Seam tape and methods of manufacture and use thereof
Provided herein are seam tapes and related methods. The seam tapes can be compatible with polyolefin-based waterproof/breathable (w/b) membranes, including polypropylene (PP) w/b membranes and/or polyethylene (PE) w/b membranes. Also provided are seams sealed by means of these seam tapes, as well as materials, fabrics, and garments including one or more of these sealed seams.
1. A seam tape adapted to prevent water leakage through holes made by a needle in a seam during stitching, comprising:
a microporous, dry-stretched, polyolefin film including a plurality of pores, wherein
the microporous, dry-stretched, polyolefin film comprises a polymer selected from the group consisting of impact copolymer polypropylenes, metallocene polyethylenes, and polypropylene polyethylene block copolymers;
an adhesive disposed on one side of the microporous, dry-stretched, polyolefin film;
and wherein the microporous, dry-stretched, polyolefin film has a porosity of from 20% to 80%.
2. The seam tape of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of pores have a substantially round shape.
3. The seam tape of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of pores have an average pore size of from 0.03 microns to 0.50 microns.
4. The seam tape of claim 1 , wherein the microporous, dry-stretched, polyolefin film has a TD tensile strength of at least 175 kg/cm 2 .
5. The seam tape of claim 1 , wherein the microporous, dry-stretched, polyolefin film exhibits a ratio of machine direction tensile strength to transverse direction tensile strength of from 0.5 to 5.0.
6. The seam tape of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of pores have an aspect ratio of 0.75 to 1.25.
7. The seam tape of claim 1 , wherein the microporous, dry-stretched, polyolefin film has a melt temperature of from 80° C. to 175° C.
8. The seam tape of claim 7 , wherein the microporous, dry-stretched polyolefin film has a melt temperature of from 80° C. to 120° C.
9. The seam tape of claim 7 , wherein the microporous, dry-stretched polyolefin film has a melt temperature of from 155° C. to 175° C.
10. The seam tape of claim 1 , wherein the microporous, dry-stretched polyolefin film comprises impact copolymer polypropylene.
11. The seam tape of claim 1 , wherein the microporous, dry-stretched polyolefin film comprises a polypropylene polyethylene block copolymer.
12. The seam tape of claim 1 , wherein the microporous, dry-stretched, polyolefin film comprises metallocene polyethylene.
13. The seam tape of claim 1 , wherein the microporous, dry-stretched, polyolefin film has a TD tensile strength of at least 225 kg/cm 2 .
14. The seam tape of claim 1 , wherein the microporous, dry-stretched, polyolefin film has a thickness of from 8 microns to 80 microns.
15. The seam tape of claim 1 , wherein the microporous, dry-stretched, polyolefin film has a TD shrinkage of less than 6.0% at 90° C. and less than 15.0% at 120° C.
16. The seam tape of claim 1 , wherein the microporous, dry-stretched, polyolefin film comprises a multi-ply microporous polymer film.
17. The seam tape of claim 1 , further comprising a nonwoven material, a woven material, a knit material, or a combination thereof disposed on a side of the microporous, dry-stretched, polyolefin film.
18. The seam tape of claim 1 , wherein the microporous, dry-stretched, polyolefin film is a biaxially oriented microporous polyolefin film.
19. A seam comprising the seam tape of claim 1 , the seam tape preventing leakage through holes made in the seam during stitching.
20. A seam comprising a first edge of waterproof fabric sewn together to a second edge of waterproof fabric along a stitch line; and
the seam tape of claim 1 adhered to the first edge of waterproof fabric and the second edge of waterproof fabric and covering the stitch line.
21. The seam of claim 19 , further comprising an adhesive bonding the seam tape to the first edge of waterproof fabric and the second edge of waterproof fabric.
22. A seam tape comprising:
a microporous, dry-stretched, polyolefin film including a plurality of pores, wherein the microporous, dry-stretched, polyolefin film has a JIS Gurley of 100 seconds or less; and
an adhesive disposed on one side of the microporous, dry-stretched, polyolefin film, and wherein the microporous, dry-stretched, polyolefin film has a porosity of from 40% to 90%, a JIS Gurley of less than 100, a mean flow pore diameter of at least 0.04 microns, and an Aquapore size of at least 0.06 microns.
23. A seam tape adapted to prevent water leakage through holes made by a needle in a seam during stitching, comprising:
a microporous, dry-stretched, polyolefin film including a plurality of pores having a substantially round shape, wherein the microporous, dry-stretched, polyolefin film has a melt temperature from 80° C. to 175° C.; and
an adhesive disposed on one side of the microporous, dry-stretched, polyolefin film, wherein the adhesive comprises one or more polyolefins; and
wherein the plurality of pores have an average pore size of from 0.03 microns to 0.50 microns; and wherein the microporous, dry-stretched, polyolefin film has a porosity of from 20% to 80% and a TD tensile strength of at least 175 kg/cm 2 .
24. The seam tape of claim 23 , wherein the microporous, dry-stretched, polyolefin film exhibits a ratio of machine direction tensile strength to transverse direction tensile strength of from 0.5 to 5.0.
25. The seam tape of claim 23 , wherein the plurality of pores have an aspect ratio of from 0.75 to 1.25.
26. The seam tape of claim 23 , wherein the microporous, dry-stretched, polyolefin film has a melt temperature of from 80° C. to less than 150° C.
27. The seam tape of claim 23 , wherein the microporous, dry-stretched, polyolefin film has a melt temperature of from 80° C. to 120° C.
28. The seam tape of claim 23 , wherein the microporous, dry-stretched, polyolefin film has a melt temperature of from 155° C. to 175° C.
29. The seam tape of claim 23 , wherein the microporous, dry-stretched, polyolefin film comprises polypropylene, polyethylene, or a combination thereof.
30. The seam tape of claim 26 , wherein the microporous, dry-stretched, polyolefin film comprises impact copolymer polypropylene.
31. The seam tape of claim 26 , wherein the microporous, dry-stretched, polyolefin film comprises a polypropylene polyethylene block copolymer.
32. The seam tape of claim 26 , wherein the microporous, dry-stretched, polyolefin film comprises metallocene polyethylene.
33. The seam tape of claim 23 , wherein the microporous, dry-stretched, polyolefin film has a porosity of from 40% to 90%, a JIS Gurley of less than 100, a mean flow pore diameter of at least 0.04 microns, and an Aquapore size of at least 0.06 microns.
34. The seam tape of claim 23 , wherein the microporous, dry-stretched, polyolefin film has a TD tensile strength of at least 225 kg/cm 2 .
35. The seam tape of claim 23 , wherein the microporous, dry-stretched, polyolefin film has a thickness of from 8 microns to 80 microns.
36. The seam tape of claim 23 wherein the microporous, dry-stretched, polyolefin film has a TD shrinkage of less than 6.0% at 90° C. and less than 15.0% at 120° C.
37. The seam tape of claim 23 , wherein the microporous, dry-stretched, polyolefin film comprises a multi-ply microporous polymer film.
38. The seam tape of claim 23 , further comprising a nonwoven material, a woven material, a knit material, or a combination thereof disposed on a side of the microporous, dry-stretched, polyolefin film.
39. The seam tape of claim 23 , wherein the microporous, dry-stretched, polyolefin film is a biaxially oriented microporous polyolefin film.