Process for preparing polymeric films useful for blocking the transmission of near infra red light

• US 7,378,150 B2
• Filed: 03/02/2007
• Issued: 05/27/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dow Global Technologies LLC (Dow, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company (Corteva, Inc.)
• Inventors: Fugiel, Richard A., Hayes, Richard Allen
• Primary Examiner(s): Kiliman; Leszek
• Application Number:
  US11/713,299
• Publication Number:
  US 20070148436A1
• Time in Patent Office: 452 Days
• Field of Search: 428/323, 428/328, 428/329, 428/426, 428/685, 428/702, 428/402, 428/403, 428/407, 427/162, 427/163, 427/165, 427/168, 252/518
• US Class Current: 428/402
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10633 Infrared radiation absorbing or reflecting agents
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10761 containing vinyl acetal
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2250/02 2 layers
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 2429/14 Homopolymers or copolymers of acetals or ketals obtained by polymerisation of unsaturated acetals or ketals or by after-treatment of polymers of unsaturated alcohols
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 7/0427 with only one layer of a composition containing a polymer binder with more layers C08J7/042
• 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: C09D 5/32 Radiation-absorbing paints protection against X-, gamma- or corpuscular radiation G21F
• 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 428/256 Heavy metal or aluminum or compound thereof
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/257 Iron oxide or aluminum oxide
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2982 Particulate matter [e.g., sphere, flake, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2998 including synthetic resin or polymer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31 Surface property or characteristic of web, sheet or block
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31645 Next to addition polymer from unsaturated monomers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31649 Ester, halide or nitrile of addition polymer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31942 Of aldehyde or ketone condensation product

Abstract

The present invention is an infra red (IR)-blocking coating and a process for applying the IR-blocking coating onto the surface of a polymer. The process comprises the steps of dispersing an IR-blocking material in a mixture of solvent comprising a dissolved polymer and using standard printing processes to coat at least a portion of the surface of a bulk polymer, preferably a sheet or film. The present invention also provides safety glass laminates whose polymer interlayers have improved adhesion to glass in addition to light blocking properties.

Claims

1. A process of preparing a laminate comprising (a) at least one layer of glass or another rigid transparent layer and (b) at least one polymeric film or sheet comprising at least one surface that is at least partially covered with an infra red blocking coating comprising infra red blocking materials, the process comprising:

(a) providing the at least one layer of glass or another rigid transparent layer;

(b) providing at least one polymeric film or sheet;

(c) applying the at least one surface of the at least one polymeric film or sheet with the infra red blocking coating comprising infra red blocking material by printing; and

(d) forming the laminate.

2. A laminate prepared by the process of claim 1 comprising (a) at least one layer of glass or another rigid transparent layer and (b) at least one polymeric film or sheet comprising at least one surface that is at least partially covered with an infra red blocking coating comprising infra red blocking materials, wherein the polymeric film or sheet comprises a polymer selected from the group consisting of poly(vinyl butyral), and acid copolymers and copolymer ionomers obtained from copolymerization of ethylene with an ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid and/or derivatives thereof.

3. The laminate of claim 2 wherein the laminate comprises the at least one polymeric film or sheet laminated between two layers of clear glass.

4. The laminate of claim 3 wherein the at least one polymeric film or sheet is one polymeric film or sheet.

5. The laminate of claim 2, wherein the infra red blocking material is in the form of particles and comprise a material selected from the group consisting of indium tin oxide, antimony tin oxide, lanthanum hexaboride, and iron oxides.

6. The laminate of claim 3, wherein the infra red blocking material is in the form of particles and comprise a material selected from the group consisting of indium tin oxide, antimony tin oxide, lanthanum hexaboride, and iron oxides.

7. The laminate of claim 2 wherein the at least one polymeric film or sheet is the poly(vinyl butyral) film or sheet.

8. The laminate of claim 7 wherein the laminate comprises the at least one polymeric film or sheet laminated between two layers of clear glass.

9. The laminate of claim 8, wherein the infra red blocking material is in the form of particles and comprise a material selected from the group consisting of indium tin oxide, antimony tin oxide, lanthanum hexaboride, and iron oxides.

