Multilayer clear over color polyolefin sheets and layered backing structure
View Patent ↗A multilayer structure includes a clear polyolefin layer, a colored polyolefin layer, and a random polyolefin backing layer. The colored and backing layers are coextruded and are permanently bonded at a layer interface, which is exclusive of an adhesive. The structure has a DOI of 70 or greater and passes a gravelometer impact test per the GM9508P standard, with a 10 pint load, at a −30° C. temperature, and at an impact angle of 30 degrees. Among other uses, the structures are appropriate for use as body panels in the motor vehicle industry. The structures display a “class A” finish and meet a variety of requirements for durability and weatherability. An ABA structured backing layer and a method of making it are also described herein.
1. A multilayer structure comprising:
a clear polyolefin layer;
a colored polyolefin layer;
a polyolefin backing layer;
the colored and backing layers are coextruded and are permanently bonded at a layer interface;
the interface is exclusive of an adhesive layer;
the structure has a DOI of 70 or greater; and
the structure passes a gravelometer impact test per the GM9508P standard, with a 10 pt load, at a −30° C. temperature, and at an angle of 30 degrees.
2. The multilayer structure of claim 1 , wherein the clear polyolefin layer is 2.5 to 20 mils in thickness and the colored polyolefin layer is 3 to 20 mils thick.
3. The multilayer structure of claim 1 , wherein the clear polyolefin and the colored polyolefin layers comprise polypropylene/ethylene copolymer or a metallocene-based homopolymer or copolymer of propylene, and the backing layer comprises a polyolefin and an elastomeric material.
4. The multilayer structure of claim 1 , wherein the structure has a gloss of 75 or greater at a 60° angle and a gloss of 60 or greater at a 20° angle.
5. The multilayer structure of claim 1 , wherein the polyolefin backing layer comprises, a polyolefin, a filler, and an elastomer.
6. The multilayer structure of claim 1 , wherein the clear and color polyolefin layers comprise a polypropylene/ethylene copolymer.
7. The multilayer structure of claim 1 , further comprising a mask layer that adheres to the polymer layer during thermoforming.
8. The multilayer structure of claim 1 , wherein the structure has a DOI of 85 or greater.
9. The multilayer structure of claim 1 , wherein the structure passes a five-finger scratch and mar resistance test defined by GMW 3943.
10. The multilayer structure of claim 1 , wherein the structure exhibits no gauze imprint at 70° C. minimum under a 500 g load applied over a 40 mm diameter for two hours.
11. The multilayer structure of claim 1 , wherein the structure shows no signs of gloss loss, staining, or surface swelling at 70° C. with exposure to methanol, motor oil, lithium grease, and egg albumin.
12. The multilayer structure of claim 1 , wherein the structure has a flexural modulus from 1000 to 7000 MPa.
13. The multilayer structure of claim 1 , wherein the backing layer is a thermoplastic polyolefin comprising a polypropylene/ethylene copolymer and polyethylene or ethylene copolymer rubber, wherein the polyethylene or ethylene copolymer rubber has a density of 0.75 to 0.95 g/cm 3 .
14. The multilayer structure of claim 1 , wherein the structure further comprises a second coextruded color layer permanently bonded to the color layer, wherein the color layer is translucent and the second color layer is opaque.
15. The multilayer structure of claim 1 , wherein pigment is added to the color layer in a pigment pre-dispersion, and the pigment pre-dispersion when melted will flow through a U.S. Mesh 400 screen.
16. The multilayer structure of claim 1 , wherein the polyolefin of the clear layer has a Rockwell hardness of 80R or greater.
17. The multilayer structure of claim 2 , wherein the backing layer is 3 to 500 mils in thickness.
18. The multilayer structure of claim 2 , wherein the clear polyolefin layer has a haze of 10 or less.
19. The multilayer structure of claim 3 , wherein an ethylene monomer is 1-7% of the monomer units of the polypropylene/ethylene copolymers.
20. A coextruded formed product comprising:
a clear polyolefin layer;
a colored polyolefin layer;
a polyolefin backing layer;
the colored and backing layers are coextruded and are permanently bonded at a layer interface;
the interface is exclusive of an adhesive layer;
the formed product has a DOI of 70 or greater; and
the formed product passes a gravelometer impact test per the GM9508P standard, with a 10 pt load, at a −30° C. temperature, and at an angle of 30 degrees.
