Oriented multilayer polyolefin films

• US 6,638,637 B2
• Filed: 01/22/2001
• Issued: 10/28/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: Bartusiak, Joseph T., Denker, Martin E., Kozulla, Randall E., Hager, Patrick J., Hamer, Kevin M.
• Primary Examiner(s): TARAZANO, DONALD LAWRENCE
• Application Number:
  US09/766,707
• Publication Number:
  US 20030049436A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,009 Days
• Field of Search: 525/240, 428/516, 428/354, 428/906, 428/910
• US Class Current: 428/516
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/32 comprising polyolefins comprising vinyl (co)polymers or acrylic (co)polymers B32B27/30
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 23/06 Polyethene
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 23/10 Homopolymers or copolymers of propene
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 2666/06 Homopolymers or copolymers of unsaturated hydrocarbons; Derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C09J 2301/162 the carrier being a laminate constituted by plastic layers only
• CPC Class Codes: C09J 2423/006 in the substrate
• CPC Class Codes: C09J 7/29 Laminated material metallised plastics C09J7/22
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 428/906 Roll or coil
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 428/91 Product with molecular orientation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/28 Web or sheet containing structurally defined element or component and having an adhesive outermost layer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2848 Three or more layers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2896 including nitrogen containing condensation polymer [e.g., polyurethane, polyisocyanate, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31913 Monoolefin polymer

Abstract

A multi-layered biaxially oriented film comprising at least one primary layer and at least one secondary layer, wherein the primary layer comprises a propylene copolymer having a first melting point and the secondary layer comprises a polypropylene homopolymer or copolymer having a second melting point, such that the second melting point is greater than the first melting point and the multi-layered construction is biaxially stretched. The multi-layered film further includes a surface finishing layer, to provide a writable multi-layered film. This stretched film exhibits a refractive index in the machine direction (MD) that is greater than the refractive index measured in the transverse direction (TD).

Claims

1. A film comprising at least one primary layer and at least one secondary layer, wherein the primary layer is thicker than the secondary layer and additionally comprises a propylene-containing polymer having a first melting point and the secondary layer comprises a propylene-containing polymer having a second melting point, wherein the second melting point is greater than the first inciting point and the multi-layered construction is biaxially stretched, such that that the stretched film exhibits a difference in birefringence wherein Δ

_n≧

−

3×

10<sup>−

3</sup>.

2. The film according to claim 1 wherein the stretched film has a puncture energy in the machine direction (MD) of up to about 20 J/cm² when tested according to Puncture Test-2.54 cm.

3. The film according to claim 1 wherein the stretched film has a tensile elongation to break in the MD of up to about 150%.

4. The film according to claim 1 wherein the stretched film has a transmittance haze value of up to about 4%.

5. The film according to claim 1 wherein the stretched film has a tensile break strength in the MD of up to about 140 Mpa.

6. The film according to claim 1 wherein the propylene polymer of the primary layer has an initial melt flow rate of up to 25 g/10 min.

7. The film according to claim 1 wherein the biaxially oriented film has a melt flow rate of up to 35 g/10 min.

8. The film according to claim 1 wherein primary layer comprises an propylene-ethylene random copolymer having an ethylene content between about 0.5% and 10%.

9. The film according to claim 1 wherein the secondary layer comprises an isotactic polypropylene homopolymer.

10. The film according to claim 1 wherein the secondary layer comprises a propylene-ethylene random copolymer having an ethylene content between about 0.01% and 1.0%.

11. The film according to claim 1 wherein the primary layer comprises a blend, mixture or interpolymer of propylene-ethylene random copolymer having an ethylene content between about 0.5% and 10% with an isotactic polypropylene homopolymer.

12. The film according to claim 1 wherein the primary layer comprises a blend, mixture or interpolymer of propylene-ethylene random copolymer having an ethylene content between about 0.5% and 4.0% with of propylene-ethylene random copolymer having an ethylene content up to about 1%.

