U.S. patent application number 14/988816 was filed with the patent office on 2016-04-28 for oriented polymeric articles and method.
This patent application is currently assigned to 3M Innovative Properties Company. The applicant listed for this patent is 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY. Invention is credited to Thomas I. Insley, Raymond P. Johnston.
Application Number | 20160115626 14/988816 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38846412 |
Filed Date | 2016-04-28 |
United States Patent
Application |
20160115626 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Johnston; Raymond P. ; et
al. |
April 28, 2016 |
ORIENTED POLYMERIC ARTICLES AND METHOD
Abstract
Stretched articles, such as oriented polymeric films or fibers,
having microstructure features on at least one surface thereof, and
processes for making such articles, are disclosed. A method of
making fibers comprises forming a polymeric film having a body
having a first surface and a second surface and having a
longitudinal dimension. The film also comprises a plurality of
elongate microstructure features disposed on the first surface of
the body in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal
dimension of the body, wherein the elongate microstructure features
are substantially parallel. The method further comprises stretching
the polymeric film in a direction substantially parallel to the
longitudinal dimension of the body, and fibrillating the stretched
polymeric film along the longitudinal dimension of the body to
provide one or more fibers, wherein each fiber has at least one
microstructure feature thereon.
Inventors: |
Johnston; Raymond P.; (Lake
Elmo, MN) ; Insley; Thomas I.; (Lake Elmo,
MN) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY |
St. Paul |
MN |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
3M Innovative Properties
Company
|
Family ID: |
38846412 |
Appl. No.: |
14/988816 |
Filed: |
January 6, 2016 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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14820796 |
Aug 7, 2015 |
9259885 |
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14988816 |
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11427149 |
Jun 28, 2006 |
9134471 |
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14820796 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
428/113 ;
428/114; 428/221; 428/398; 428/400 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B29C 55/06 20130101;
Y10T 428/2457 20150115; B29K 2067/00 20130101; B29C 33/62 20130101;
B29L 2031/731 20130101; B29C 55/00 20130101; D01D 5/423 20130101;
B29C 71/0081 20130101; B29C 43/222 20130101; Y10T 428/249986
20150401; Y10T 428/249953 20150401; B29C 59/04 20130101; C08J
2367/02 20130101; Y10T 428/2978 20150115; C08J 2323/12 20130101;
Y10T 428/2973 20150115; C08J 5/18 20130101; G02B 5/30 20130101;
Y10T 428/24355 20150115 |
International
Class: |
D01D 5/42 20060101
D01D005/42; B29C 55/00 20060101 B29C055/00 |
Claims
1. A polymeric fiber comprising: a fiber body having a first
surface and a second surface, and a longitudinal dimension, and one
or more elongate microstructure features disposed on the first
surface of the fiber body in a direction substantially parallel to
the longitudinal dimension of the fiber body, wherein any plurality
of microstructure features are substantially parallel.
2. The fiber of claim 1 wherein the fiber has a stretch ratio of at
least 1.5 in the longitudinal dimension of the fiber body.
3. The fiber of claim 1 wherein the fiber body has a first
thickness, wherein the microstructure features have a second
thickness, and wherein the ratio of the first thickness to the
second thickness is at most 2.
4. The fiber of claim 1 wherein one or more of the microstructure
features has a discontinuity.
5. The fiber of claim 1 wherein one or more of the mictrostructure
features has a plurality of discontinuities.
6. The fiber of claim 1 wherein at least two adjacent
microstructure features are spaced apart laterally by a separation
span of the fiber body.
7. The fiber of claim 1 wherein the polymeric fiber is an
electret.
8. The fiber of claim 1 wherein at least one of the microstructure
features is shaped to enhance electrical field effects.
9. A fiber array comprising a plurality of polymeric fibers of
claim 1, wherein the fiber bodies of the fibers in the array are
substantially parallel.
10. The invention of claim 9 wherein a first layer of fibers is
defined by a fiber array of claim 76 that is aligned in a first
direction, wherein a second layer of fibers is defined by a fiber
array of claim 76 that is aligned in a second direction, and
wherein the second layer overlies the first layer.
11. The invention of claim 10 wherein at least some of the
microstructure features on the fibers of the first layer engage the
second surfaces of the fiber bodies of the fibers of the second
layer.
12. The invention of claim 10 wherein the first and second
directions are different.
13. The invention of claim 10 wherein the first and second
directions are substantially parallel.
14. The fiber of claim 1 wherein the polymeric fiber is
microporous.
15. The fiber of claim 14 wherein the microporous polymeric fiber
contains particles.
16. The fiber of claim 1 wherein the fiber body has a first
thickness, wherein the microstructure features have a second
thickness, and wherein the ratio of the first thickness to the
second thickness is at most 1.
17. The fiber of claim 1 wherein the fiber body has a first
thickness, wherein the microstructure features have a second
thickness, and wherein the ratio of the first thickness to the
second thickness is at most 0.5.
18. The fiber of claim 1 wherein the fiber body has a first
thickness, wherein the microstructure features have a second
thickness, and wherein the ratio of the first thickness to the
second thickness is at most 0.1.
19. The fiber of claim 1 wherein the film is adsorbent.
20. The fiber of claim 1 wherein the film is absorbent.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention relates to stretched articles, such as
oriented polymeric films and fibers, having structured surfaces,
and to processes for making and using such articles.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Articles having structured surfaces, and processes for
providing such articles are known. In the case of optical articles,
see, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,096,247 and 6,808,658, and
published application U.S. 2002/0154406 A1. The structured surfaces
disclosed in these references include microprisms (such as
microcubes) and lenses. Typically these structures are created on
the surface of a suitable polymer by, for example, embossing,
extrusion or machining.
[0003] The manufacture of such articles often comprises a step in
which a tool bearing a negative version of the desired structured
surface is contacted with a polymer resin. Contact with the resin
is maintained for a time and under conditions adequate to fill the
cavities in the tool after which the resin is removed from the
tool. The resulting structured surface is a replicate of the
negative surface of the tool.
[0004] Birefringent articles having structured surfaces are also
known. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,213,753; 4,446,305;
4,520,189; 4,521,588; 4,525,413; 4,799,131; 5,056,030; 5,175,030
and published applications WO 2003/0058383 A1 and WO 2004/062904
A1.
[0005] Processes for manufacturing stretched films are also known.
Such processes are typically employed to improve the mechanical and
physical properties of the film. These processes include biaxial
stretching techniques and uniaxial stretching techniques. See for
example PCT WO 00/29197, U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,618,012; 2,988,772;
3,502,766; 3,807,004; 3,890,421; 4,330,499; 4,434,128; 4,349,500;
4,525,317 and 4,853,602. See also U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,862,564;
5,826,314; 5,882,774; 5,962,114 and 5,965,247. See also Japanese
Unexamined Patent Publications Hei 5-11114; 5-288931; 5-288932;
6-27321 and 6-34815. Still other Japanese Unexamined Applications
that disclose processes for stretching films include Hei 5-241021;
6-51116; 6-51119; and 5-11113. See also WO 2002/096622 A1.
SUMMARY
[0006] One aspect of the invention comprises a method of making
fibers comprising forming a polymeric film having a body having a
first surface and a second surface and having a longitudinal
dimension. The film comprises a plurality of elongate
microstructure features disposed on the first surface of the body
in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal dimension
of the body, wherein the microstructure features are substantially
parallel. The method also comprises stretching the polymeric film
in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal dimension
of the body, and separating the stretched polymeric film along
generally longitudinally disposed separation lines to define a
plurality of discrete fiber elements, wherein one or more of the
fiber elements have at least one microstructure feature
thereon.
[0007] In another aspect, the invention comprises a method of
making fibers comprising forming a polymeric film having a body
having a first surface and a second surface and having a
longitudinal dimension. The film also comprises a plurality of
elongate microstructure features disposed on the first surface of
the body in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal
dimension of the body, wherein the elongate microstructure features
are substantially parallel. The method further comprises stretching
the polymeric film in a direction substantially parallel to the
longitudinal dimension of the body, and fibrillating the stretched
polymeric film along the longitudinal dimension of the body to
provide one or more fibers, wherein each fiber has at least one
microstructure feature thereon.
[0008] In one embodiment, the present invention is a polymeric film
comprising a body having a first surface and a second surface, a
first thickness and a longitudinal dimension. The film also
comprises a plurality of elongate microstructure features disposed
on the first surface of the body in a direction substantially
parallel to the longitudinal dimension of the body, wherein the
elongate microstructure features are substantially parallel and
have a second thickness. The film has a stretch ratio of at least
1.5 in the longitudinal dimension of the body, and the ratio of the
first thickness of the body to the second thickness of the
microstructure features is at most 2.
[0009] In yet another embodiment, the present invention is a
polymeric fiber comprising a fiber body having a first surface and
a second surface, and a longitudinal dimension. The fiber also
comprises one or more elongate microstructure features disposed on
the first surface of the fiber body in a direction substantially
parallel to the longitudinal dimension of the fiber body, wherein
any plurality of microstructure features are substantially
parallel.
[0010] This summary is not intended to describe each disclosed
embodiment or every implementation of the present invention. Many
other novel advantages, features, and relationships will become
apparent as this description proceeds. The figures and the
description that follow more particularly exemplify illustrative
embodiments.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] The invention may be more completely understood in the
following detailed description of various embodiments of the
invention in connection with the accompanying drawings, in
which:
[0012] FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a precursor film useful in the
present invention.
[0013] FIG. 2 is a sectional view of one embodiment film of the
present invention.
[0014] FIGS. 3A-3D are sectional views of some alternative
embodiments of the film of the present invention.
