Process for the production of a layered body and layered bodies obtainable therefrom

1. A process for the production of a layered body S2, comprising the process steps:

i) provision of a layered body S1 comprising a substrate and an electrically conductive layer which is applied to the substrate and comprises an electrically conductive polymer P1;

ii) partial covering of a part of the electrically conductive layer with a covering layer D, comprising a polymer P2 from a covering phase to obtain at least one covered region D d and at least one non-covered region D u of the electrically conductive layer;

wherein polymer P2 is a copolymer consisting of methacrylic acid, butyl acrylate and styrene recurring units, and wherein covering layer D is obtained by a process comprising the process steps:

iia) application of a covering phase consisting of:

10 wt. % to approximately 100 wt. %, based on the total weight of the covering phase, of polymer P2;

less than 1 wt. %, based on the total weight of the covering phase, of impurities from a preparation process of polymer P2 selected from the group consisting of residual monomers, catalysts and salts thereof;

0.05 wt. % to 15 wt. %, based on the total weight of the covering phase, of additives selected from the group consisting of surfactants, stabilizers, plasticizers, tackifiers, impact modifiers, viscosity modifiers, defoamers, and adhesion promoters; and

optionally a solvent,

to a part of the electrically conductive layer as a pattern, the covered and the non-covered regions D d and D u resulting from the pattern; and

iib) optionally at least partial removal of the solvent to obtain the covering layer D;

iii) reduction of the electrical conductivity of the electrically conductive layer in at least a part of the at least one non-covered region D u compared with the electrical conductivity of the electrically conductive layer in the at least one covered region D d ; and

iv) at least partial removal of the covering layer D by an alkaline aqueous treatment.

2. The process according to claim 1 , wherein process step iii) includes at least a bringing of at least a part of the at least one non-covered region D u into contact with a composition Z1 comprising an organic compound which is capable of releasing chlorine, bromine or iodine.

3. The process according to claim 2 , wherein the composition Z1 employed in process step iii) comprises cyanuric acid as a further component.

4. The process according to claim 2 , wherein the bringing of at least a part of at least one non-covered region D u into contact with the composition Z1 is carried out by immersion of the electrically conductive layer in the composition Z1 or by printing the electrically conductive layer with the composition Z1.

5. The process according to claim 4 , wherein a colour separation ΔE before, after of at most 4.5 results from the bringing of the electrically conductive layer into contact with the composition Z1.

6. The process according to claim 4 , wherein the bringing of the electrically conductive layer into contact with the composition Z1 is carried out under conditions such that the thickness of the electrically conductive layer in those regions which are brought into contact with the composition Z1 is reduced by at most 50%.

7. The process according to claim 1 , wherein at least a part of the layered body is heated before, after or during one or more of the process steps ii to iv.

8. The process according to claim 1 , wherein in process step iv) the removal of the covering layer D is carried out by bringing at least a part of the covering layer D into contact with a solution having a pH in the range of from 8 to 14.

9. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the covering phase is a solution or dispersion which includes the solvent.

10. The process according to claim 9 , wherein the solvent is chosen from the group consisting of water, alcohols, ketones, esters and a mixture of two or more of these.

11. The process according to claim 1 , wherein in process step ii) the covering layer D is applied by means of a printing process.

12. The process according to claim 1 , wherein in process step iii) the electrical conductivity of the electrically conductive layer in at least a part of the at least one non-covered region D u is reduced by a factor of at least 10 compared with the electrical conductivity of the electrically conductive layer in the at least one covered region D d .

13. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the electrically conductive layer comprises a polyanion in addition to the electrically conductive polymer.

14. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the electrically conductive layer comprises complexes of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) and polystyrenesulphonic acid.

15. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the layered body S1 is obtainable by a process comprising the process steps:

ia) provision of the substrate;

ib) application of a composition Z2 comprising the electrically conductive polymer P1 and a solvent to at least a part of the surface of the substrate; and

ic) at least partial removal of the solvent to obtain the electrically conductive layer.

16. The process according to claim 15 , wherein the composition Z2 is a solution or dispersion comprising complexes of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) and polystyrenesulphonic acid.

17. The process according to claim 1 , furthermore comprising a process step

v) treatment of the layered body S2 with a solution having a pH of <7.

18. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the covering phase consists of

20 to 90 wt. %, based on the total weight of the covering phase, of polymer P2,

less than 1 wt. %, based on the total weight of the covering phase, of the impurities,

0.5 to 5 wt. %, based on the total weight of the covering phase, of the additives, and

the solvent.