13. The film according to claim 1 wherein the primary layer comprises a propylene copolymer that includes a second or more monomer unit chosen from monomers having C₂-C₈ carbon atoms, the total copolymer content up to about 10%.

14. The film according to claim 1 further including a surface finishing layer.

15. A film comprising at least one primary layer and at least one secondary layer, wherein the primary layer is thicker than the secondary layer and additionally comprises a propylene copolymer having a first melting point and the secondary layer comprises a polypropylene homopolymer or copolymer having a second melting point and the second melting point is greater than the first melting point and the multi-layered construction is biaxially stretched, such that a single azimuthal scan maximum of the stretched film is within ±

75°

with respect to the MD, as measured by WAXS transmission azimuthal scan.

16. The film according to claim 15 wherein the stretched film exhibits a birefringence wherein the difference in birefringence is Δ

_n≧

−

3×

10<sup>−

3</sup>.

17. The film according to claim 15 wherein the stretched film has a puncture energy in the machine direction (MD) of up to about 20 J/cm² when tested according to Puncture Test-2.54 cm.

18. The film according to claim 15 wherein the stretched film has a tensile elongation to break in the MD of up to about 150%.

19. The film according to claim 15 wherein the stretched film has a transmittance haze value of up to about 4%.

20. The film according to claim 15 wherein the stretched film has a tensile break strength in the MD of up to about 140 Mpa.

21. The film according to claim 15 wherein the propylene polymer of the primary layer has an initial melt flow rate of up to 25 g/10 min.

22. The film according to claim 15 wherein the biaxially oriented film has a melt flow rate of up to 35 g/10 min.

23. The film according to claim 15 wherein primary layer comprises an propylene-ethylene random copolymer having an ethylene content between about 0.5% and 10%.

24. The film according to claim 15 wherein the secondary layer comprises an isotactic polypropylene homopolymer.

25. The film according to claim 15 wherein the secondary layer comprises a propylene-ethylene random copolymer having an ethylene content between about 0.01% and 1.0%.

26. The film according to claim 15 wherein the primary layer comprises a blend, mixture or interpolymer of propylene-ethylene random copolymer having an ethylene content between about 0.5% and 10% with an isotactic polypropylene homopolymer.

27. The film according to claim 15 wherein the primary layer comprises a blend, mixture or interpolymer of propylene-ethylene random copolymer having an ethylene content between about 0.5% and 4.0% with of propylene-ethylene random copolymer having an ethylene content up to about 1%.

28. The film according to claim 15 wherein the primary layer comprises a propylene copolymer that includes a second or more monomer unit chosen from monomers having C2-C8 carbon atoms, the total copolymer content up to about 10%.

29. The film according to claim 15 further including a surface finishing layer.

30. A film comprising at least one primary layer and at least one secondary layer, wherein the primary layer is thicker than the secondary layer and additionally comprises a propylene copolymer having a first melting point and the secondary layer comprises a polypropylene homopolymer or copolymer having a second melting point and the second melting point is greater than the first melting point and the multi-layered construction is biaxially stretched, such that the stretched film exhibits a refractive index in the machine direction (MD) that is greater than the refractive index measured in the transverse direction (TD) and a single azimuthal scan maximum of the stretched film is within ±

75°

with respect to the MD, as measured by WAXS transmission azimuthal scan.

31. The film according to claim 30 wherein the stretched film exhibits a birefringence wherein the difference is Δ

_n≧

−

3×

10<sup>−

3</sup>.

32. The film according to claim 30 wherein the stretched film has a puncture energy in the machine direction (MD) of up to about 20 J/cm² when tested according to Puncture Test-2.54 cm.

33. The film according to claim 30 wherein the stretched film has a tensile elongation to break in the MD of up to about 150%.

34. The film according to claim 30 wherein the stretched film has a transmittance haze value of up to about 4%.

35. The film according to claim 30 wherein the stretched film has a tensile break strength in the MD of up to about 140 Mpa.