[0015] FIGS. 4A-4D are illustrations useful in determining how to
calculate the shape retention parameter (SRP).
[0016] FIGS. 5A-5W illustrate sectional views of some alternative
profiles of geometric features useful in the present invention.
[0017] FIG. 6 is a schematic representation of a process according
to the present invention.
[0018] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a structure surface film
both before and after the stretching process, wherein the film
after stretching is uniaxially oriented.
[0019] FIG. 8 is a schematic illustration of a method for
uniaxially stretching a film according to the present invention
also illustrating a coordinate axis showing a machine direction
(MD), a normal, i.e., thickness, direction (ND), a transverse
direction (TD).
[0020] FIG. 9 is an end view of an article of the invention having
a structured surface of varying cross-sectional dimensions.
[0021] FIG. 10 is an isometric schematic illustration of a film
article of the present invention, showing its elongate
microstructure features.
[0022] FIG. 11 is a sectional view of one embodiment film article
of the present invention.
[0023] FIG. 12 is a sectional view of the film article of FIG. 11,
after separation in to a plurality of fibers.
[0024] FIG. 13 is a sectional view of one embodiment of a fiber
article of the present invention.
[0025] FIG. 14 is an isometric schematic illustration of an array
of fiber articles of the present invention.
[0026] FIG. 15 is an isometric exploded schematic illustration of a
plurality of overlying arrays of fiber articles of the present
invention.
[0027] FIG. 16 is a sectional view of one embodiment of a fiber
article of the present invention.
[0028] FIG. 17 is a schematic representation of a process according
to the present invention.
[0029] FIG. 18 is a representation of a portion of a surface of a
micro grooved tool used for forming the film of the present
invention as disclosed in Example 8.
[0030] FIG. 19 is a photograph of a lateral section taken through a
film article of the present invention, as disclosed in Example
8.
[0031] FIG. 20 is a schematic representation of a hydroentangler
for use in fibrillating a film of the present invention.
[0032] FIG. 21 is a photograph of a surface of a film of the
present invention in a from according to Example 9.
[0033] FIG. 22 illustrates a portion of a surface of a micro
grooved tool used for forming the film of the present invention as
disclosed in Example 10.
[0034] FIG. 23 is a photograph of a lateral section taken through a
film article of the present invention, as disclosed in Example
10.
[0035] The invention is amenable to various modifications and
alternative forms. Specifics of the invention are shown in the
drawings by way of example only. The intention is not to limit the
invention to the particular embodiments described. Instead, the
intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and
alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the
invention.
GLOSSARY
[0036] As used herein, the following terms and phrases have the
following meaning.
[0037] "Cross sectional shape", and obvious variations thereof,
means the configuration of the periphery of the geometric feature
defined by the second in-plane axis and the third axis. The cross
sectional shape of the geometric feature is independent of is
physical dimension and presence of defects or irregularities in the
feature.
[0038] "Stretch ratio", and obvious variations thereof, means the
ratio of the distance between two points separated along a
direction of stretch after stretching to the distance between the
corresponding points prior to stretching.
[0039] "Geometric feature", "feature" and obvious variations
thereof, means the predetermined shape or shapes present on the
structured surface.
[0040] "Elongate" means extending along a length orientation of a
film or fiber body.
[0041] "Micro" is used as a prefix and means that the term that it
modifies has a cross-sectional profile that has a height of 1 mm or
less. In one embodiment, the cross-sectional profile has a height
of 0.5 mm or less. In another embodiment, the cross-sectional
profile has a height of 0.05 mm or less.
[0042] "Uniaxial stretch", including obvious variations thereof,
means the act of grasping opposite edges of an article and
physically stretching the article in only one direction. Uniaxial
stretch is intended to include slight imperfections in uniform
stretching of the film due to, for example, shear effects that can
induce momentary or relatively very small biaxial stretching in
portions of the film.
[0043] "Structure surface" means a surface that has at least one
geometric feature thereon.
[0044] "Structured surface" means a surface that has been created
by any technique that imparts a desired geometric feature or
plurality of geometric features to a surface.
[0045] "Electret" means a material that exhibits a quasi-permanent
electric charge.
[0046] "Metallic surface" and obvious variations thereof, means a
surface coated or formed from a metal or a metal alloy which may
also contain a metalloid. "Metal" refers to an element such as
iron, gold, aluminum, etc., generally characterized by ductility,
malleability, luster, and conductivity of heat and electricity
which forms a base with the hydroxyl radical and can replace the
hydrogen atom of an acid to form a salt. "Metalloid" refers to
nonmetallic elements having some of the properties of a metal
and/or forming an alloy with metal (for example, semiconductors)
and also includes nonmetallic elements which contain metal and/or
metalloid dopants.
[0047] "True uniaxial orientation", and obvious variations thereof,
means a state of uniaxial orientation (see below) in which the
orientation sensitive properties measured along the second in-plane
axis and the third axis are substantially equal and differ
substantially from the orientation sensitive properties along the
first in-plane axis.
[0048] Real physical systems generally do not have properties which
are precisely and exactly identical along the second in-plane axis
and the third axis. The term "true uniaxial orientation" is used
herein to refer to a state of orientation in which
orientation-sensitive properties of the film measured along these
axes differ only by a minor amount. It will be understood that the
permissible amount of variation will vary with the intended
application. Often, the uniformity of such films is more important
than the precise degree of uniaxial orientation. This situation is
sometimes referred to in the art as "fiber symmetry", because it
can result when a long, thin, cylindrical fiber is stretched along
its fiber axis.
[0049] "True uniaxial stretch" and obvious variations thereof,
means the act of providing uniaxial stretch (see above) in such a
manner that the stretch ratios along the second in-plane axis and
the third axis are substantially identical to each other but
substantially different from the stretch ratio along the first
in-plane axis.
[0050] "Uniaxial orientation", including obvious variations
thereof, means that an article has a state of orientation in which
orientation sensitive properties of the article measured along the
first in-plane axis, i.e., the axis substantially parallel to the
uniaxial stretching direction, differ from those measured along the
second in-plane axis and the third axis. Though a wide variety of
properties may be measured to determine the presence of uniaxial
orientation, crystal orientation and morphology are the properties
of interest herein unless another is specified. Other illustrative
examples of such properties include the refractive index, thermal
and hygroscopic expansions, the small strain anisotropic mechanical
compliances, tear resistance, creep resistance, shrinkage, the
refractive indices and absorption coefficients at various
wavelengths.
[0051] In the case of layered films, "uniaxial" or "truly uniaxial"
are intended to apply to individual layers of the film unless
otherwise specified.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0052] The present invention is directed to methods for structured
orienting films and fibers, and the articles made thereby. Many of
the embodiments disclosed herein are directed to the optical
characteristics of such oriented articles and the related
processes. However, the invention has significant utility beyond
optical applications, as is set forth in a number of alternative
embodiments disclosed herein.
[0053] The present invention provides a film having a structured
surface, articles made therefrom, and a novel process for the
manufacture thereof. The structured surface comprises at least one
geometric feature having a desired cross-sectional shape. One
embodiment of the article of the invention comprises a film having
the structured surface. One aspect of the invention comprises an
article that has a uniaxial orientation throughout its thickness.
The structured surface comprises a plurality of geometric features.
The geometric feature or features are elongate. The feature or
features are substantially aligned with a first in-plane axis of
the article. The article of the invention comprises a land, or
body, portion having a structured surface thereon. The article may
comprise a single layer or a plurality of separate layers. The
article of the invention may have a structured surface on opposing
sides thereof. The layers may comprise different polymeric
materials. The article may be positively or negatively
birefringent, electret, crystalline, hydrophilic, hydrophobic,
microporous and/or have other desired characteristics.
[0054] One embodiment of the article of the invention comprises a
uniaxially oriented structured surface polymeric film comprising:
[0055] (a) a polymeric body having (i) a first and a second
surface, and (ii) first and second in-plane axes that are
orthogonal with respect to each other and a third axis that is
mutually orthogonal to the first and second in-plane axis in a
thickness direction of the polymeric film; and [0056] (b) an
elongate geometric feature disposed on the first surface of the
polymeric body in a direction substantially parallel to the first
in-plane axis of the polymeric film; wherein the film has a shape
retention parameter (SRP) of at least 0.1.
[0057] The present invention also provides a roll of uniaxially
oriented structured surface article comprising: [0058] (a) a
polymeric body having (i) a first and a second surface, and (ii)
first and second in-plane axes that are orthogonal with respect to
each other and a third axis that is mutually orthogonal to the
first and second in-plane axis in a thickness direction of the
polymeric film; and [0059] (b) a surface portion comprising an
elongate geometric feature disposed on the on the first surface of
the polymeric body, the linear geometric feature being disposed on
the body in a direction substantially parallel to the first
in-plane axis of the polymeric film.
[0060] In another aspect of the invention, the roll as described
above comprises a polymeric film that is uniaxially oriented along
the first in-plane axis. In yet another aspect, the roll as
described above further comprises a cushioning layer between
individual wraps of the roll. The cushioning layer aids in
protecting the structured surface from damage and/or distortion
during manufacture, storage and shipping.
[0061] In yet another aspect of the invention, the article has a
first refractive index (n.sub.1) along the first in-plane axis, a
second refractive index (n.sub.2) along the second in-plane axis
and a third refractive index (n.sub.3) along the third in-plane
axis. In the present invention, n.sub.1.noteq. to each of n.sub.2
and n.sub.3. That is, n.sub.1 may be greater than n.sub.2 and
n.sub.3 or it may be less than n.sub.2 and n.sub.3. In one
embodiment, n.sub.2 and n.sub.3 are substantially equal to one
another. The relative birefringence of the film of the invention
is, in one embodiment, 0.3 or less.
