhesion and is disposed on the treated major surface of the ethylene vinyl acetate layer.

23-26. -26. (canceled)

27. A method of forming a laminate structure comprising:

providing a thermoplastic polymer layer having a melting point temperature or glass transition temperature greater than about 165°

C., wherein the thermoplastic polymer layer has a major surface;

treating the major surface of the thermoplastic polymer layer to increase adhesion of the major surface;

providing an encapsulant layer having a major surface;

treating the major surface of the encapsulant layer to increase adhesion of the major surface; and

disposing the treated major surface of the thermoplastic polymer layer on the treated major surface of the encapsulant layer.

28. The method of claim 27, where disposing the treated major surface of the thermoplastic polymer layer on the treated major surface of the encapsulant layer includes laminating the thermoplastic polymer layer to the encapsulant layer.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the encapsulant layer is not substantially cured during laminating of the thermoplastic polymer layer to the encapsulant layer.

30. The method of claim 27, wherein the thermoplastic polymer layer is a fluoropolymer.

32. The method of claim 27, wherein the thermoplastic polymer layer includes polymethyl pentene, polyimide, polyester, polyamide, polycarbonate, polyethylene, polyetherimide, polyethylene terephthalate, polyetheretherketone, or combinations thereof.

33. The method of claim 27, wherein treating the major surface of the thermoplastic polymer layer includes surface treatment, chemical treatment, sodium etching, plasma treatment, or any combination thereof.

35. The method of claim 27, wherein the thermoplastic polymer layer has a melting point temperature or glass transition temperature greater than about 200°

C.

36. The method of claim 27, wherein the encapsulant layer includes a homopolymer, a copolymer, a terpolymer, an ionomer, an alloy, or any combination thereof formed from a monomer of an ethylene, a propylene, a butene, a pentene, a methyl pentene, an octene, a norbornene, or any combination thereof.

37. The method of claim 27, wherein the encapsulant layer includes a functional group to increase the surface functionality of the major surface.

39. The method of claim 27, wherein treating the major surface of the encapsulant layer includes surface treatment, chemical treatment, sodium etching, plasma treatment, or any combination thereof.

41. The method of claim 27, further including autoclaving the laminate structure at a temperature greater than about 300°

F.

31. (canceled)

34. (canceled)

38. (canceled)

40. (canceled)

42-44. -44. (canceled)