Polymeric blends for optical devices and method of manufacture thereof
View Patent ↗A method for manufacturing a film or sheet comprises deforming a polymeric alloy at a temperature effective to impart to the deformed alloy a birefringence retardation of greater than or equal to about 750 nanometers. A method eliminating comets and veins in an optical film or sheet comprises annealing the film or sheet to a temperature greater than the lowest glass transition temperature of the polymeric resins contained in the alloy. A composition comprises a first polymeric resin in an amount of about 1 to about 99 wt %; and a second polymeric resin in an amount of about 1 to about 99 wt %, wherein the polymeric resins are blended with a deforming force effective to produce a polymeric alloy having a birefringence retardation of greater than or equal to about 750 nanometers.
1. A method for manufacturing a film or sheet comprising:
extruding a polymeric alloy, the polymeric alloy being a blend of thermoplastics resins; the blend being optically transparent; and
deforming the polymeric alloy in a roll mill at a temperature effective to impart to the deformed polymeric alloy a birefringence retardation of greater than or equal to about 750 nanometers; the deforming being conducted after the extruding.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the polymeric alloy is thermoplastic, and wherein the polymeric alloy comprises at least three polymeric resins.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the polymeric alloy comprises oligomers, polymers, branched polymers, dendrimers, ionomers, copolymers, star block copolymers, graft copolymers, block copolymers, random copolymers, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing polymers.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the polymeric alloy is thermoplastic and wherein the thermoplastic is a polyethylene, polypropylene, polyamide, polyester, polyimide, polyacetal, polyacrylic, polycarbonate, polystyrene, polyamideimide, polyarylate, polyacrylate, polymethacrylate, polyurethane, polyarylsulfone, polyethersulfone, polyarylene sulfide, polyvinyl chloride, polysulfone, polyetherimide, polytetrafluoroethylene, polyetherketone, polyether etherketone, polyarylene ether, liquid crystalline polymer, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing thermoplastics.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the polyester is polyethelene terephthalate, polybutylene terephthalate, poly(1,4-cyclohexane-dimethanol-1,4-cyclohexanedicarboxylate), poly(trimethylene terephthalate), poly(cyclohexanedimethanol-co-ethylene terephthalate), or a blend comprising blend comprising 100 mole percent terephthalic acid, 65 mole percent 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol and 35 mole percent ethylene glycol.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the polymeric alloy comprises a polycarbonate-polyester blend.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the polycarbonate-polyester blend comprises polycarbonate-poly(1,4-cyclohexane-dimethanol-1,4-cyclohexanedicarboxylate).
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the polymeric alloy comprises polycarbonate-poly(cyclohexanedimethanol-co-ethylene terephthalate), polycarbonate-polyethylene terephthalate, polycarbonate-polybutylene terephthalate, polycarbonate with a blend comprising 100 mole percent terephthalic acid, 65 mole percent 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol and 35 mole percent ethylene glycol, PC-PPC, polycarbonate-polymethylmethacrylate, polycarbonate-blend comprising 100 mole percent (mole %) terephthalic acid, 65 mole percent 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol and 35 mole percent ethylene glycol, polycarbonate-poly(1,4-cyclohexane-dimethanol-1,4-cyclohexanedicarboxylate)-poly(cyclohexanedimethanol-co-ethylene terephthalate), polycarbonate-copolyester-polycarbonate with a blend comprising 100 mole percent terephthalic acid, 65 mole percent 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol and 35 mole percent ethylene glycol, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the temperature at which the deforming occurs is lower than the glass transition temperature of the polymeric alloy.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the deforming occurs by shear, compression or elongational forces or a combination of any two of the foregoing forces or all three of the foregoing forces.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the deforming occurs in a two roll mill or in a three roll mill.
12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the polymeric alloy may be deformed into a film or a sheet.
13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the film or sheet is substantially free of comets or veins or both.