[0062] The present invention may also comprise a multi-phase film.
In this embodiment, the film may comprise a multi-component phase
separating system or one in which one component is dissolved in
another to create either a porous structure or very small particles
in a continuous matrix or a bi-continuous matrix.
[0063] The present invention may also incorporate an additional
layer over either the microstructured surface or the second
surface. It may also incorporate additional layers on either or
both of such surfaces. The additional layer can be added before or
after stretching. If the additional layer is added before
stretching, it should be capable of being stretched. Examples of
such layers include, but are not limited to, antireflective layers,
index-matching layers and protective layers.
[0064] Truly uniaxial stretching is particularly useful when an
additional layer is employed. In this case, for example, stress
build-up in the cross direction is minimized so that factors of
adhesion between the layers is a less critical feature.
[0065] In another aspect, the present invention comprises a roll of
microstructure film with predetermined properties defined in
reference to a coordinate system of first and second orthogonal
in-plane axes and a third mutually orthogonal axis in a thickness
direction of the film. For example, the geometric features can be
aligned with the direction of wrap of the roll (i.e., along the
machine direction (MD)) or they may be aligned transverse to the
direction of wrap of the roll (i.e., along the cross direction
(TD)). Alternatively, the geometric structures may be aligned at
any desired angle to the MD or TD directions.
[0066] The present invention further comprises a method of making a
structured surface film. One aspect, the method of the invention
comprises the steps of: [0067] (a) providing a polymeric film
having (i) a first surface comprising a desired geometric feature;
and a second surface, and (ii) first and second in-plane axes that
are orthogonal with respect to each other and a third axis that is
mutually orthogonal to the first and second in-plane axis in a
thickness direction of the polymeric film and subsequently [0068]
(b) stretching the polymeric film in a direction substantially
parallel to the first in-plane axis of the polymeric film; wherein
the cross sectional shape of the geometric feature before step (b)
is substantially retained after step (b).
[0069] In another aspect, the invention comprises a method of
making a structured surface film that comprises the steps of:
[0070] (a) providing a polymeric film having (i) a first structured
surface and a second surface, and (ii) first and second in-plane
axes that are orthogonal with respect to each other and a third
axis that is mutually orthogonal to the first and second in-plane
axis in a thickness direction of the polymeric film, wherein the
first structured surface has a geometric feature disposed thereon
in a direction substantially parallel to the first in-plane axis;
and subsequently [0071] (b) uniaxially orienting the polymeric film
in a direction substantially parallel to the first in-plane axis of
the polymeric film.
[0072] Yet another aspect the invention comprises a method of
making a structured surface film that comprises the steps of:
[0073] (a) providing a tool that comprises a negative of a desired
structured surface; [0074] (b) contacting the tool with a resin to
create the desired surface, the desired structure surface
comprising a geometric feature; [0075] (c) optionally, solidifying
the resin to form a film having (i) the desired structured surface
and an opposed surface, and (ii) first and second in-plane axes
that are orthogonal with respect to each other and a third axis
that is mutually orthogonal to the first and second in-plane axis
in a thickness direction of the film; [0076] (d) removing the film
from the tool; and subsequently [0077] (e) stretching the polymeric
film in a direction substantially parallel to the first in-plane
axis of the polymeric film.
[0078] Another embodiment of the invention comprises a method of
making a desired microstructure surface film having a plurality of
elongate geometric micro-features. The method comprising the steps
of: [0079] (a) providing a tool comprising a negative version of
the desired microstructure surface; [0080] (b) providing a molten
polymeric resin to a gap formed between the master tool and a
second surface; [0081] (c) forming a polymeric film having the
desired microstructure surface in the gap, the film having (i)
first and second in-plane axes that are mutually orthogonal with
respect to each other and a third axes that is mutually orthogonal
with respect to the first and second in-plane axes in a thickness
direction of the film, and (ii) the desired microstructure surface
having the elongate micro-features positioned in a direction
substantially parallel to the first in-plane axis; [0082] (d)
removing the polymeric film of step (c) from the tool; and [0083]
(e) stretching the polymeric film in a direction substantially
parallel to the first in-plane axis.
[0084] In one embodiment of the method(s) of the invention, the
article has a first orientation state prior to stretching and a
second orientation state, different from the first orientation
state, after stretching. In another embodiment, stretching provides
a smaller, physical cross section (i.e., smaller geometric
features).
[0085] The method(s) of the invention provide a polymeric film that
is stretched, creating, for example, a film that is birefringent
after stretching, and has a first index of refraction (n.sub.1)
along the first in-plane axis, a second index of refraction
(n.sub.2) along the second in-plane axis, and a third index of
refraction (n.sub.3) along the third axis.
[0086] In another embodiment of the invention, the method creates
substantially the same proportional dimensional changes in the
direction of both of the second and third in-plane axes of the
film. These proportional dimensional changes in the direction of
the second and third in-plane axes are substantially the same
throughout the stretch or stretch history of the film.
[0087] In another embodiment, the present invention provides a
method by which a wide variety of polymers can be used to replicate
the negative surface of a tool. The present invention provides a
method of making having a polymeric article having a desired
structured surface comprising the steps of: [0088] (a) providing a
tool that comprises a negative surface of the desired structured
surface; [0089] (b) contacting the negative surface of the tool
with a composition comprising a fluorochemical benzotriazole to
provide a coated negative surface; [0090] (c) contacting the coated
negative surface with a resin to create the desired structured
surface in the resin, the desired structured surface comprising a
geometric feature; and [0091] (d) removing the resin from the
tool.
[0092] The structured surface provided on the article by the
process of the invention comprises a replica of the negative
surface of the tool. The structured surface of the article has at
least one geometric feature having a desired cross-sectional shape.
One embodiment of the method of the invention comprises making a
film having the structured surface. The method of the invention may
be used to make unoriented and oriented articles such as films. The
oriented articles may be uniaxially or biaxially oriented. The
replicated structured surface made by the process of the invention
may comprise a plurality of geometric features. The geometric
feature or features are elongate. The feature or features may be
aligned with a first in-plane axis of the article. Alternatively,
they may be disposed on the article at any desired angle to the
first in-plane axis. The method may be used to make articles that
comprise a single layer or a plurality of separate layers. The
layers may comprise different polymeric materials. The article may
be positively or negatively birefringent, electret, crystalline,
hydrophilic, hydrophobic, microporous and/or have other desired
characteristics. Additionally, the method of the invention may be
used to make articles that have a structured surface on both
opposing sides thereof.
[0093] The geometric feature or features on the article and/or
replicated by the process of the invention are elongate in nature
and may be either a prismatic, rectangular, convex, concave,
complex or lenticular geometric feature. The geometric feature or
features is a microfeature and may be continuous or discontinuous
along the first in-plane axis. It may have a variety of
cross-sectional profiles as discussed more fully below. The
geometric feature may be repeating or non-repeating on the
replicated surface. The replicated surface may comprise a plurality
of geometric features that have the same cross-sectional shape.
Alternatively, it may have a plurality of geometric features that
have different cross-sectional shapes.
[0094] In another aspect of the invention, the film as manufactured
by any method of the invention is fibrillated after stretching to
provide one or more uniaxially oriented fibers having a structured
surface. The fibers may be created as individual fibers or as two
or more fibers joined along their length to one another. In one
embodiment, one or more fibers may be free of any portion of the
structured surface (i.e., have no geometric features thereon).
[0095] The articles and films of the invention generally comprise a
body portion and a surface structure portion. FIG. 1 represents an
end view of a pre-cursor film having a first orientation state
while FIG. 2 represents an end view of one embodiment of the film
of the invention having a second orientation state FIGS. 3A-3D
represent end views of some alternative embodiments of the
invention.
[0096] Precursor film 9 comprises a body or land portion 11 having
an initial thickness (Z) and a surface portion 13 having a height
(P). Surface portions 13 comprises a series of parallel geometric
features 15 here shown as right angle prisms. Geometric features 15
each have a base width (BW) and a peak-to-peak spacing (PS). The
precursor film has a total thickness T which is equal to the sum of
P+Z.
[0097] With specific reference to FIG. 2, the film of the invention
10 comprises a body or land portion 12 having a thickness (Z') and
a surface portion 14 having a height (P'). Surface portion 14
comprises a series of parallel geometric features 16 comprising
prisms. Geometric features 16 each have a base width (BW') and a
peak-to-peak spacing (PS'). The film of the invention has a total
thickness T' which is equal to P'+Z'.
[0098] The relationship between the dimensions of the precursor
film and the film of the invention are T'<T; P'<P; Z'<Z;
usually BW'<BW; and PS'<PS.
[0099] Body or land portions 11, 12 comprise the portion of the
article between bottom surfaces 17 and 19 and the lowest point of
the surface portions 15, 16. In some cases, this may be a constant
dimension across the width (W,W') of the article. In other cases,
this dimension may vary due to the presence of geometric features
having varying land thicknesses. See FIG. 9. In FIG. 9, the land
thickness is represented by Z''.
[0100] The precursor film 9 and the film of the invention 10 each
have a first in-plane axis 18, a second in-plane axis 20 and a
third axis 22 in the thickness direction. The first in-plane axis
is substantially parallel to the direction of stretching as
discussed herein after. In FIGS. 1 and 2, this axis is normal to
the end of films 9 and 10. These three axes are mutually orthogonal
with respect to one another.