36. The film according to claim 30 wherein the propylene polymer of the primary layer has an initial melt flow rate of up to 25 g/10 min.

37. The film according to claim 30 wherein the biaxially oriented film has a melt flow rate of up to 35 g/10 min.

38. The film according to claim 30 wherein primary layer comprises an propylene-ethylene random copolymer having an ethylene content between about 0.5% and 10%.

39. The film according to claim 30 wherein the secondary layer comprises an isotactic polypropylene homopolymer.

40. The film according to claim 30 wherein the secondary layer comprises a propylene-ethylene random copolymer having an ethylene content between about 0.01% and 1.0%.

41. The film according to claim 30 wherein the primary layer comprises a blend, mixture or interpolymer of propylene-ethylene random copolymer having an ethylene content between about 0.5% and 10% with an isotactic polypropylene homopolymer.

42. The film according to claim 30 wherein the primary layer comprises a blend, mixture or interpolymer of propylene-ethylene random copolymer having an ethylene content between about 0.5% and 4.0% with of propylene-ethylene random copolymer having an ethylene content up to about 1%.

43. The film according to claim 30 wherein the primary layer comprises a propylene copolymer that includes a second or more monomer unit chosen from monomers having C2-C8 carbon atoms, the total copolymer content up to about 10%.

44. The film according to claim 30 further including a surface finishing film.

45. A film comprising:

at least one primary layer and at least one secondary layer, wherein the primary layer is thicker than the secondary layer and additionally comprises a major component of a propylene-containing polymer having a first melting point and the secondary layer comprises a major component having a second melting point, the second melting point being greater than the first melting point;

wherein the multi-layered construction has been biaxially oriented so as to provide a crystalline orientation as determined by wide angle X-ray scattering (WAXS) measurements from the monoclinic (110) crystalline planes that is isotropic or exhibits at most a single specific azimuthal scan maximum, said maximum being positioned at an angle of up to ±

75°

from the machine direction (MD). The single azimuthal scan maximum in addition possesses an angular full width at half peak height (FWHM) between about 40°

to 75°

;

wherein said film has an energy to puncture parallel to the reference or MD of up to about 20 J/cm².

46. The film according to claim 45 wherein the stretched film exhibits a birefringence wherein the difference is Δ

_n≧

−

3×

10<sup>−

3</sup>.

47. The film according to claim 45 wherein the stretched film has a puncture energy in the machine direction (MD) of up to about 20 J/cm² when tested according to Puncture Test-2.54 cm.

48. The film according to claim 45 wherein the stretched film has a tensile elongation to break in the MD of up to about 150%.

49. The film according to claim 45 wherein the stretched film has a transmittance haze value of up to about 4%.

50. The film according to claim 45 wherein the stretched film has a tensile break strength in the MD of up to about 140 Mpa.

51. The film according to claim 45 wherein the propylene polymer of the primary layer has an initial melt flow rate of up to 25 g/10 min.

52. The film according to claim 45 wherein the biaxially oriented film has a melt flow rate of up to 35 g/10 min.

53. The film according to claim 45 wherein primary layer comprises an propylene-ethylene random copolymer having an ethylene content between about 0.5% and 10%.

54. The film according to claim 45 wherein the secondary layer comprises an isotactic polypropylene homopolymer.

55. The film according to claim 45 wherein the secondary layer comprises a propylene-ethylene random copolymer having an ethylene content between about 0.01% and 1.0%.

56. The film according to claim 45 wherein the primary layer comprises a blend, mixture or interpolymer of propylene-ethylene random copolymer having an ethylene content between about 0.5% and 10% with an isotactic polypropylene homopolymer.

57. The film according to claim 45 wherein the primary layer comprises a blend, mixture or interpolymer of propylene-ethylene random copolymer having an ethylene content between about 0.5% and 4.0% with of propylene-ethylene random copolymer having an ethylene content up to about 1%.