14. The method of claim 12 , further comprising employing the film or sheet in an optical device, wherein the optical device provides light polarization, photo-chromism, tint, color, decor, indicia, hardness, anti-abrasion, anti fog, X-ray recording, photographic filming, digital storage, light management capabilities or a combination of at least one of the foregoing capabilities.
15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the polymeric alloy has a melt viscosity rate of greater than or equal to about 5 cubic centimeters/10 minutes when measured at 265° C. with a load of 2.16 kilograms and a dwell time of four minutes.
16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the polymeric alloy has a glass transition temperature of less than or equal to about 205° C.
17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the polymeric alloy is free from UV stabilizer.
18. The method of claim 1 , further comprising affixing the polymeric alloy to a substrate after the deformation.
19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the polymeric alloy is in the form of a film of thickness of less than or equal to about 1000 micrometers and wherein the substrate is a polarizer in an optical device.
20. The method of claim 18 , wherein the affixing comprises molding the polymeric alloy to the substrate.
21. A method comprising:
annealing a film or sheet comprising a polymeric alloy to a temperature greater than a lowest glass transition temperature of a polymeric resin contained in the polymeric alloy; wherein the polymeric alloy being a blend of polycarbonate and a second polymeric resin; the blend being optically transparent.
22. The method of claim 21 , wherein the temperature of annealing is greater than or equal to about a highest glass transition temperature of the polymeric resins contained in the polymeric alloy.
23. The method of claim 21 , wherein the temperature of annealing is greater than a glass transition temperature of the polymeric alloy.
24. The method of claim 21 , wherein the polymeric alloy comprises a polycarbonate-polyester blend.
25. The method of claim 24 , wherein the polycarbonate-polyester blend comprises polycarbonate-poly(1,4-cyclohexane-dimethanol-1,4-cyclohexanedicarboxylate).
26. The method of claim 21 , wherein the polymeric alloy comprises polycarbonate-poly(cyclohexanedimethanol-co-ethylene terephthalate), polycarbonate-polyethylene terephthalate, polycarbonate-polybutylene terephthalate, polycarbonate with a blend comprising 100 mole percent terephthalic acid, 65 mole percent 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol and 35 mole percent ethylene glycol, PC-PPC, polycarbonate-polymethylmethacrylate, polycarbonate-blend comprising 100 mole percent (mole %) terephthalic acid, 65 mole percent 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol and 35 mole percent ethylene glycol, polycarbonate-poly(l,4-cyclohexane-dimethanol-1,4-cyclohexanedicarboxylate)-poly(cyclohexanedimethanol-co-ethylene terephthalate), polycarbonate-copolyester-polycarbonate with a blend comprising 100 mole percent terephthalic acid, 65 mole percent 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol and 35 mole percent ethylene glycol, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing.
27. A method comprising:
annealing a film or sheet comprising a polymeric alloy to a temperature greater than a lowest glass transition temperature of a polymeric resin contained in the polymeric alloy; wherein the polymeric alloy being a blend of polycarbonate and a second polymeric resin; the blend being optically transparent; and wherein the polymeric alloy has a melt viscosity rate of greater than or equal to about 5 cubic centimeters/10 minutes when measured at 265° C. with a load of 2.16 kilograms and a dwell time of four minutes.
28. The method of claim 27 , wherein the temperature of annealing is greater than or equal to about a highest glass transition temperature of the polymeric resins contained in the polymeric alloy.
29. The method of claim 27 , wherein the temperature of annealing is greater than a glass transition temperature of the polymeric alloy.
30. The method of claim 27 , wherein the polymeric alloy comprises a polycarbonate-polyester blend.
31. An optical device manufactured by the method of claim 1 .
32. An optical device manufactured by the method of claim 21 .
33. An optical device manufactured by the method of claim 27 .
34. A method for manufacturing a film or sheet comprising:
deforming a polymeric alloy, the polymeric alloy being a blend of thermoplastics resins; the blend being optically transparent; in a roll mill at a temperature effective to impart to the deformed polymeric alloy a birefringence retardation of greater than or equal to about 750 nanometers; wherein a machine part contacting the polymeric alloy and applying the deforming forces is maintained at a temperature below the glass transition temperature of the polymeric alloy.