[0101] The cross-sectional shape of at least one geometric feature
of the film or article of the present invention substantially
mimics the cross-sectional shape of the geometric feature of its
precursor. This fidelity in shape is especially important when
making optical devices where uniform redistribution of incident
light is desired. This is true whether the initial cross-sectional
shape of the feature comprises flat or curved surfaces. The shape
retention of the article and process is determined by calculating
the Shape Retention Parameter (SRP).
[0102] SRP for a given feature is determined as follows. An image
is acquired of a cross-section of a film having the feature before
stretching. The sectioning plane is the plane defined by the second
in-plane axis 20 and the third axis 22 and is orthogonal to the
direction in which the film is to be stretched. One representative
example of the structural features present is chosen, and is
referred to as the feature. A line is superimposed on the image at
the junction of the body portion 11 and the surface portion 13.
This is the Feature Baseline (FB). The area of the feature above
its baseline is then calculated. This is the Unstretched Feature
Area (UFA).
[0103] An image is then acquired of a cross-section of the film
after stretching. The sectioning plane is the plane defined by the
second in-plane axis and the third axis. If the film has been
stretched by a non-continuous, or "batch" process, such as on a
laboratory film stretching instrument, it will be possible to
select the same feature as that selected when examining the film
specimen before stretching. If the film has been stretched on a
continuous film-making line, the feature should be selected from an
appropriate location on the stretched film web, analogous to the
location that was chosen on the unstretched web, as will be
appreciated by one skilled in the film making art. A Feature
Baseline (FB) is again established, and the area of the stretched
film feature is then calculated. This is the Stretched Feature Area
(SFA).
[0104] The ratio UFA/SFA is then calculated. This is the Image
Ratio (IR). The image of the stretched film feature is then scaled
up proportionately so as to have the same area as the image of the
unstretched film feature. This is done by expanding the image in
each of the height and width dimensions by a factor of the square
root of IR. The scaled up image of the feature of the stretched
film is then superimposed on the image of the feature of the
unstretched film in such a way that their Feature Baselines
coincide. The superimposed images are then translated with respect
to one another along their common baseline, until the location is
found that maximizes the area of their overlap. This and all the
aforementioned and subsequent mathematical and numerical operations
can be done simply on a computer with appropriately written code,
as will be apparent to one skilled in the art.
[0105] The area shared by both of the superimposed images in this
optimally superimposed condition is the Common Area (CA). The ratio
CA/UFA is then calculated. This ratio is the Common Area Ratio
(CAR). For a stretch that results in perfect shape retention, the
CAR will be unity. For any deviation from perfect shape retention,
the CAR will be a positive number less than unity.
[0106] For any particular film, CAR will differ from unity by an
amount that depends at least on the shape of the feature, the
stretch ratio, and the degree to which the stretching operation
approaches a truly uniaxially orienting stretch. Other factors may
also be involved. In order to quantify the degree of deviation from
perfect shape retention, it is necessary to develop another
parameter, the Shape Retention Parameter (SRP). The SRP is a
measure which indicates proportionately where a film having a
structured surface falls, on a continuum, from perfect shape
retention at one extreme, to a selected reference point
characteristic of typical industrial practice, at the other
extreme. We have chosen as such a reference point the performance,
for the same feature shape and stretch ratio, of an idealized film
tenter (transverse orienter) operated efficiently in a continuous
mode. The major axis of the features on the film's structured
surface is assumed to be parallel to the crossweb direction, which
is the stretch direction. Edge effects and all other process
non-idealities are neglected, as are non-idealities of the film
material itself, such as changes in density upon stretching, for
example. For this ideal tenter case, then, all the transverse
stretch imparted to the film is accommodated by shrinkage of the
film, by the same ratio, and in the thickness dimension only.
Because the hypothetical tenter is ideal, there is no shrinkage of
the film in the machine or downweb direction.
[0107] Image Ratio, for a film that stretches ideally, is the same
as the stretch ratio. If the Image Ratio is different from the
stretch ratio, this is indicative of non-idealities in the system
due to, for example, Poisson's Ratio, density changes (e.g., due to
crystallization during stretch) and variations between the local
stretch ratio and the nominal ideal stretch ratio.
[0108] The following will be described with reference to FIGS.
4A-4D. The calculations may easily be performed by computer using
algorithms known to those skilled in the art. The calculation
begins with the experimentally obtained image of the feature of the
unstretched film which was used already to calculate the CAR. In
FIG. 4A, the feature shown is a right triangle feature. The right
triangle is shown in FIG. 4A only for illustrative purposes as the
methodology detailed here is generally applicable to any feature
shape, whether having or not having symmetry, and whether having
straight (prismatic) or curved (lenticular) surfaces. The
methodology is also generally applicable to "dished" features, or
features having complex shapes, such as S-shaped features,
hook-shaped features, or "mushroom-cap" features.
[0109] The image of FIG. 4A is computationally converted to the
image of FIG. 4B by shrinking only the height dimension by a factor
of the stretch ratio used in making the film in question. This
simulates what would have happened to the film surface feature in
the "ideal tenter" for the feature shape and stretch ratio in
question. The image is then converted from that of FIG. 4B to that
of FIG. 4C by scaling it up in each of the height and width
dimensions by a factor of the square root of the stretch ratio.
Thus, the image of FIG. 4C has an area identical to that of the
image of FIG. 4A. The images of FIG. 4A and FIG. 4C are then
superimposed and translated along their common baseline until the
position of maximum overlap area is found. This is shown in FIG.
4D. The common area of this FIG. (the crosshatched area which is
common to both the original feature image and the computationally
processed feature image) is calculated, and the ratio of this area
to the area of the image of FIG. 4A is calculated. This value is
the Common Area Ratio for the Ideal Tenter (CARIT), for the given
feature shape and stretch ratio. It will be understood that this
calculation must be done independently for each film specimen, as
the CARIT is a strong function of both the unstretched feature
shape and the stretch ratio employed.
[0110] Finally, SRP is calculated using the following formula:
SRP=(CAR-CARIT)/(1-CARIT)
For perfect shape retention, SRP is unity. For the case of a
hypothetical film stretched on an "ideal" tenter, CAR equals CARIT,
and SRP is zero. Thus, SRP is a measure which indicates
proportionately where a film having a structured surface falls, on
a continuum, from perfect shape retention at one extreme, to a
selected reference point characteristic of typical industrial
practice, at the other extreme. Films having SRP very close to 1.00
show a very high degree of shape retention. Films having SRP very
close to 0.00 show a low degree of shape retention for the feature
shape and stretch ratio employed. In some embodiments of the
present invention, the films have an SRP of at least 0.1.
[0111] It will be understood by one skilled in the art that a film
made on a standard film tenter or by other means may well have an
SRP value which is less than zero, due to the many non-idealities
which are possible, as discussed above. The "ideal tenter" is not
meant to represent the worst possible shape retention which can
result. Rather, it is a point of reference useful for comparing
different films on a common scale.
[0112] In one embodiment of the present invention, a film having a
structured surface has a value of SRP of about 0.1 to 1.00. In
another embodiment of the present invention, a film having a
structured surface has a value of SRP of about 0.5 to 1.00. In
another embodiment of the present invention, a film having a
structured surface has a value of SRP of about 0.7 to 1.00. In
another embodiment of the present invention, a film having a
structured surface has a value of SRP of about 0.9 to 1.00.
[0113] The method of the invention can be used to make a film
possessing a uniaxial orientation. The uniaxial orientation may be
measured by determining the difference in the index of refraction
of the film along the first in-plane axis (n.sub.1), the index of
refraction along the second in-plane axis (n.sub.2), and the index
of refraction along the third axis (n.sub.3). Uniaxially oriented
films of the invention have n.sub.1.noteq.n.sub.2 and
n.sub.1.noteq.n.sub.3. In one embodiment, the films of the
invention are truly uniaxially oriented. That is, n.sub.2 and
n.sub.3 are substantially equal to one another and relative to
their differences with n.sub.1.
[0114] In one embodiment, the method of the invention may be used
to provide a film possessing a relative birefringence of 0.3 or
less. In another embodiment, the relative birefringence is less
than 0.2 and in yet another embodiment it is less than 0.1.
Relative birefringence is an absolute value determined according to
the following formula:
|n.sub.2-n.sub.3|/|n.sub.1-(n.sub.2+n.sub.3)/2|
[0115] Relative birefringence may be measured in either the visible
or the near infra-red spectra. For any given measurement, the same
wavelength should be used. A relative birefringence of 0.3 in any
portion of either spectra is satisfactory to meet this test.
[0116] The method of the invention can be used to make films that
comprise at least one prismatic or lenticular geometric feature.
The geometric feature may be an elongate structure that is
generally parallel to the first in-plane axis of the film. As shown
in FIG. 2, the structured surface comprises a series of prisms 16.
However, other geometric features and combinations thereof may be
used. For example, FIG. 3A shows that the geometric features do not
have to have apices nor do they need to touch each other at their
bases. As shown in FIG. 3A, when a feature does not have an apice,
it may have a feature top width (TW'). When the features do not
touch at their bases, adjacent features are spaced apart laterally
by a feature separation (FS') or separation span of the body (see
FIG. 3A).
[0117] FIG. 3B shows that the geometric features may have rounded
peaks and curved facets. FIG. 3C shows that the peaks of the
geometric features may be flat.
[0118] FIG. 3D shows that both opposing surfaces of the film may
have a structured surface.
[0119] FIGS. 5A-5W illustrate other cross-section shapes that may
be used to provide the structured surface. These Figures further
illustrate that the geometric feature may comprise a depression
(See FIGS. 5A-5I and 5T) or a projection (see FIGS. 5J-5S and
5U-5W). In the case of features that comprise depressions, the
elevated area between depressions may be considered to be a
projection-type feature as shown in FIG. 3C.