21. The formed product of claim 20 , wherein the clear polyolefin layer is 2.5 to 20 mils in thickness and the colored polyolefin layer is 3 to 20 mils thick.
22. The formed product of claim 20 , wherein the clear polyolefin and the colored polyolefin layers comprise polypropylene/ethylene copolymer or a metallocene-based homopolymer or copolymer of propylene, and the backing layer comprises a polyolefin and an elastomeric material.
23. The formed product of claim 20 , wherein the product has a gloss of 75 or greater at a 60° angle and a gloss of 60 or greater at a 20° angle.
24. The formed product of claim 20 , wherein the polyolefin backing layer comprises, a polyolefin, a filler, and an elastomer.
25. The formed product of claim 20 , wherein the clear and color polyolefin layers comprise a polypropylene/ethylene copolymer.
26. The formed product of claim 20 , further comprising a mask layer that adheres to the polymer layer during thermoforming.
27. The formed product of claim 20 , wherein the product has a DOI of 85 or greater.
28. The formed product of claim 20 , wherein the product passes a five-finger scratch and mar resistance test defined by GMW 3943.
29. The formed product of claim 20 , wherein the product exhibits no gauze imprint at 70° C. minimum under a 500 g load applied over a 40 mm diameter for two hours.
30. The formed product of claim 20 , wherein the structure shows no signs of gloss loss, staining, or surface swelling at 70° C. with exposure to methanol, motor oil, lithium grease, and egg albumin.
31. The formed product of claim 20 , wherein the structure has a flexural modulus from 1000 to 7000 MPa.
32. The formed product of claim 20 , wherein the backing layer is a thermoplastic polyolefin comprising a polypropylene/ethylene copolymer and polyethylene or ethylene copolymer rubber, wherein the polyethylene or ethylene copolymer rubber has a density of 0.75 to 0.95 g/cm 3 .
33. The formed product of claim 20 , wherein the structure further comprises a second coextruded color layer permanently bonded to the color layer, wherein the color layer is translucent and the second color layer is opaque.
34. The formed product of claim 20 , wherein pigment is added to the color layer in a pigment pre-dispersion, and the pigment pre-dispersion when melted will flow through a U.S. Mesh 400 screen.
35. The formed product of claim 21 , wherein the backing layer is 3 to 500 mils in thickness.
36. The formed product of claim 21 , wherein the clear polyolefin layer has a haze of 10 or less.
37. The formed product of claim 21 , wherein the polyolefin of the clear layer has a Rockwell hardness of 80R or greater.
38. The formed product of claim 22 , wherein an ethylene monomer is 1-7% of the monomer units of the polypropylene/ethylene copolymers.
39. A multilayer structure comprising:
a polyolefin layer;
a thermoplastic polyolefin backing layer;
the polyolefin and backing layers are coextruded and are permanently bonded at a layer interface;
the interface is exclusive of an adhesive layer;
the structure has a DOI of 70 or greater; and
the structure passes a gravelometer impact test per the GM9508P standard, with a 10 pt load, at a −30° C. temperature, and at an angle of 30 degrees.
40. The multilayer structure of claim 39 , wherein the polyolefin layer is 2.5 to 20 mils in thickness.
41. The multilayer structure of claim 39 , wherein the polyolefin layer comprises polypropylene/ethylene copolymer or a metallocene-based homopolymer or copolymer of propylene, and the backing layer comprises a polyolefin and an elastomeric material.
42. The multilayer structure of claim 39 , wherein the structure has a gloss of 75 or greater at a 60° angle and a gloss of 60 or greater at a 20° angle.
43. The multilayer structure of claim 39 , wherein the polyolefin layer has a haze of 10 or less.
44. The multilayer structure of claim 39 , wherein the polyolefin backing layer comprises, a polyolefin, a filler, and an elastomer.
45. The multilayer structure of claim 39 , further comprising a mask layer that adheres to the polymer layer during thermoforming.
46. The multilayer structure of claim 39 , wherein the structure has a DOI of 85 or greater.
47. The multilayer structure of claim 39 , wherein the structure passes a five-finger scratch and mar resistance test defined by GMW 3943.
48. The multilayer structure of claim 39 , wherein the structure exhibits no gauze imprint at 70° C. minimum under a 500 g load applied over a 40 mm diameter for two hours.
49. The multilayer structure of claim 39 , wherein the structure shows no signs of gloss loss, staining, or surface swelling at 70° C. with exposure to methanol, motor oil, lithium grease, and egg albumin.
