Inherently printable polymeric material and related methods
View Patent ↗An inherently printable polymeric material is provided. The polymeric material includes a homogenous mixture of a thermoplastic polymer with a Tg of about 30-80° C., a cyclic olefin copolymer, an ionomer of ethylene and methacrylic acid, and a thermoplastic rubber. The polymeric material can be printed without requiring printing receptive layers or treatments. The polymeric material can be thermoformed, yet retains its printability even after thermoforming.
1. A polymeric composite comprising:
about 15-30 wt % of a thermoplastic polymer with a Tg of about 30-80° C.;
about 20-65 wt % of a cyclic olefin copolymer;
about 10-25 wt % of an ionomer of ethylene and methacrylic acid; and
about 10-25 wt % a thermoplastic rubber.
2. The polymeric composite of claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic polymer comprises ethylene vinyl alcohol.
3. The polymeric composite of claim 2 , wherein the ethylene vinyl alcohol has an ethylene content of about 30-50 mol %.
4. The polymeric composite of claim 2 , wherein the ethylene vinyl alcohol has an ethylene content of about 48 mol % and is included at about 28 wt %.
5. The polymeric composite of claim 1 , wherein the cyclic olefin copolymer has a norbornene content of about 55-70 wt % and a Tg of about 55-80° C.
6. The polymeric composite of claim 1 , wherein the cyclic olefin copolymer has a norbornene content of about 60 wt %, a Tg of about 60° C., and is included at about 28 wt %.
7. The polymeric composite of claim 1 , wherein the ionomer of ethylene and methacrylic acid is partially neutralized with zinc salt.
8. The polymeric composite of claim 1 , wherein the ionomer is included at about 22 wt %.
9. The polymeric composite of claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic rubber comprises a styrenic block copolymer.
10. The polymeric composite of claim 9 , wherein the styrenic block copolymer comprises styrene isoprene copolymer.
11. The polymeric composite of claim 9 , wherein the styrenic block copolymer is hydrogenated.
12. The polymeric composite of claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic rubber is included at about 22 wt %.
13. The polymeric composite of claim 1 , wherein the polymeric composite is in the form of a film.
14. The polymeric composite of claim 1 , further including printed indicia on a surface of the polymeric composite.
15. The polymeric composite of claim 14 , wherein the printed indicia comprises UV cured ink.
16. The polymeric composite of claim 1 , wherein the polymeric composite has a surface energy of about 30-32 dynes.
17. The polymeric composite of claim 1 , wherein surfaces of the polymeric composite are free of printing receptive layers or treatments.
18. The polymeric composite of claim 1 , wherein the polymeric composite is in the form of a thermoformed object.
19. A substrate having a surface, the substrate comprising:
a polymeric material including;
about 15-30 wt % of a thermoplastic polymer with a Tg of about 30-80° C.;
about 20-65 wt % of a cyclic olefin copolymer;
about 10-25 wt % of an ionomer of ethylene and methacrylic acid; and
about 10-25 wt % a thermoplastic rubber,
wherein at least a portion of the surface is covered by the polymeric material.
20. The substrate of claim 19 , wherein the polymeric material is in the form of a film.
21. The substrate of claim 19 , wherein the substrate and the polymeric material are in the form of coextruded films.
22. The substrate of claim 19 , wherein the polymeric material is in the form of a thermoformed object.
23. The substrate of claim 19 , wherein the thermoplastic polymer comprises ethylene vinyl alcohol.
24. The substrate of claim 23 , wherein the ethylene vinyl alcohol has an ethylene content of about 30-50 mol %.
25. The substrate of claim 23 , wherein the ethylene vinyl alcohol has an ethylene content of about 48 mol % and is included at about 28 wt %.
26. The substrate of claim 19 , wherein the cyclic olefin copolymer has a norbornene content of about 55-70 wt % and a Tg of about 55-80° C.
27. The substrate of claim 19 , wherein the cyclic olefin copolymer has a norbornene content of about 60 wt %, a Tg of about 60° C., and is included at about 28 wt %.
28. The substrate of claim 19 , wherein the ionomer of ethylene and methacrylic acid is partially neutralized with zinc salt.
29. The substrate of claim 19 , wherein the ionomer is included at about 22 wt %.
30. The substrate of claim 19 , wherein the thermoplastic rubber comprises a styrenic block copolymer.
31. The substrate of claim 30 , wherein the styrenic block copolymer comprises styrene isoprene copolymer.
32. The substrate of claim 30 , wherein the styrenic block copolymer is hydrogenated.
33. The substrate of claim 19 , wherein the thermoplastic rubber is included at about 22 wt %.
34. The substrate of claim 19 , wherein surfaces of the polymeric material are free of printing receptive layers or treatments.