[0120] Various feature embodiments may be combined in any manner so
as to achieve a desired result. For example horizontal surfaces may
separate features that have radiused or flat peaks. Moreover curved
faces may be used on any of these features.
[0121] As can be seen from the Figures, the features may have any
desired geometric shape, although in some embodiments, they are
elongate. One or both surfaces may also include an element that is
not elongate. They may be symmetric or asymmetric with respect to
the z-axis of the film. Moreover, the structured surface may
comprise a single feature, a plurality of the same feature in a
desired pattern, or a combination of two or more features arranged
in a desired pattern. Additionally, the dimensions, such as height
and/or width, of the features may be the same across the structured
surface. Alternatively, they may vary from feature to feature.
[0122] The microstructure geometric features illustrated in FIG. 2
either comprise or approximate a right angle prism. As used herein,
a right angle prism has an apex angle of from about 70.degree. to
about 120.degree., more likely from about 80.degree. to
100.degree., most likely about 90.degree.. While a right angle
prism is illustrated, prisms of other angular configurations are
also contemplated. Additionally the faces of the microstructure
feature are flat or approximate a flat surface.
[0123] In another embodiment, the microstructure geometric features
comprise a saw tooth-like prism. As used herein a saw tooth-like
prism has a vertical, or nearly vertical side that forms an
approximately 90.degree. angle with the land or body. See FIG. 5J.
In one useful embodiment, a saw-tooth-like prism may have has an
angle of inclination from the land or body of from 2.degree. to
15.degree..
[0124] It is also within the scope of the present invention that
the features may be either continuous or discontinuous along the
first in-plane axis.
[0125] Various embodiments of the film of the invention comprise
the following dimensional relationships as set forth in FIGS. 2 and
3A:
[0126] A process of the invention generally comprises the steps of
providing a structured surface polymeric film that is capable of
being elongated by stretching and subsequently uniaxially
stretching the film. The structured surface may either be provided
concurrently with the formation of the film or it may be imparted
to the first surface after the film has been formed. The process
will be further explained with regard to FIGS. 6 and 7.
[0127] FIG. 6 is a schematic representation of a method according
to the present invention. In the method, a tool 24 comprising a
negative version of the desired structured surface of the film is
provided and is advanced by means of drive rolls 26A and 26B past
an orifice (not shown) of die 28. Die 28 comprises the discharge
point of a melt train, here comprising an extruder 30 having a feed
hopper 32 for receiving dry polymeric resin in the form of pellets,
powder, etc. Molten resin exits die 28 onto tool 24. A gap 33 is
provided between die 28 and tool 24. The molten resin contacts the
tool 24 and hardens to form a polymeric film 34. The leading edge
of the film 24 is then stripped from the tool 24 at stripper roll
36 and is directed to uniaxial stretching apparatus 38. The
stretched film may then be wound into a continuous roll at station
40.
[0128] It should be noted that film 34 may be wound into a roll, or
cut into sheets and stacked before being stretched in apparatus 38.
It should also be noted that film 34 may be cut into sheets after
being stretched rather than being wound into a continuous roll.
[0129] The film 34 may optionally be pre-conditioned (not shown)
before the uniaxial stretching. Additionally, the film 34 may be
post-conditioned (not shown) after stretching.
[0130] A variety of techniques may be used to impart a structured
surface to the film. These include batch and continuous techniques.
They may involve providing a tool having a surface that is a
negative of the desired structured surface; contacting at least one
surface of the polymeric film to the tool for a time and under
conditions sufficient to create a positive version of the desired
structured surface to the polymeric film; and removing the
polymeric film with the structured surface from the tool. Typically
the negative surface of the tool comprises a metallic surface.
[0131] Although the die 28 and tool 24 are depicted in a vertical
arrangement with respect to one another, horizontal or other
arrangements may also be employed. Regardless of the particular
arrangement, the die 28 provides the molten resin to the tool 24 at
the gap 33.
[0132] The die 28 is mounted in a manner that permits it to be
moved toward the tool 24. This allows one to adjust the gap 33 to a
desired spacing. The size of the gap 33 is a factor of the
composition of the molten resin, the desired body thickness, its
viscosity, its viscoelastic responses, and the pressure necessary
to essentially completely fill the tool with the molten resin as
will be understood by those in the art.
[0133] The molten resin is of a viscosity such that it
substantially fills, optionally with applied vacuum, pressure,
temperature, ultrasonic vibration or mechanical means, into the
cavities of the tool 24. When the resin substantially fills the
cavities of the tool 24, the resulting structured surface of the
film is said to be replicated.
[0134] The negative surface of the tool can be positioned to create
features across the width of the film (i.e., in the transverse (TD)
direction) or along the length of the film (i.e., along the machine
(MD) direction). Perfect alignment with the TD or MD direction is
not required. Thus the tool may be slightly off angle from perfect
alignment. Typically, this misalignment is no more than about
20.degree..
[0135] In the case that the resin is a thermoplastic resin, it is
typically supplied as a solid to the feed hopper 32. Sufficient
energy is provided to the extruder 30 to convert the solid resin to
a molten mass. The tool is typically heated by passing it over a
heated drive roll 26A. Drive roll 26A may be heated by, for example
circulating hot oil through it or by inductively heating it. For
some of the optical applications disclosed herein, the temperature
of the tool 24 is typically from 20.degree. C. below the softening
point of the resin to the decomposition temperature of the resin.
For other applications, the temperature of the tool is held below
the softening point of the resin due to low viscosity and less
stringent structure needs.
[0136] In the case of a polymerizable resin, including a partially
polymerized resin, the resin may be poured or pumped directly into
a dispenser that feeds the die 28. If the resin is a reactive
resin, the method of the invention may include one or more
additional steps of curing the resin. For example, the resin may be
cured by exposure to a suitable radiant energy source such as
actinic radiation such as ultraviolet light, infrared radiation,
electron beam radiation, visible light, etc., for a time sufficient
to harden the resin and remove it from the tool 24.
[0137] The molten film can be cooled by a variety of methods to
harden the film for further processing. These methods include
spraying water onto the extruded resin, contacting the unstructured
surface of the tool with cooling rolls, or direct impingement of
the film with air.
[0138] The previous discussion was focused on the simultaneous
formation of the film and the structured surface. Another technique
useful in the invention comprises contacting a tool to the first
surface of a preformed film. Pressure, heat or pressure and heat
are then applied to the film/tool combination until the surface of
the film has softened sufficiently to create the desired structured
surface in the film. Using this technique, the surface of the film
is softened sufficiently to substantially completely fill the
cavities in the tool. Subsequently, the film is cooled and removed
from the tool.
[0139] In yet another technique, a preformed film may be machined,
such as by diamond turning, to create a desired structured surface
thereon.
[0140] As noted previously, the tool comprises a negative version
(i.e., the negative surface) of the desired structured surface.
Thus, it comprises projections and depressions (or cavities) in a
predetermined pattern. The negative surface of the tool can be
contacted with the resin so as to create the geometric features on
the structured surface in any alignment with respect to the first
or second in-plane axes. Thus, for example, the geometric features
of FIG. 1 may be aligned with either the machine, or length,
direction, or the transverse, or width, direction of the
article.
[0141] It is typical that a release agent be applied to the tool to
enhance removal of the resin from the tool. For example, organic
materials such as oils and waxes and silicones have been used as
release agents to provide release characteristics to surfaces. One
of the disadvantages of these release agents is that they usually
need to be frequently re-applied to the surface so as to provide
adequate release properties. Polymeric release coatings such as
those made from polytetrafluoroethylenes have addressed some of the
shortcomings of oils, waxes, silicones and other temporary coatings
and are often more durable. Typically however, polymeric release
coatings require a thicker coating than the non-durable treatments,
they can be subject to thickness variations, and can present
application difficulties.
[0142] Additionally, it has been found that certain classes of
polymers do not separate reliably and cleanly from the tool.
Consequently, it is difficult to replicate the negative surface of
the tool with such polymers.
[0143] In one embodiment of the replication step, the cavities of
the tool are at least 50% filled by the resin. In another
embodiment, the cavities are at least 75% filled by the resin. In
yet another embodiment, the cavities are at least 90 percent filled
by the resin. In still another embodiment, the cavities are at
least 95% filled by the resin. In event another embodiment, the
cavities are at least 98% filled by the resin.
[0144] Adequate fidelity to the negative may be achieved for many
applications when the cavities are filled to at least 50% by the
resin. However, better fidelity to the negative is achieved when
the cavities are filled to at least 90% by the resin. The best
fidelity to the negative is achieved when the cavities are filled
to at least 98% by the resin.
[0145] The tool used to create the desired structured surface has a
coating comprising a fluorochemical benzotriazole on the negative
surface. In one embodiment, the fluorochemical benzotriazoles forms
a substantially continuous monolayer film on the tool. The
molecules form "substantially continuous monolayer film" means that
the individual molecules pack together as densely as their
molecular structures allow. It is believed that the films self
assemble in that the triazole groups of the molecules of the
invention attach to available areas of the metal/metalloid surface
of the tool and that the pendant fluorocarbon tails are aligned
substantially towards the external interface.
[0146] The effectiveness of a monolayer film and the degree to
which a monolayer film is formed on a surface is generally
dependent upon the strength of the bond between the compound and
the particular metal or metalloid surface of the tool and the
conditions under which the film-coated surface is used. For
example, some metal or metalloid surfaces may require a highly
tenacious monolayer film while other such surfaces require
monolayer films having much lower bond strength. Useful metal and
metalloid surfaces include any surface that will form a bond with
compounds of the invention and, in one embodiment, form a monolayer
or a substantially continuous monolayer film. Examples of suitable
surfaces for forming said monolayer films include those comprising
copper, nickel, chromium, zinc, silver, germanium, and alloys
thereof.
