Information carrying card comprising a cross-linked polymer composition, and method of making the same

1. A core layer for an information carrying card, comprising

at least one thermoplastic layer defining at least one cavity therein, each cavity having a continuous surface profile solely defined by and inside the at least one thermoplastic layer, the continuous surface profile having a bottom wall surface and a side wall surface;

an inlay layer comprising at least one electronic component, the at least one electronic component partially or fully disposed inside the at least one cavity;

a crosslinked polymer composition disposed in the at least one cavity and contacting the at least one electronic component, the crosslinked polymer composition comprising:

a base polymer resin selected from the group consisting of urethane acrylate, ester acrylate, silicone acrylate, epoxy acrylate, methacrylate, silicone, urethane and epoxy; and

a particulate thermoplastic filler.

2. The core layer for an information carrying card of claim 1 wherein the at least one thermoplastic layer is selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl chloride, copolymer of vinyl chloride, polyolefin, polycarbonate, polyester, polyamide, and acrylonitrile butadiene styrene copolymer (ABS).

3. The core layer for an information carrying card of claim 1 wherein the at least one electronic component in the inlay layer comprises at least one integrated circuit (IC), wherein the at least one integrated IC is partially or fully disposed inside the at least one cavity and over the at least one thermoplastic layer.

4. The core layer for an information carrying card of claim 1 wherein the base polymer resin in the crosslinked polymer composition comprises epoxy or urethane acrylate.

5. The core layer for an information carrying card of claim 1 wherein the particulate thermoplastic filler in the crosslinked polymer composition comprises a material selected from the group consisting of PVC, a copolymer of vinyl chloride and at least another monomer, and polyethylene terephthalate (PET).

6. The core layer for an information carrying card of claim 1 wherein the crosslinked polymer composition comprises in the range of about 0.5 wt. % to about 50 wt. % of the particulate thermoplastic filler.

7. The core layer for an information carrying card of claim 1 wherein the crosslinked polymer composition comprises in the range of about 5 wt. % to about 20 wt. % of the particulate thermoplastic filler.

8. The core layer for an information carrying card of claim 1 further comprising a piece of metal or ceramic.

9. The core layer for an information carrying card of claim 1 wherein the at least one electronic component in the inlay layer comprises a battery.

10. The core layer for an information carrying card of claim 1 wherein the size of the at least one cavity is larger than the size of the inlay layer, and the inlay layer is fully disposed inside the at least one cavity.

11. The core layer for an information carrying card of claim 1 wherein the size of the at least one cavity is the same as or slightly larger than the size of the inlay layer, and the shape of the at least one cavity matches with the shape of the inlay layer.

12. The core layer for an information carrying card of claim 1 wherein the size of the at least one cavity is less than the size of the inlay layer, and the inlay layer is partially disposed inside the at least one cavity.

13. The core layer for an information carrying card of claim 1 , wherein the crosslinked polymer composition is more flexible than the thermoplastic layer defining at one cavity therein.

14. An information carrying card comprising

at least one thermoplastic layer defining at least one cavity therein, each cavity having a continuous surface profile solely defined by and inside the at least one thermoplastic layer, the continuous surface profile having a bottom wall surface and a side wall surface;

an inlay layer comprising at least one electronic component, the at least one electronic component partially or fully disposed inside the at least one cavity;

a crosslinked polymer composition disposed in the at least one cavity and contacting the at least one electronic component, the crosslinked polymer composition comprising:

a base polymer resin selected from the group consisting of urethane acrylate, silicone acrylate, epoxy acrylate, methacrylate, silicone, urethane and epoxy; and

a particulate thermoplastic filler.

15. The information carrying card of claim 14 wherein the at least one thermoplastic layer is selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl chloride, copolymer of vinyl chloride, polyolefin, polycarbonate, polyester, polyamide, and acrylonitrile butadiene styrene copolymer (ABS).

16. The information carrying card of claim 14 wherein the at least one electronic component in the inlay layer comprises at least one integrated circuit (IC), wherein the at least one integrated IC is partially or fully disposed inside the at least one cavity and over the at least one thermoplastic layer.

17. The information carrying card of claim 14 wherein the base polymer resin in the crosslinked polymer composition comprises epoxy or urethane acrylate.

18. The information carrying card of claim 14 wherein the particulate thermoplastic filler in the crosslinked polymer composition comprises a material selected from the group consisting of PVC, a copolymer of vinyl chloride and at least another monomer, and polyethylene terephthalate (PET).

19. The information carrying card of claim 14 wherein the crosslinked polymer composition comprises in the range of about 0.5 wt. % to about 50 wt. % of the particulate thermoplastic filler.

20. The information carrying card of claim 14 wherein the at least one electronic component in the inlay layer further comprises at least one battery interconnected with at least one integrated circuit (IC).

21. The information carrying card of claim 14 further comprising a piece of metal or ceramic.

22. The information carrying card of claim 14 further comprising at least one printable thermoplastic film laminated onto the surface of the at least one thermoplastic layer and the crosslinked polymer composition.

23. The information carrying card of claim 22 further comprising at least one transparent film laminated onto the surface of the printable thermoplastic film.

24. A core layer for a plurality of information carrying cards, comprising

at least one thermoplastic layer defining a plurality cavities therein, each cavity having a continuous surface profile solely defined by and inside the at least one thermoplastic layer, the continuous surface profile having a bottom wall surface and a side wall surface;

a plurality of inlay layers, each inlay layer comprising at least one electronic component, the at least one electronic component partially or fully disposed inside the at least one cavity;

a crosslinked polymer composition disposed in each of the plurality of cavities and contacting the at least one electronic component, the crosslinked polymer composition comprising:

a base polymer resin selected from the group consisting of urethane acrylate, ester acrylate, silicone acrylate, epoxy acrylate, methacrylate, silicone, urethane and epoxy; and

a particulate thermoplastic filler.

25. The core layer of claim 24 wherein

the at least one thermoplastic layer is selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl chloride, copolymer of vinyl chloride, polyolefin, polycarbonate, polyester, polyamide, and acrylonitrile butadiene styrene copolymer (ABS); and

the base polymer resin in the crosslinked polymer composition comprises epoxy or urethane acrylate.