58. The film according to claim 45 wherein the primary layer comprises a propylene copolymer that includes a second or more monomer unit chosen from monomers having C2-C8 carbon atoms, the total copolymer content up to about 10%.

59. The film according to claim 45 further including a surface finishing film.

60. An adhesive tape backing comprising:

at least one primary layer and at least one secondary layer, wherein said multi-layered construction has been biaxially oriented so as to provide a crystalline orientation as determined by wide angle X-ray scattering (WAXS) measurements from the monoclinic (110) crystalline planes that is isotropic or exhibits at most a single specific azimuthal scan maximum, said maximum being positioned at an angle of up to ±

75°

from the machine direction (MD), and said maximum in addition possesses an angular full width at half peak height (FWHM) between about 40°

to 75°

;

wherein said film has an energy to puncture parallel to the reference or MD of up to about 20 J/cm² and a transmittance haze value up to about 2%.

61. An adhesive tape backing comprising:

at least one primary layer and at least one secondary layer, wherein the primary layer is thicker than the secondary layer and additionally comprises a major component having a propylene-containing polymer having a first melting point and the secondary layer comprises a major component having a second molting point, the second melting point being greater than the first melting point;

wherein said multi-layered construction has been biaxially oriented so as to provide a crystalline orientation as determined by wide angle X-ray scattering (WAXS) measurements from the monoclinic (110) crystalline planes that is isotropic or exhibits at most a single specific azimuthal scan maximum, said maximum being positioned at an angle of up to ±

75°

from the machine direction (MD). The single azimuthal scan maximum in addition possesses an angular full width at half peak height (FWHM) between about 40°

to 75°

;

wherein said adhesive tape backing exibits a birefringence calculated by subtracting the refractive index measured in the transverse direction from that measured in the machine direction of at least about −

3×

10<sup>−

3</sup>; and

in which the primary layer polymer has an initial melt flow rate of up to 25 g/10 min.

62. An adhesive tape backing comprising:

at least one primary layer and at least one secondary layer, wherein said multi-layered construction has been biaxially oriented so as to provide a crystalline orientation as determined by wide angle X-ray scattering (WAXS) measurements from the monoclinic (110) crystalline planes that is isotropic or exhibits at most a single specific azimuthal scan maximum, said maximum being positioned at an angle of up to ±

75°

from the machine direction (MD), and said maximum in addition possesses an angular full width at half peak height (FWHM) between about 40°

to 75°

;

wherein said film has an energy to puncture parallel to the reference or MD of up to about 10 J/cm² and a transmittance haze up to about 1%.

63. An adhesive coated article comprising:

(a) a multilayered biaxially stretched film comprising,

(i) at least one primary layer, wherein the primary layer comprises a propylene-containing polymer having a first melting point;

(ii) at least one secondary layer, wherein the secondary layer is thinner than the primary layer and additionally comprises a propylene-containing polymer having a second melting point, such that the second melting point is greater than the first melting paint; and

(b) at least one adhesive coated layer coated on one surface of the multilayered biaxially stretched film.

64. The adhesive coated article according to claim 63 wherein the multilayered biaxially stretched film further includes:

(iii) a surface finishing layer, wherein the surface finishing layer is the outermost layer and the adhesive coasted layer is coated on the surface opposite the surface finishing layer.

65. The adhesive coated article according to claim 63 wherein the adhesive coated layer comprises a pressure sensitive adhesive.

66. The adhesive coated article according to claim 64 wherein the surface finishing layer is matte surface.

67. The adhesive coated article according to claim 66 wherein the surface finishing layer comprises a blend of incompatible polymers, wherein such blends include high density polyethylene having a first melting point and a propylene-containing polymer having a second melting point and a particulate filler.

68. The adhesive coated article according to claim 67 wherein the melting point of the propylene-containing polymer of the surface finishing layer is 2°

C. lower than the orientation temperature.

69. The adhesive coated article according to claim 68 wherein the particulate filler of the surface finishing layer has a Mohs hardness of greater than or equal to 2.