[0147] The monolayer or substantially continuous monolayer film may
be formed by contacting a surface with an amount of the
fluorochemical benzotriazole sufficient to coat the entire surface.
The compound may be dissolved in an appropriate solvent, the
composition applied to the surface, and allowed to dry. Suitable
solvents include ethyl acetate, 2-propanol, acetate, 2 propanol,
acetone, water and mixtures thereof. Alternatively, the
fluorochemical benzotriazole may be deposited onto a surface from
the vapor phase. Any excess compound may be removed by rinsing the
substrate with solvent and/or through use of the treated
substrate.
[0148] The fluorochemical benzotriazoles not only have been found
to chemically bond to metal and metalloid surfaces, they also
provide, for example, release and/or corrosion inhibiting
characteristics to those surfaces. These compounds are
characterized as having a head group that can bond to a metallic or
metalloid surface (such as a master tool) and a tail portion that
is suitably different in polarity and/or functionality from a
material to be released. These compounds form durable,
self-assembled films that are monolayers or substantially
monolayers. The fluorochemical benzotriazoles include those having
the formula:
##STR00001##
[0149] wherein R.sub.f is C.sub.n F.sub.2n+1 --(CH.sub.2).sub.m--,
wherein n is an integer from 1 to 22 and m is 0, or an integer from
1 to 6; X is --CO.sub.2--, --SO.sub.3--, --CONH--, --O--, --S--, a
covalent bond, --SO.sub.2NR--, or --NR--, wherein R is H or C.sub.1
to C.sub.5 alkylene; Y is --CH.sub.2-- wherein z is 0 or 1; and R'
is H, lower alkyl or R.sub.f--X--Y.sub.z-- with the provisos that
when X is --S--, or --O--, m is 0, and z is 0, n is .gtoreq.7 and
when X is a covalent bond, m or z is at least 1. In one embodiment,
n+m is equal to an integer from 8 to 20.
[0150] A particularly useful class of fluorochemical benzotriazole
compositions for use as release agents comprising one or more
compounds having the formula:
##STR00002##
wherein R.sub.f is C.sub.n F.sub.2n+1 --(CH.sub.2).sub.m--, wherein
n is 1 to 22, m is 0 or an integer from 1 to 6; X is --CO.sub.2--,
--SO.sub.3--, --S--, --O--, --CONH--, a covalent bond,
--SO.sub.2NR--, or --NR--, wherein R is H or C.sub.1 to C.sub.5
alkylene, and q is 0 or 1; Y is C.sub.1-C.sub.4 alkylene, and z is
0 or 1; and R' is H, lower alkyl, or R.sub.f--X--Y.sub.z. Such
materials are described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No.
6,376,065.
[0151] The process may optionally include a preconditioning step
prior to stretching such as providing an oven or other apparatus.
The preconditioning step may include a preheating zone and a heat
soak zone. The stretch ratios may also be reduced from its maximum
to control shrinkage. This is known in the art as "toe in".
[0152] The process may also include a post conditioning step. For
example, the film may be first heat set and subsequently
quenched.
[0153] Uniaxial stretching can occur in a conventional tenter or in
a length orienter. A general discussion of film processing
techniques can be found in "Film Processing", edited by Toshitaka
Kanai and Gregory Campbell, 1999, Chapters 1, 2, 3, and 6. See also
"The Science and Technology of Polymer Films," edited by Orville J.
Sweeting, 1968, Vol. 1, pages 365-391 and 471-429. Uniaxial
stretching can also be achieved in a variety of batch devices such
as between the jaws of a tensile tester.
[0154] Uniaxial stretching processes include, but are not limited
to, conventional "length orientation" between rollers rotating at
different speeds, conventional cross-web stretching in a tenter,
stretching in a parabolic-path tenter such as that disclosed in WO
WO2002/096622 A1, and stretching between the jaws of a tensile
tester.
[0155] For an ideal elastic material, uniaxial orientation will
result if two of three mutually orthogonal stretch ratios are
identical. For a material which undergoes no significant change in
density upon stretching, each of the two substantially identical
stretch ratios will be substantially equal to the square root of
the reciprocal of the third orthogonal stretch ratio.
[0156] Films stretched in a conventional tenter, although
uniaxially oriented, are not truly uniaxially oriented even though
they have been uniaxially stretched, because the film is not free
to contract along the axis of the direction of travel through the
tenter, but is free to contract in the thickness direction. Films
stretched in parabolic-path tenters, such as those disclosed in
WO2002/096622 A1, are both uniaxially stretched and truly
uniaxially oriented, because the parabolic path allows for an
appropriate amount of contraction of the film along the axis of
travel through the tenter. Processes other than parabolic-path
tentering may also provide true uniaxial orientation, and the
concept is not meant to be limited by the process employed.
[0157] True uniaxial orientation is also not limited to those
processes that stretch film under uniaxial conditions throughout
the entire history of the stretch. In one embodiment, deviation
from a uniaxial stretch is maintained within certain tolerances
throughout the various portions of the stretching step. However,
processes in which deviations from uniaxiality early in a
stretching process are compensated for later in the stretching
process, and which yield true uniaxiality in the resulting film are
also included in the scope of the invention.
[0158] Herein, the path traveled by the gripping means of the
tenter stretching apparatus which grips a film edge, and hence, the
path traced by an edge of the film as it travels through the
tenter, is referred to as a boundary trajectory. It is within the
present invention to provide a boundary trajectory that is three
dimensional and substantially non-planar. The film may be stretched
out-of-plane using out-of-plane boundary trajectories, that is,
boundary trajectories that do not lie in a single Euclidean
plane.
[0159] Though it is not required for true uniaxiality, using the
parabolic-path tenter process, the film is stretched in-plane. In
one embodiment, straight lines stretched along TD, the principal
stretch direction, remain substantially straight after stretching.
In conventional tenter processing of films, this is typically not
the case, and lines so stretched acquire a substantial curvature or
"bow".
[0160] The boundary trajectories may be, but do not need to be,
symmetrical, forming mirror images through a central plane. This
central plane is a plane passing through a vector in the initial
direction of film travel and passing through the initial center
point between the boundary trajectories, and a vector normal to the
surface of the unstretched film being fed to the stretching
apparatus.
[0161] Like other film stretching processes, parabolic-path
tentering benefits from the selection of conditions such that a
uniform spatial drawing of the film is maintained throughout the
stretching process. Good spatial uniformity of the film may be
achieved for many polymeric systems with careful control of the
crossweb and downweb thickness distribution of the unstretched film
or web and careful control of the temperature distribution across
the web throughout the stretch. Many polymeric systems are
particularly sensitive to non-uniformities and will stretch in a
non-uniform fashion if caliper and temperature uniformity are
inadequate. For example, polypropylenes tend to "line stretch"
under uniaxial stretching. Certain polyesters, notably polyethylene
naphthalate, are also very sensitive.
[0162] Whichever stretching technique is employed, stretching
should be done substantially parallel to the first in-plane axis
when shape retention of the geometric features is desired. It has
been found that the more parallel the stretching is to the first
in-plane axis, the better the shape retention that is achieved.
Good shape retention can be achieved when the deviation from
exactly parallel is no more than 20.degree.. Better shape retention
is achieved if the deviation is no more than 10.degree. from
exactly parallel. Even better shape retention is achieved if the
deviation is no more than 5.degree. from parallel.
[0163] The parabolic stretching step also can maintain the
deviation from a uniaxial stretch within certain tolerances
throughout the various portions of the stretching step.
Additionally, these conditions can be maintained while deforming a
portion of the film out-of-plane in an initial portion of the
stretch, but return the film in-plane during a final portion of the
stretch.
[0164] In a truly uniaxial transverse stretch maintained throughout
the entire history of the stretch, the instantaneous machine
direction stretch ratio (MDDR) approximately equals the square root
of the reciprocal of the transverse direction stretch ratio (TDDR)
as corrected for density changes. As discussed above, the film may
be stretched out-of-plane using out-of-plane boundary trajectories,
i.e. boundary trajectories that do not lie in a single Euclidean
plane. There are innumerable, but nevertheless particular, boundary
trajectories meeting relational requirements of this embodiment of
the present invention, so that a substantially uniaxial stretch
history may be maintained using out-of-plane boundary
trajectories.
[0165] Following stretching, the film may be heat set and quenched
if desired.
[0166] Referring now to FIG. 7, an unstretched structured surface
film 34 has dimensions T, W and L, respectively representing the
thickness, width, and length of the film. After the film 34 is
stretched by a factor of lambda (.lamda.), the stretched film 35
has the dimensions T', W', and L' respectively representing the
stretched thickness, stretched width, and the stretched length of
the film. This stretching imparts uniaxial character to the
stretched film 35.
[0167] The relationship between the stretch ratios along the first
in-plane axis, the second in-plane axis and the third axis is an
indication of the fiber symmetry, and hence the uniaxial
orientation of the stretched film. In the present invention, the
film has a minimum stretch ratio along the first in-plane axis of
at least 1.1. In one embodiment, the stretch ratio along the first
in-plane axis is at least 1.5. In another embodiment of the
invention, the stretch ratio is at least 1.7. In yet another
embodiment, it is at least 3. Higher stretch ratios are also
useful. For example, a stretch ratio of 3 to 10 or more is useful
in the invention.
