Non-PVC film and non-PVC film laminate

1. An optically transparent protective film comprising:

a top layer;

a bottom layer having a first surface and a second surface, wherein a surface area of the first surface is substantially coextensive and in continuous physical contact with the top layer; and

an adhesive layer in contact with the second surface of the bottom layer, the adhesive layer including a pressure sensitive adhesive;

wherein the top layer comprises at least 85.56% of a material selected from the group consisting of a polyurethane-acrylic copolymer and a urethane-acrylic hybrid polymer; and

wherein the bottom layer is comprised of a non-polyvinylchloride (non-PVC) based polymer,

wherein the film (i) passes an accelerated weathering test, (ii) exhibits a gloss at 60 degrees greater than 90, and (iii) exhibits a tensile elongation greater than 200%,

wherein passing the accelerated weathering test requires that after weathering, the film not exhibit any visible changes after 2,000 hours and ΔE is less than 10.

2. The film as recited in claim 1 , wherein the non-PVC based polymer is selected from the group consisting of an emulsion based polymer, a solvent based polymer, and an extruded polymer.

3. The film as recited in claim 1 , wherein the non-PVC based polymer is an acrylic polymer.

4. The film as recited in claim 1 , further including at least one additive in at least one of the top and bottom layers of the film.

5. The film as recited in claim 4 wherein the at least one additive is selected from the group consisting of UV stabilizing agents, free-radical scavengers, cross-linking agents, thickeners, flow and leveling agents, rheology modifiers, surfactants, defoamers, dispersants, wetting agents, dyes, pigments, co-solvents, water, isopropyl alcohol and combinations thereof.

6. The film as recited in claim 1 , wherein the material is a polyurethane-acrylic copolymer.

7. The film as recited in claim 1 , wherein the material is created by a process comprising:

forming an acrylic polymer in the presence of a polyurethane dispersion.

8. The film as recited in claim 1 , wherein the material is created from a waterborne dispersion produced by a process comprising:

forming a polyurethane prepolymer;

adding acrylic monomers to the polyurethane prepolymer; and

simultaneously polymerizing the acrylic monomers and the polyurethane prepolymer.

9. A transparent film laminate comprising:

a top layer;

a bottom layer having a first surface and a second surface, wherein a surface area of the first surface is in continuous physical contact with the top layer;

an intermediate layer in continuous physical contact with the second surface bottom layer;

a substrate layer in physical contact with the intermediate layer, and

wherein the top layer comprises a material selected from the group consisting of a polyurethane-acrylic copolymer and a urethane-acrylic hybrid polymer, and the top layer has a thickness in a range from 0.5 mil (12.7 microns) to 5 mils (127 microns);

the bottom layer includes a non-PVC based polymer;

and the substrate layer having printed or image indicia thereon.

10. The film laminate as recited in claim 9 , wherein the intermediate layer is selected from a group including an adhesive layer, a tie coating layer and an adhesive promotion layer.

11. The film laminate as recited in claim 9 , further including at least one additive in at least one of the top, intermediate and bottom layers of the film.

12. The film laminate as recited in claim 11 wherein the at least one additive is selected from the group consisting of UV stabilizing agents, free-radical scavengers, cross-linking agents, thickeners, flow and leveling agents, rheology modifiers, surfactants, defoamers, dispersants, wetting agents, dyes, pigments, co-solvents, water, isopropyl alcohol and combinations thereof.

13. An advertising or informational graphic, comprising:

a surface layer having promotional indicia provided thereon;

a film including a first layer, a second layer having a first surface and a second surface, wherein a surface area of the first surface is in continuous physical contact with the first layer, and an adhesive layer beneath the second layer on the second surface of the second layer;

wherein the adhesive layer is in contact with the second surface layer; and

wherein the first layer includes at least 85.56% of a urethane-acrylic hybrid polymer and the second layer includes a non-PVC based polymer,

wherein the film (i) passes an accelerated weathering test, (ii) exhibits a gloss at 60 degrees greater than 90, and (iii) exhibits a tensile elongation greater than 200%,

wherein passing the accelerated weathering test requires that after weathering, the film not exhibit any visible changes after 2,000 hours and ΔE is less than 10.