10. The laminate of claim 2 wherein the polymeric film or sheet comprises the polymer selected from the group consisting of acid copolymers and copolymer ionomers obtained from copolymerization of ethylene with an ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid and/or derivatives thereof.

11. The laminate of claim 2, wherein the printing comprises applying an ink comprising the infra red blocking coating, the ink comprises a dispersion of an infra red blocking material in the form of particles in a matrix comprising an organic solvent and a polymeric binder, the polymeric binder is dissolved in the organic solvent, and the infra red blocking material is selected from the group consisting of indium tin oxide, antimony tin oxide, lanthanum hexaboride and iron oxides particles.

12. The laminate of claim 11 wherein the at least one polymeric film or sheet is a poly(vinyl butyral) film or sheet and the polymeric binder is poly(vinyl butyral).

13. A safety glass laminate prepared by the process of claim 1 consisting essentially of a polymeric film or sheet (a) which comprises a surface that is at least partially covered with an infra red blocking coating comprising infra red blocking particles and (b) which is laminated between two layers of glass, wherein the polymeric film or sheet comprises a polymer selected from the group consisting of poly(vinyl butyral), and acid copolymers and copolymer ionomers obtained from copolymerization of ethylene with an ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid and/or derivatives thereof.

14. The laminate of claim 13 wherein the infra red blocking particles comprise a material selected from the group consisting of indium tin oxide, antimony tin oxide, lanthanum hexaboride, and iron oxides.

15. The process of claim 1, wherein the printing comprises applying an ink comprising the infra red blocking coating and wherein the infra red blocking material is in the form of particles and comprise a material selected from the group consisting of indium tin oxide, antimony tin oxide, lanthanum hexaboride, and iron oxides.

16. The process of claim 15 wherein the ink comprises a dispersion of the infra red blocking material in the form of particles in a matrix comprising an organic solvent and a polymeric binder, wherein the polymeric binder is dissolved in the organic solvent.

17. The process of claim 16 wherein the polymeric binder is the same as or compatible with the polymer of the polymer film or sheet being coated.

18. The process of claim 16 wherein the polymeric binder is the same as or compatible with the polymer of the polymer film or sheet being coated and the polymeric binder adheres to the surface of the polymer.

19. The process of claim 16 wherein the at least one polymeric film or sheet is a poly(vinyl butyral) film or sheet and the polymeric binder is poly(vinyl butyral).

20. The process of claim 19 wherein the solvent is dimethyl formamide.

21. The process of claim 1 wherein the at least one polymeric film or sheet is a poly(vinyl butyral) film or sheet.

22. The process of claim 1 wherein the polymeric film or sheet comprises a polymer selected from the group consisting of acid copolymers and copolymer ionomers obtained from copolymerization of ethylene with an ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid and/or derivatives thereof.

23. The process of claim 15, wherein the infra red blocking particles are dispersed in poly(vinyl butyral), and the infra red coating is prepared by a process comprising the steps:

passing a mixture of the infra red blocking particles, dimethyl formamide, and the poly(vinyl butyral) through a grinding apparatus to disperse the infra red blocking particles and obtain the ink; and

the printing comprises printing the ink onto the surface of the polymer film or sheet.

24. The process of claim 16, wherein the printing is selected from the group consisting of flexographic or gravure printing.

25. A process of preparing a laminate comprising (a) at least one layer of glass or another rigid transparent layer and (b) at least one polymeric film or sheet, the process comprising:

(a) providing the at least one layer of glass or another rigid transparent layer;

(b) providing at least one polymeric film or sheet comprising at least one surface that is at least partially covered with an infra red blocking coating comprising infra red blocking materials; and

(c) forming the laminate, wherein the polymeric film or sheet comprises a polymer selected from the group consisting of poly(vinyl butyral), and acid copolymers and copolymer ionomers obtained from copolymerization of ethylene with an ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid and/or derivatives thereof.

26. The process of claim 25 wherein (i) the at least one polymeric film or sheet is a poly(vinyl butyral) film or sheet, (ii) the polymeric binder is poly(vinyl butyral), (iii), the solvent is dimethyl formamide, and the printing is selected from the group consisting of flexographic or gravure printing.