[0168] The stretch ratios along the second in-plane axis and the
third axis are typically substantially the same in the present
invention. This substantial sameness is most conveniently expressed
as the relative ratio of these stretch ratios to one another. If
the two stretch ratios are not equal, then the relative ratio is
the ratio of the larger stretch ratio along one of these axes to
the smaller stretch ratio along the other of the axes. In one
embodiment, the relative ratio is less than 1.4. When the two
ratios are equal the relative ratio is 1.
[0169] In the case of truly uniaxial stretching with a stretch
ratio of .lamda. along the first in-plane direction, when the
process creates substantially the same proportional dimensional
changes in the second in-plane axis and in the thickness direction
of the film along the third axis, the thickness and the width will
have been reduced by the same proportional dimensional changes. In
the present case, this may be approximately represented by
KT/.lamda..sup.0.5 and KW/.lamda..sup.0.5 where K represents a
scale factor that accounts for density changes during stretch. In
the ideal case, K is 1. When the density decreases during
stretching, K is greater than 1. When density increases during
stretching, K is less than 1.
[0170] In the invention, the ratio of the final thickness T' to
initial thickness of the film T may be defined as the NDSR stretch
ratio (NDSR). The MDSR may be defined as the length of a portion of
the film after stretching divided by the initial length of that
portion. For illustrative purposes only, see Y'/Y in FIG. 8. The
TDSR may be defined as the width of a portion of the film after
stretching divided by the initial width of that portion. For
illustrative purposes only, see X'/X in FIG. 8.
[0171] The first in-plane direction may coincide with the MD, e.g.,
in the case of a length orientation, or TD, e.g., in the case of a
parabolic tenter. In another example, sheets rather than a
continuous web are fed into a tenter in the so-called batch
tentering process. This process is described in U.S. Pat. No.
6,609,795. In this case the first in-plane direction or axis
coincides with TD.
[0172] The present invention is applicable generally to a number of
different structured surface films, materials and processes where a
uniaxial characteristic is desired. The process of the present
invention is believed to be particularly suited to fabrication of
polymeric films having a microstructured surface where the
visco-elastic characteristics of materials used in the film are
exploited to control the amount, if any, of molecular orientation
induced in the materials when the film is stretched during
processing. The improvements include one or more of improved
optical performance, enhanced dimensional stability, increased
tensile properties, electete properties, better processability and
the like.
[0173] In general, polymers used in the present invention may be
crystalline, semi-crystalline, liquid crystalline or amorphous
polymers or copolymers. It should be understood that in the polymer
art it is generally recognized that polymers are typically not
entirely crystalline, and therefore in the context of the present
invention, crystalline or semi-crystalline polymers refer to those
polymers that are not amorphous and includes any of those materials
commonly referred to as crystalline, partially crystalline,
semi-crystalline, etc. Liquid crystalline polymers, sometimes also
referred to as rigid-rod polymers, are understood in the art to
possess some form of long-range ordering which differs from
three-dimensional crystalline order.
[0174] The present invention contemplates that any polymer either
melt-processable or curable into film form may be used. These may
include, but are not limited to, homopolymers, copolymers, and
oligomers that can be further processed into polymers from the
following families: polyesters (e.g., polyalkylene terephthalates
(e.g., polyethylene terephthalate, polybutylene terephthalate, and
poly-1,4-cyclohexanedimethylene terephthalate), polyethylene
bibenzoate, polyalkylene naphthalates (e.g. polyethylene
naphthalate (PEN) and isomers thereof (e.g., 2,6-, 1,4-, 1,5-,
2,7-, and 2,3-PEN)) and polybutylene naphthalate (PBN) and isomers
thereof), and liquid crystalline polyesters); polyarylates;
polycarbonates (e.g., the polycarbonate of bisphenol A); polyamides
(e.g. polyamide 6, polyamide 11, polyamide 12, polyamide 46,
polyamide 66, polyamide 69, polyamide 610, and polyamide 612,
aromatic polyamides and polyphthalamides); polyether-amides;
polyamide-imides; polyimides (e.g., thermoplastic polyimides and
polyacrylic imides); polyetherimides; polyolefins or polyalkylene
polymers (e.g., polyethylenes, polypropylenes, polybutylenes,
polyisobutylene, and poly(4-methyl)pentene); ionomers such as
Surlyn.TM. (available from E. I. du Pont de Nemours & Co.,
Wilmington, Del.); polyvinylacetate; polyvinyl alcohol and
ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymers; polymethacrylates (e.g.,
polyisobutyl methacrylate, polypropylmethacrylate,
polyethylmethacrylate, and polymethylmethacrylate); polyacrylates
(e.g., polymethyl acrylate, polyethyl acrylate, and polybutyl
acrylate); polyacrylonitrile; fluoropolymers (e.g., perfluoroalkoxy
resins, polytetrafluoroethylene, polytrifluoroethylene, fluorinated
ethylene-propylene copolymers, polyvinylidene fluoride, polyvinyl
fluoride, polychlorotrifluoroethylene,
polyethylene-co-trifluoroethylene,
poly(ethylene-alt-chlorotrifluoroethylene), and THV.TM. (3M Co.));
chlorinated polymers (e.g., polyvinylidene chloride and
polyvinylchloride); polyarylether ketones (e.g.,
polyetheretherketone ("PEEK")); aliphatic polyketones (e.g., the
copolymers and terpolymers of ethylene and/or propylene with carbon
dioxide); polystyrenes of any tacticity (e.g., atactic polystyrene,
isotactic polystyrene and syndiotactic polystyrene) and ring- or
chain-substituted polystyrenes of any tacticity (e.g., syndiotactic
poly-alpha-methyl styrene, and syndiotactic polydichlorostyrene);
copolymers and blends of any of these styrenics (e.g.,
styrene-butadiene copolymers, styrene-acrylonitrile copolymers, and
acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene terpolymers); vinyl naphthalenes;
polyethers (e.g., polyphenylene oxide, poly(dimethylphenylene
oxide), polyethylene oxide and polyoxymethylene); cellulosics
(e.g., ethyl cellulose, cellulose acetate, cellulose propionate,
cellulose acetate butyrate, and cellulose nitrate);
sulfur-containing polymers (e.g., polyphenylene sulfide,
polysulfones, polyarylsulfones, and polyethersulfones); silicone
resins; epoxy resins; elastomers (e.g., polybutadiene,
polyisoprene, and neoprene), nylons and polyurethanes. Blends or
alloys of two or more polymers or copolymers may also be used.
[0175] As noted above, it has been difficult to replicate surfaces
using some polymers, especially polyesters. Generally they adhere
tenaciously to the tool during the replication process. As a
result, they are difficult to remove from the tool without causing
damage to the replicated surface. Examples of semicrystalline
thermoplastic polymers useful in the invention include
semicrystalline polyesters. These materials include polyethylene
terephthalate or polyethylene naphthalate. Polymers comprising
polyethylene terephthalate or polyethylene naphthalate are found to
have many desirable properties in the present invention.
[0176] Suitable monomers and comonomers for use in polyesters may
be of the diol or dicarboxylic acid or ester type. Dicarboxylic
acid comonomers include but are not limited to terephthalic acid,
isophthalic acid, phthalic acid, all isomeric
naphthalenedicarboxylic acids (2,6-, 1,2-, 1,3-, 1,4-, 1,5-, 1,6-,
1,7-, 1,8-, 2,3-, 2,4-, 2,5-, 2,8-), bibenzoic acids such as
4,4'-biphenyl dicarboxylic acid and its isomers,
trans-4,4'-stilbene dicarboxylic acid and its isomers,
4,4'-diphenyl ether dicarboxylic acid and its isomers,
4,4'-diphenylsulfone dicarboxylic acid and its isomers,
4,4'-benzophenone dicarboxylic acid and its isomers, halogenated
aromatic dicarboxylic acids such as 2-chloroterephthalic acid and
2,5-dichloroterephthalic acid, other substituted aromatic
dicarboxylic acids such as tertiary butyl isophthalic acid and
sodium sulfonated isophthalic acid, cycloalkane dicarboxylic acids
such as 1,4-cyclohexanedicarboxylic acid and its isomers and
2,6-decahydronaphthalene dicarboxylic acid and its isomers, bi- or
multi-cyclic dicarboxylic acids (such as the various isomeric
norbornane and norbornene dicarboxylic acids, adamantane
dicarboxylic acids, and bicyclo-octane dicarboxylic acids), alkane
dicarboxylic acids (such as sebacic acid, adipic acid, oxalic acid,
malonic acid, succinic acid, glutaric acid, azelaic acid, and
dodecane dicarboxylic acid.), and any of the isomeric dicarboxylic
acids of the fused-ring aromatic hydrocarbons (such as indene,
anthracene, pheneanthrene, benzonaphthene, fluorene and the like).
Other aliphatic, aromatic, cycloalkane or cycloalkene dicarboxylic
acids may be used. Alternatively, esters of any of these
dicarboxylic acid monomers, such as dimethyl terephthalate, may be
used in place of or in combination with the dicarboxylic acids
themselves.