14. An advertising or informational graphic, comprising:

a surface;

an adhesive layer;

a printable substrate having front and back faces, with the back face facing the surface and in contact with the adhesive layer and the front face having promotional indicia provided thereon;

a transparent film having a top layer and a bottom layer, with the bottom layer facing the front face of the printable substrate; and

wherein the top layer comprises at least 85.56% of a material selected from the group consisting of a polyurethane-acrylic copolymer and a urethane-acrylic hybrid polymer; and

wherein the bottom layer includes a material selected from the group consisting of a polyurethane-acrylic copolymer, a urethane-acrylic hybrid polymer, a styrene acrylic polymer, and a vinyl acetate ethylene copolymer,

wherein the film (i) passes an accelerated weathering test, (ii) exhibits a gloss at 60 degrees greater than 90, and (iii) exhibits a tensile elongation greater than 200%,

wherein passing the accelerated weathering test requires that after weathering, the film not exhibit any visible changes after 2,000 hours and ΔE is less than 10.

15. The advertising graphic as recited in claim 14 , wherein the adhesive layer includes a removable adhesive.

16. The advertising graphic as recited in claim 14 , wherein the promotional indicia is selected from the group consisting of alpha and/or numeric characters, images and combinations thereof.

17. The advertising graphic as recited in claim 14 , wherein a second substrate layer is provided over one of the top layer and the bottom layer.

18. The advertising graphic as recited in claim 17 , wherein the second substrate layer includes an ink layer.

19. The advertising graphic as recited in claim 14 , further including at least one additive in at least one of the top and bottom layers of the film.

20. The advertising graphic as recited in claim 19 , wherein the at least one additive is selected from the group consisting of UV stabilizing agents, free-radical scavengers, cross-linking agents, thickeners, flow and leveling agents, rheology modifiers, surfactants, defoamers, dispersants, wetting agents, dyes, pigments, co-solvents, water, isopropyl alcohol and combinations thereof.

21. A roll or sheet of graphic advertising film, comprising;

a film having at least first and second layers, the first layer includes at least 85.56% of a urethane-acrylic hybrid polymer and the second layer includes a polyurethane-acrylic copolymer, a urethane-acrylic hybrid polymer, a styrene acrylic polymer, or a vinyl acetate ethylene copolymer; and

one of the first and second layers is provided in operative association with advertising indicia,

wherein the film (i) passes an accelerated weathering test, (ii) exhibits a gloss at 60 degrees greater than 90, and (iii) exhibits a tensile elongation greater than 200%,

wherein passing the accelerated weathering test requires that after weathering, the film not exhibit any visible changes after 2,000 hours and ΔE is less than 10.

22. The roll or sheet of graphic advertising film as recited in claim 21 , where in the film further includes an adhesive layer provided on one of the first and second layers.

23. The roll or sheet of graphic advertising film as recited in claim 22 , wherein a release layer is provided over the adhesive layer.

24. The roll or sheet of graphic advertising film as recited in claim 21 , wherein the film further includes a substrate layer provided over one of the first and second layers.

25. The roll or sheet of graphic advertising film as recited in claim 24 , wherein the substrate layer includes a print layer.

26. The roll or sheet of graphic advertising film as recited in claim 21 , further including at least one additive in at least one of the first and second layers of the film.

27. The roll or sheet of graphic advertising film as recited in claim 26 wherein the at least one additive is selected from the group consisting of UV stabilizing agents, free-radical scavengers, cross-linking agents, thickeners, flow and leveling agents, rheology modifiers, surfactants, defoamers, dispersants, wetting agents, dyes, pigments, co-solvents and combinations thereof.