35. The method of claim 34 , wherein the machine part contacting the polymeric alloy and applying the deforming forces is maintained at a temperature of 5° C. to 20° C. below the glass transition temperature of the polymeric alloy during the deformation.
36. The method of claim 34 , wherein the polymeric alloy comprises a polycarbonate-polyester blend.
37. The method of claim 36 , wherein the polycarbonate-polyester blend comprises polycarbonate-poly(1,4-cyclohexane-dimethanol-1,4-cyclohexanedicarboxylate).
38. The method of claim 34 , wherein the polymeric alloy comprises polycarbonate-poly(cyclohexanedimethanol-co-ethylene terephthalate), polycarbonate-polyethylene terephthalate, polycarbonate-polybutylene terephthalate, polycarbonate with a blend comprising 100 mole percent terephthalic acid, 65 mole percent 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol and 35 mole percent ethylene glycol, PC-PPC, polycarbonate-polymethylmethacrylate, polycarbonate-blend comprising 100 mole percent (mole %) terephthalic acid, 65 mole percent 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol and 35 mole percent ethylene glycol, polycarbonate-poly(1,4-cyclohexane-dimethanol-1,4-cyclohexanedicarboxylate)-poly(cyclohexanedimethanol-co-ethylene terephthalate), polycarbonate-copolyester-polycarbonate with a blend comprising 100 mole percent terephthalic acid, 65 mole percent 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol and 35 mole percent ethylene glycol, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing.
39. The method of claim 34 , wherein the temperature at which the deforming occurs is lower than the glass transition temperature of the polymeric alloy.
40. The method of claim 34 , wherein the deforming occurs in a two roll mill or in a three roll mill.
41. The method of claim 34 , wherein the polymeric alloy may be deformed into a film or a sheet.
42. The method of claim 34 , wherein the film or sheet is substantially free of comets or veins or both.
43. A method for manufacturing a film or sheet comprising:
deforming a polymeric alloy, the polymeric alloy being a blend of thermoplastics resins; the blend being optically transparent, in a roll mill to form a sheet or a film; and
annealing the sheet or film at a temperature effective to produce a birefringence retardation of less than or equal to about 100 nm; the annealing being conducted after the deforming.
44. The method of claim 43 , wherein the film or sheet is substantially free of comets or veins or both.
45. The method of claim 43 , wherein the polymeric alloy comprises a polycarbonate-polyester blend.
46. The method of claim 45 , wherein the polycarbonate-polyester blend comprises polycarbonate-poly(1,4-cyclohexane-dimethanol-1,4-cyclohexanedicarboxylate).
47. The method of claim 43 , wherein the polymeric alloy comprises polycarbonate-poly(cyclohexanedimethanol-co-ethylene terephthalate), polycarbonate-polyethylene terephthalate, polycarbonate-polybutylene terephthalate, polycarbonate with a blend comprising 100 mole percent terephthalic acid, 65 mole percent 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol and 35 mole percent ethylene glycol, PC-PPC, polycarbonate-polymethylmethacrylate, polycarbonate-blend comprising 100 mole percent (mole %) terephthalic acid, 65 mole percent 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol and 35 mole percent ethylene glycol, polycarbonate-poly(1,4-cyclohexane-dimethanol-1,4-cyclohexanedicarboxylate)-poly(cyclohexanedimethanol-co-ethylene terephthalate), polycarbonate-copolyester-polycarbonate with a blend comprising 100 mole percent terephthalic acid, 65 mole percent 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol and 35 mole percent ethylene glycol, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing.
48. The method of claim 43 , wherein the temperature at which the deforming occurs is lower than the glass transition temperature of the polymeric alloy.
49. The method of claim 43 , wherein the deforming occurs in a two roll mill or in a three roll mill.