Crosslinkable vinyl fluoride copolymer coated film and process for making same

1. A fluoropolymer coated film comprising:

a polymeric substrate film; and

a fluoropolymer coating on said polymeric substrate film, said fluoropolymer coating comprising a vinyl fluoride copolymer comprised of about 50 to about 69.9 mole % of repeat units derived from vinyl fluoride and about 30 to about 50 mole % of repeat units derived from monomer selected from a mixture of (a) and (b) below, with the proviso that at least about 30 mole % of repeat units in said copolymer are derived from (a), and about 0.1 mole % to about 20 mole % of repeat units in said copolymer are derived from monomer selected from (b):

(a) tetrafluoroethylene; and

(b) fluorinated vinyl monomer containing at least one functional group selected from the group consisting of hydroxyls, thiols, carbonyls, carboxylic acids, carboxylic esters, acid anhydrides, sulfonyls, sulfonic acids, sulfonic esters, phosphoric acids, phosphoric esters, boric acids, boric esters, epoxies, isocyanates, thiocyanates, amines, amides, nitriles and halogen selected from bromide and iodide,

wherein the functional groups of the vinyl fluoride copolymer provide crosslinkable reaction sites, and wherein said polymeric substrate film comprises functional groups that interact with the functional groups of the vinyl fluoride copolymer to promote bonding of the fluoropolymer coating to the polymeric substrate film, and wherein said vinyl fluoride copolymer coating is cross-linked.

2. The fluoropolymer coated film of claim 1 wherein said vinyl fluoride copolymer further comprises about 0.1 to about 10 mole % of repeat units derived from monomer (c) selected from the group consisting of fluorinated vinyl ethers, fluorinated alkyl (meth)acrylates, perfluoroolefins having 3-10 carbon atoms, perfluoro C1-C8 alkyl ethylenes, fluorinated dioxoles and mixtures thereof.

3. The fluoropolymer coated film of claim 1 wherein monomer (b) comprises fluorinated vinyl ether monomer containing said at least one functional group.

4. The fluoropolymer coated film of claim 1 wherein said vinyl fluoride copolymer further comprises about 0.1 to about 10 mole % units derived from at least one monomer selected from fluorinated vinyl ethers and perfluoro C1-C8 alkyl ethylenes.

5. The fluoropolymer coated film of claim 1 wherein said fluoropolymer coating further comprises pigment.

6. The fluoropolymer coated film of claim 1 wherein said fluoropolymer coating is on both sides of said polymeric substrate film.

7. The fluoropolymer coated film of claim 1 wherein the polymeric substrate film is selected from polyester, polyamide, and polyimide.

8. The fluoropolymer coated film of claim 1 wherein said substrate film is polyester.

9. The fluoropolymer coated film of claim 1 wherein said substrate film is selected from the group consisting of polyethylene terephthalate and polyethylene naphthalate.

10. The fluoropolymer coated film of claim 1 wherein said fluoropolymer coating has a thickness of about 2.5 μm to about 250 μm (about 0.1 to about 10.0 mils).

11. The fluoropolymer coated film of claim 1 wherein said polymeric substrate film has a thickness of about 12.5 μm to about 250 μm (about 0.5 to about 10 mils).

12. The fluoropolymer coated film of claim 1 wherein said polymeric substrate film further comprises filler.

13. The fluoropolymer coated film of claim 1 wherein said polymeric substrate film comprises a primer layer on its surface providing said functional groups that interact with said functional groups of said vinyl fluoride copolymer to promote bonding of said fluoropolymer coating to said substrate film.

14. The fluoropolymer coated film of claim 1 wherein the surface of said polymeric substrate film is activated.

15. The fluoropolymer coated film of claim 1 wherein the vinyl fluoride copolymer has a melting point of about 171° C. to about 178° C.

16. A process for forming a fluoropolymer coated film comprising:

coating a polymeric substrate film with a liquid fluoropolymer coating composition, wherein said liquid fluoropolymer coating composition comprises a liquid medium, cross-linking agent, and dispersed or dissolved vinyl fluoride copolymer comprised of about 50 to about 69.9 mole % of repeat units derived from vinyl fluoride and about 30 to about 50 mole % of repeat units derived from monomer selected from a mixture of (a) and (b) below, with the proviso that at least about 30 mole % of repeat units in said copolymer are derived from (a), and about 0.1 mole % to about 20 mole % of repeat units in said copolymer are derived from monomer selected from (b):

(a) tetrafluoroethylene; and

(b) fluorinated vinyl monomer containing at least one functional group selected from the group consisting of hydroxyls, thiols, carbonyls, carboxylic acids, carboxylic esters, acid anhydrides, sulfonyls, sulfonic acids, sulfonic esters, phosphoric acids, phosphoric esters, boric acids, boric esters, epoxies, isocyanates, thiocyanates, amines, amides, nitriles and halogen selected from bromide and iodide, wherein the functional groups of the vinyl fluoride copolymer provide crosslinkable reaction sites, and wherein said polymeric substrate film comprises functional groups that interact with the functional groups of the vinyl fluoride copolymer to promote bonding of the fluoropolymer coating to the polymeric substrate film, and

removing the liquid medium from the fluoropolymer coating and cross-linking said vinyl fluoride copolymer.

17. The process of claim 16 wherein the vinyl fluoride copolymer has a melting point of about 171° C. to about 178° C.

18. The process for forming a fluoropolymer coated film of claim 16 wherein said liquid fluoropolymer coating composition comprises dispersed vinyl fluoride copolymer, and wherein the liquid fluoropolymer coating composition coated on the polymeric substrate film is heated to coalesce the fluoropolymer coating into a continuous coated film.

19. The process for forming a fluoropolymer coated film of claim 18 wherein said liquid fluoropolymer coating composition is heated to a temperature of about 150° C. to 250° C. to coalesce the fluoropolymer coating into a continuous film.

20. A backsheet for a photovoltaic module comprising:

a polymeric substrate film; and

a fluoropolymer coating on said polymeric substrate film, said fluoropolymer coating comprising a vinyl fluoride copolymer comprised of about 50 to about 69.9 mole % of repeat units derived from vinyl fluoride and about 30 to about 50 mole % of repeat units derived from monomer selected from a mixture of (a) and (b) below, with the proviso that at least about 30 mole % of repeat units in said copolymer are derived from (a), and about 0.1 mole % to about 20 mole % of repeat units in said copolymer are derived from monomer selected from (b):

(a) tetrafluoroethylene; and

(b) fluorinated vinyl monomer containing at least one functional group selected from the group consisting of hydroxyls, thiols, carbonyls, carboxylic acids, carboxylic esters, acid anhydrides, sulfonyls, sulfonic acids, sulfonic esters, phosphoric acids, phosphoric esters, boric acids, boric esters, epoxies, isocyanates, thiocyanates, amines, amides, nitriles and halogen selected from bromide and iodide,

wherein the functional groups of the vinyl fluoride copolymer provide crosslinkable reaction sites, and wherein said polymeric substrate film comprises functional groups that interact with the functional groups of the vinyl fluoride copolymer to promote bonding of the fluoropolymer coating to the polymeric substrate film, and wherein said vinyl fluoride copolymer coating is cross-linked.

21. A photovoltaic module comprising the backsheet of claim 20 adhered to solar cells wherein said fluoropolymer coating is a surface layer of the backsheet.