50. The multilayer structure of claim 39 , wherein the structure has a flexural modulus from 1000 to 7000 MPa.
51. The multilayer structure of claim 39 , wherein the backing layer is a thermoplastic polyolefin comprising a polypropylene/ethylene copolymer and polyethylene or ethylene copolymer rubber, wherein the polyethylene or ethylene copolymer rubber has a density of 0.75 to 0.95 g/cm 3 .
52. The multilayer structure of claim 39 , wherein the polyolefin of the polyolefin layer has a Rockwell hardness of 80R or greater.
53. The multilayer structure of claim 40 , wherein the backing layer is 3 to 500 mils in thickness.
54. The multilayer structure of claim 41 , wherein an ethylene monomer is 1-7% of the monomer units of the polypropylene/ethylene copolymers.
55. A formed product comprising:
a polyolefin layer;
a thermoplastic polyolefin backing layer;
the polyolefin and backing layers are coextruded and are permanently bonded at a layer interface;
the interface is exclusive of an adhesive layer;
the formed product has a DOI of 70 or greater; and
the formed product passes a gravelometer impact test per the GM9508P standard, with a 10 pt load, at a −30° C. temperature, and at an angle of 30 degrees.
56. The formed product of claim 55 , wherein the polyolefin layer is 2.5 to 20 mils in thickness.
57. The formed product of claim 55 , wherein the polyolefin layer comprises polypropylene/ethylene copolymer or a metallocene-based homopolymer or copolymer of propylene, and the backing layer comprises a polyolefin and an elastomeric material.
58. The formed product of claim 55 , wherein the polyolefin layer has a haze of 10 or less.
59. The formed product of claim 55 , wherein the polyolefin backing layer comprises, a polyolefin, a filler, and an elastomer.
60. The formed product of claim 55 , wherein the polyolefin layers comprise a polypropylene/ethylene copolymer.
61. The formed product of claim 55 , further comprising a mask layer that adheres to the polymer layer during thermoforming.
62. The formed product of claim 55 , wherein the product has a DOI of 85 or greater.
63. The formed product of claim 55 , wherein the product passes a five-finger scratch and mar resistance test defined by GMW 3943.
64. The formed product of claim 55 , wherein the product exhibits no gauze imprint at 70° C. minimum under a 500 g load applied over a 40 mm diameter for two hours.
65. The formed product of claim 55 , wherein the product shows no signs of gloss loss, staining, or surface swelling at 70° C. with exposure to methanol, motor oil, lithium grease, and egg albumin.
66. The formed product of claim 55 , wherein the product has a flexural modulus from 1000 to 7000 MPa.
67. The formed product of claim 55 , wherein the backing layer is a thermoplastic polyolefin comprising a polypropylene/ethylene copolymer and polyethylene or ethylene copolymer rubber, wherein the polyethylene or ethylene copolymer rubber has a density of 0.75 to 0.95 g/cm 3 .
68. The formed product of claim 55 , wherein the polyolefin of the polyolefin layer has a Rockwell hardness of 80R or greater.
69. The formed product of claim 56 , wherein the backing layer is 3 to 500 mils in thickness.
70. The formed product of claim 56 , wherein the product has a gloss of 75 or greater at a 60° angle and a gloss of 60 or greater at a 20° angle.
71. The formed product of claim 57 , wherein an ethylene monomer is 1-7% of the monomer units of the polypropylene/ethylene copolymers.
72. A method of making a formed product comprising:
coextruding a clear polyolefin layer, a colored polyolefin layer, or both a clear polyolefin layer and a colored polyolefin layer, together with a polyolefin backing layer to form a multi-layer structure;
wherein each coextruded layer is permanently bonded at a layer interface, and the interface is exclusive of an adhesive layer;
thermoforming the multi-layer structure to make a formed product;
wherein the formed product has the characteristics of at least one of:
(A) a DOI of 70 or greater; and the product passes a gravelometer impact test per the GM9508P standard, with a 10 pt load, at a −30° C. temperature, and at an angle of 30 degrees; and
(B) the polyolefin of a top layer selected from the clear and the color layer, has a Rockwell hardness of 80R or greater; and the structure has a gloss of 75 or greater at a 60° angle and a gloss of 60 or greater at a 20° angle.
73. The method of claim 72 , further comprising the step of adding pigment to form a pigment pre-dispersion in the colored polyolefin layer.