35. A method of forming a polymeric material comprising:
preparing a mixture comprising about 15-30 wt % of a thermoplastic polymer with a Tg of about 30-80° C., about 20-65 wt % of a cyclic olefin copolymer, about 10-25 wt % of an ionomer of ethylene and methacrylic acid, and about 10-25 wt % a styrenic block copolymer,
melting the mixture; and
cooling the mixture to thereby form the polymeric material.
36. The method of claim 35 , further including forming the mixture into a film.
37. The method of claim 36 , wherein the film is formed by extrusion.
38. The method of claim 35 , further including coextruding the mixture onto a polymer substrate.
39. The method of claim 35 , further including thermoforming the polymeric material.
40. The method of claim 35 , wherein surfaces of the polymeric material are free of printing receptive layers or treatments.
41. The method of claim 35 , wherein the thermoplastic polymer comprises ethylene vinyl alcohol.
42. The method of claim 41 , wherein the ethylene vinyl alcohol has an ethylene content of about 30-50 mol %.
43. The method of claim 41 , wherein the ethylene vinyl alcohol has an ethylene content of about 48 mol % and is included at about 28 wt %.
44. The method of claim 35 , wherein the cyclic olefin copolymer has a norbornene content of about 55-70 wt % and a Tg of about 55-80° C.
45. The method of claim 35 , wherein the cyclic olefin copolymer has a norbornene content of about 60 wt %, a Tg of about 60° C., and is included at about 28 wt %.
46. The method of claim 35 , wherein the ionomer of ethylene and methacrylic acid is partially neutralized with zinc salt.
47. The method of claim 35 , wherein the ionomer is included at about 22 wt %.
48. The method of claim 35 , wherein the thermoplastic rubber comprises a styrenic block copolymer.
49. The method of claim 48 , wherein the styrenic block copolymer comprises styrene isoprene copolymer.
50. The method of claim 48 , wherein the styrenic block copolymer is hydrogenated.
51. The method of claim 35 , wherein the thermoplastic rubber is included at about 22 wt %.
52. The method of claim 35 , wherein the polymeric material is in the form of a film.
53. The method of claim 35 , further including printing indicia on a surface of the polymeric material.
54. The method of claim 53 wherein the indicia are formed with UV curable inks.
55. The method of claim 35 , wherein the polymeric material has a surface energy of about 30-32 dynes.
56. A method of forming a polymeric material having printed indicia on a surface thereof, the method comprising:
preparing a mixture comprising about 15-30 wt % of a thermoplastic polymer with a Tg of about 30-80° C., about 20-65 wt % of a cyclic olefin copolymer, about 10-25 wt % of an ionomer of ethylene and methacrylic acid, and about 10-25 wt % a styrenic block copolymer,
melting the mixture;
cooling the mixture to thereby form a printable polymeric material, and
printing indicia on a surface of the polymeric material.
57. The method of claim 56 , wherein surfaces of the polymeric material are free of printing receptive layers or treatments.
58. The method of claim 56 , further including forming the mixture into a film by extrusion.
59. The method of claim 56 , further including thermoforming the polymeric material.
60. The method of claim 56 , wherein the thermoplastic polymer comprises ethylene vinyl alcohol.
61. The method of claim 60 , wherein the ethylene vinyl alcohol has an ethylene content of about 30-50 mol %.
62. The method of claim 60 , wherein the ethylene vinyl alcohol has an ethylene content of about 48 mol % and is included at about 28 wt %.
63. The method of claim 56 , wherein the cyclic olefin copolymer has a norbornene content of about 55-70 wt % and a Tg of about 55-80° C.
64. The method of claim 56 , wherein the cyclic olefin copolymer has a norbornene content of about 60 wt %, a Tg of about 60° C., and is included at about 28 wt %.
65. The method of claim 56 , wherein the ionomer of ethylene and methacrylic acid is partially neutralized with zinc salt.
66. The method of claim 56 , wherein the ionomer is included at about 22 wt %.
67. The method of claim 56 , wherein the thermoplastic rubber comprises a styrenic block copolymer.
68. The method of claim 67 , wherein the styrenic block copolymer comprises styrene isoprene copolymer.
69. The method of claim 67 , wherein the styrenic block copolymer is hydrogenated.
70. The method of claim 56 , wherein the thermoplastic rubber is included at about 22 wt %.
71. The method of claim 56 , wherein the polymeric material is formed into a film.
72. The method of claim 56 , wherein the indicia are formed with UV curable inks.
73. The method of claim 56 , wherein the polymeric material has a surface energy of about 30-32 dynes.