74. The method of claim 72 , wherein the pigment pre-dispersion, when melted, will flow through a U.S. Mesh 400 screen.
75. The method of claim 72 , wherein the clear and color polyolefin layer comprise polypropylene/ethylene copolymer or a metallocene-based homopolymer or copolymer of propylene, and the backing layer comprises a polypropylene/ethylene copolymer or a metallocene-based homopolymer or copolymer of propylene and an elastomeric material.
76. The method of claim 72 , further comprising adding a mask layer that adheres to the clear polyolefin layer during thermoforming.
77. A method of making a multilayer structure comprising:
coextruding a clear polyolefin layer, a colored polyolefin layer, or both a clear polyolefin layer and colored polyolefin layer, together with a polyolefin backing layer, to form a multi-layer structure;
wherein each coextruded layer is permanently bonded at a layer interface, and the interface is exclusive of an adhesive layer;
wherein the multilayer structure has the characteristics of at least one of:
(A) a DOI of 70 or greater; and the multilayer structure passes a gravelometer impact test per the GM9508P standard, with a 10 pt load, at a −30° C. temperature, and at an angle of 30 degrees; and
(B) the polyolefin of a top layer selected from the clear and the color layer, has a Rockwell hardness of 80R or greater; and the structure has a gloss of 75 or greater at a 60° angle and a gloss of 60 or greater at a 20° angle.
78. The method of claim 77 , further comprising the step of adding pigment to form a pigment pre-dispersion in the colored polyolefin layer.
79. The method of claim 77 , wherein the clear and color polyolefin layer comprise polypropylene/ethylene copolymer or a metallocene-based homopolymer or copolymer of propylene, and the backing layer comprises a polypropylene/ethylene copolymer or a metallocene-based homopolymer or copolymer of propylene and an elastomeric material.
80. The method of claim 77 , further comprising adding a mask layer that adheres to the polymer layer during thermoforming.
81. The method of claim 78 , wherein the pigment pre-dispersion, when melted, will flow through a U.S. Mesh 400 screen.
82. A multilayer structure comprising:
a clear polyolefin layer, wherein the polyolefin is a polypropylene/ethylene copolymer or a metallocene-based homopolymer or copolymer of propylene;
a colored polyolefin layer wherein the polyolefin is a polypropylene/ethylene copolymer, a metallocene-based homopolymer or copolymer of propylene;
a polyolefin backing layer, wherein the polyolefin is a polypropylene/ethylene copolymer or a metallocene-based homopolymer or copolymer of propylene and an elastomeric material;
the colored and backing layers are coextruded and are permanently bonded at a layer interface; and
the interface is exclusive of an adhesive layer;
wherein the polyolefin of the clear layer has a Rockwell hardness of 80R or greater;
wherein the structure has a gloss of 75 or greater at a 60° angle and a gloss of 60 or greater at a 20° angle.
83. The multilayer structure of claim 82 , wherein the clear polyolefin layer is 2.5 to 20 mils in thickness and the colored polyolefin layer is 3 to 20 mils thick.
84. The multilayer structure of claim 82 , wherein the clear polyolefin and the colored polyolefin layers comprise polypropylene/ethylene copolymer or a metallocene-based homopolymer or copolymer of propylene, and the backing layer comprises a polyolefin and an elastomeric material.
85. The multilayer structure of claim 82 , wherein the polyolefin backing layer comprises, a polyolefin, a filler, and an elastomer.
86. The multilayer structure of claim 82 , wherein the clear and color polyolefin layers comprise a polypropylene/ethylene copolymer.
87. The multilayer structure of claim 82 , further comprising a mask layer that adheres to the polymer layer during thermoforming.
88. The multilayer structure of claim 82 , wherein the structure has a DOI of 85 or greater.
89. The multilayer structure of claim 82 , wherein the structure passes a five-finger scratch and mar resistance test defined by GMW 3943.
90. The multilayer structure of claim 82 , wherein the structure exhibits no gauze imprint at 70° C. minimum under a 500 g load applied over a 40 mm diameter for two hours.
91. The multilayer structure of claim 82 , wherein the structure shows no signs of gloss loss, staining, or surface swelling at 70° C. with exposure to methanol, motor oil, lithium grease, and egg albumin.
92. The multilayer structure of claim 82 , wherein the structure has a flexural modulus from 1000 to 7000 MPa.
93. The multilayer structure of claim 82 , wherein the backing layer is a thermoplastic polyolefin comprising a polypropylene/ethylene copolymer and polyethylene or ethylene copolymer rubber, wherein the polyethylene or ethylene copolymer rubber has a density of 0.75 to 0.95 g/cm 3 .
94. The multilayer structure of claim 82 , wherein the structure further comprises a second coextruded color layer permanently bonded to the color layer, wherein the color layer is translucent and the second color layer is opaque.
95. The multilayer structure of claim 82 , wherein pigment is added to the color layer in a pigment pre-dispersion, and the pigment pre-dispersion when melted will flow through a U.S. Mesh 400 screen.
96. The multilayer structure of claim 82 , wherein the structure passes a gravelometer impact test per the GM9508P standard, with a 10 pint load, at a −30° C. temperature, and at an impact angle of 30 degrees.
97. The multilayer structure of claim 83 , wherein the backing layer is 3 to 500 mils in thickness.
98. The multilayer structure of claim 83 , wherein the clear polyolefin layer has a haze of 10 or less.
99. The multilayer structure of claim 84 , wherein an ethylene monomer is 1-7% of the monomer units of the polypropylene/ethylene copolymers.
100. A formed product comprising:
a clear polyolefin layer, wherein the polyolefin is a polypropylene/ethylene copolymer or a metallocene-based homopolymer or copolymer of propylene;
a colored polyolefin layer wherein the polyolefin is a polypropylene/ethylene copolymer, a metallocene-based homopolymer or copolymer of propylene;
a polyolefin backing layer, wherein the polyolefin is a polypropylene/ethylene copolymer or a metallocene-based homopolymer or copolymer of propylene and an elastomeric material;
the colored and backing layers are coextruded and are permanently bonded at a layer interface; and
the interface is exclusive of an adhesive layer;
wherein the polyolefin of the clear layer has a Rockwell hardness of 80R or greater;
wherein the formed product has a gloss of 75 or greater at a 60° angle and a gloss of 60 or greater at a 20° angle.
101. The formed product of claim 100 , wherein the clear polyolefin layer is 2.5 to 20 mils in thickness and the colored polyolefin layer is 3 to 20 mils thick.
102. The formed product of claim 100 , wherein the clear polyolefin and the colored polyolefin layers comprise polypropylene/ethylene copolymer or a metallocene-based homopolymer or copolymer of propylene, and the backing layer comprises a polyolefin and an elastomeric material.
103. The formed product of claim 100 , wherein the polyolefin backing layer comprises, a polyolefin, a filler, and an elastomer.
104. The formed product of claim 100 , wherein the clear and color polyolefin layers comprise a polypropylene/ethylene copolymer.
105. The formed product of claim 100 , further comprising a mask layer that adheres to the polymer layer during thermoforming.
106. The formed product of claim 100 , wherein the product has a DOI of 85 or greater.
107. The formed product of claim 100 , wherein the product passes a five-finger scratch and mar resistance test defined by GMW 3943.
108. The formed product of claim 100 , wherein the product exhibits no gauze imprint at 70° C. minimum under a 500 g load applied over a 40 mm diameter for two hours.
109. The formed product of claim 100 , wherein the structure shows no signs of gloss loss, staining, or surface swelling at 70° C. with exposure to methanol, motor oil, lithium grease, and egg albumin.
110. The formed product of claim 100 , wherein the structure has a flexural modulus from 1000 to 7000 MPa.
111. The formed product of claim 100 , wherein the backing layer is a thermoplastic polyolefin comprising a polypropylene/ethylene copolymer and polyethylene or ethylene copolymer rubber, wherein the polyethylene or ethylene copolymer rubber has a density of 0.75 to 0.95 g/cm 3 .
112. The formed product of claim 100 , wherein the structure further comprises a second coextruded color layer permanently bonded to the color layer, wherein the color layer is translucent and the second color layer is opaque.
113. The formed product of claim 100 , wherein pigment is added to the color layer in a pigment pre-dispersion, and the pigment pre-dispersion when melted will flow through a U.S. Mesh 400 screen.
114. The formed product of claim 101 , wherein the backing layer is 3 to 500 mils in thickness.
115. The formed product of claim 102 , wherein an ethylene monomer is 1-7% of the monomer units of the polypropylene/ethylene copolymers.
116. The formed product of claim 115 , wherein the clear polyolefin layer has a haze of 10 or less.