[0177] Suitable diol comonomers include but are not limited to
linear or branched alkane diols or glycols (such as ethylene
glycol, propanediols such as trimethylene glycol, butanediols such
as tetramethylene glycol, pentanediols such as neopentyl glycol,
hexanediols, 2,2,4-trimethyl-1,3-pentanediol and higher diols),
ether glycols (such as diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, and
polyethylene glycol), chain-ester diols such as
3-hydroxy-2,2-dimethylpropyl-3-hydroxy-2,2-dimethylpropyl-3-hydroxy-2,2-d-
imethyl propanoate, cycloalkane glycols such as
1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol and its isomers and 1,4-cyclohexanediol
and its isomers, bi- or multicyclic diols (such as the various
isomeric tricyclodecane dimethanols, norbornane dimethanols,
norbornene dimethanols, and bicyclo-octane dimethanols), aromatic
glycols (such as 1,4-benzenedimethanol and its isomers,
1,4-benzenediol and its isomers, bisphenols such as bisphenol A,
2,2'-dihydroxy biphenyl and its isomers, 4,4'-dihydroxymethyl
biphenyl and its isomers, and 1,3-bis(2-hydroxyethoxy)benzene and
its isomers), and lower alkyl ethers or diethers of these diols,
such as dimethyl or diethyl diols. Other aliphatic, aromatic,
cycloalkyl and cycloalkenyl diols may be used.
[0178] Tri- or polyfunctional comonomers, which can serve to impart
a branched structure to the polyester molecules, can also be used.
They may be of either the carboxylic acid, ester, hydroxy or ether
types. Examples include, but are not limited to, trimellitic acid
and its esters, trimethylol propane, and pentaerythritol.
[0179] Also suitable as comonomers are monomers of mixed
functionality, including hydroxycarboxylic acids such as
parahydroxybenzoic acid and 6-hydroxy-2-naphthalenecarboxylic acid,
and their isomers, and tri- or polyfunctional comonomers of mixed
functionality such as 5-hydroxyisophthalic acid and the like.
[0180] Suitable polyester copolymers include copolymers of PEN
(e.g., copolymers of 2,6-, 1,4-, 1,5-, 2,7-, and/or 2,3-naphthalene
dicarboxylic acid, or esters thereof, with (a) terephthalic acid,
or esters thereof; (b) isophthalic acid, or esters thereof; (c)
phthalic acid, or esters thereof; (d) alkane glycols; (e)
cycloalkane glycols (e.g., cyclohexane dimethanol diol); (f) alkane
dicarboxylic acids; and/or (g) cycloalkane dicarboxylic acids
(e.g., cyclohexane dicarboxylic acid)), and copolymers of
polyalkylene terephthalates (copolymers of terephthalic acid, or
esters thereof, with (a) naphthalene dicarboxylic acid, or esters
thereof; (b) isophthalic acid, or esters thereof; (c) phthalic
acid, or esters thereof; (d) alkane glycols; (e) cycloalkane
glycols (e.g., cyclohexane dimethane diol); (f) alkane dicarboxylic
acids; and/or (g) cycloalkane dicarboxylic acids (e.g., cyclohexane
dicarboxylic acid)). The copolyesters described may also be a blend
of pellets where at least one component is a polymer based on one
polyester and other component or components are other polyesters or
polycarbonates, either homopolymers or copolymers.
[0181] The film of the invention may also contain a disperse phase
comprising polymeric particles or oil or other incompatible phase
separating material in a continuous polymeric matrix or a
bi-continuous matrix of phases. In an alternative, embodiment of
the invention, the disperse phase may be present in one or more of
the layers of a multilayer film. The level of polymeric particles
used is not critical to the present invention and is selected so as
to achieve the purposes for which the final article is intended.
Factors which may affect the level and type of the polymer
particles include the aspect ratio of the particles, the
dimensional alignment of the particles in the matrix, the volume
fraction of the particles, the thickness of the structured surface
film, etc. Typically, the polymer particles are chosen from the
same polymers described above.
[0182] Films made in accordance with the present invention may be
useful for a wide variety of products including tire cordage,
reinforcement, filtration media, tape backings, wipes such as skin
wipes, medical dressings, bandages, microfluidic films, membranes,
blur filters, polarizers, reflective polarizers, dichroic
polarizers, aligned reflective/dichroic polarizers, absorbing
polarizers, retarders (including z-axis retarders), diffraction
gratings, polarizing beam splitters, brightness enhancement films
and polarizing diffraction gratings. The films may comprise the
particular element itself or they can be used as a component in
another element such as a tire, industrial belting, hoses, a
dressing, a bandage, a face mask, a respirator, a filter, an
adhesive tape, a wipe, a membrane, beamsplitters for front and rear
projection systems, or as a brightness enhancement film used in a
display or microdisplay.
[0183] The present inventive concept relates to attenuated
polymeric structures (film, filament, single or multilayer) and to
a method of obtaining such structures; and more particularly, to
such a method wherein a polymeric structure comprising highly
ordered replicated features is stretched to an extent that the
features and underlying substrate are deformed in a controlled and
cooperative manner, from the original cast or extruded form.
Polymer (thermoplastic or extensible) structures (solid or
microporous) of the concept are, in one embodiment, characterized
by continuous (unbroken in at least one direction along the
surface) replicated features (replicated to some geometric
constraint between features) covering at least a portion of the
surface. Structures of the concept are formed by attenuating a film
(cast or profile extruded), with replicated features on at least a
portion of the surface, along a major axis of the structure.
Attenuation cooperatively elongates the features and base of the
cast or extruded form to produce films or filaments with replicated
surfaces. Attenuated structures of the concept can be produced with
unique and useful combinations of geometric conformation and
underlying structure. As an example, highly molecularly oriented
(and crystallized) films can be produced with fine surface
topographies that would be useful in applications like rubber
reinforcement, filtration, or light management. These materials
could be further processed through a fibrillation step to form
microstructured-surface fiber structures for filtration. A further
example of the unique combination of conformational and structural
properties would be a microreplicated film made from
phase-separable materials. An attenuated film of this structure
would be microporous and carry a microreplicated surface
topography. Materials such as this could find application in liquid
filtration or water resistant wearing apparel. Attenuated filaments
with replicated surface features would find applications in
carpeting and personal care application where coverage (extended
surface area) of the fiber is desirable.
[0184] In one embodiment, a polymeric film made according to the
present invention, as formed prior to stretching, has a body having
a first surface and a second surface and has one or more elongate
microstructure features on at least one surface thereof. Such a
film is illustrated, for example, in FIG. 10 as film 109, with a
body or land portion 111, a first surface portion 113, a second
surface portion 119, and elongate microstructure features 115
disposed on the first surface portion 113. The features are
substantially parallel and extend substantially parallel to a
longitudinal dimension L of the film body, and may be continuous
along a length of the film (e.g., like features 115 in FIG. 10) or
discontinuous along a length of the film (i.e., not extending along
the entire length of the film; e.g., like feature 115b in FIG. 10).
In lateral cross section, each feature has a pre-stretched shape
(e.g., triangular, polygonal, etc.) and first thickness, and the
body has a first thickness. Adjacent features may be contiguous
when they join the body (see, e.g., FIG. 2), or at least some of
the features may be spaced apart laterally by a separation span of
the body (see, e.g., feature separation FS' in FIG. 3A). In one
embodiment, at least one of the microstructure features has a
discontinuity thereon, such as feature 115a (FIG. 10) bearing
discontinuity 141 thereon, or may have a plurality of
discontinuities thereon, such as features 115b and 115c bearing
discontinuities 142 and 143, respectively, thereon. A discontinuity
on a feature comprises any change in geometry on a surface of the
feature, including for example, a shallow indentation such as
discontinuities 141 and 143, or a discontinuity that extends
through the entire thickness of a feature to the body, such as
discontinuity 142. A discontinuity extends longitudinally along a
feature, may extend laterally completely across a feature, or may
extend only partially into a feature, such as a dimple or groove.
In addition, a discontinuity may constitute a projection from a
feature, such as a bump or ridge.
[0185] The film is stretched in a direction substantially parallel
to the longitudinal dimension of the body, which elongates the body
and microstructure features thereon. The body thus assumes a second
thickness, similar or smaller than its first thickness (i.e.,
Z'<Z). The feature thickness may likewise by reduced upon
stretching (i.e., P'<P). In one embodiment, the ratio after
stretching of body thickness to feature thickness (i.e., body
thickness divided by feature thickness) may range from 2 to 1, in
another embodiment may be from 1 to 0.5, and in yet another
embodiment the ratio of body thickness to feature thickness may as
low as about 0.10. Accordingly, the body thickness may be
relatively thin compared to the thickness of the features, as
illustrated in exemplary stretched inventive film of FIG. 19. The
body may provide just enough material to retain the features bonded
together in a film structure for further processing or handling. In
this way, the elongate microstructure features are joined together
by a relatively thin, flexible body or land.
[0186] In this form, the stretched film has been oriented
throughout its entirety, including both body and microstructure
features. In other words, the morphology of each of the
microstructure features is the same as the body--both have been
oriented by stretching in the same manner to define a molecularly
oriented polymeric film having a body with at least one surface
thereof bearing elongate microstructure features. In one embodiment
of the present invention, the film has a minimum stretch ratio in
the longitudinal dimension of at least 1.1. In one embodiment, that
stretch ratio is at least 1.5. In another embodiment of the
invention, that stretch ratio is at least 1.7. In yet another
embodiment, it is at least 3. Higher stretch ratios are also
useful. For example, a stretch ratio of 3 to 20 or more is useful
in the invention.
[0187] In one embodiment, the film is crystalline (not amorphous)
and homogeneous. The stretched film exhibits anisotropic physical
properties, relative to the longitudinal dimension of the body. For
instance, Young's modulus of the oriented film in the longitudinal
dimension is much different (i.e., higher) than Young's modulus in
a lateral dimension or in a body thickness dimension. Similarly,
the tensile strength of the film in the longitudinal dimension is
much different (i.e., higher) than in a lateral dimension or in a
body thickness dimension. Such unique anisotropic properties and
morphology are believed to be achievable in the microstructured
oriented film of the present invention, but are not achievable by
machining microstructure features onto an already stretched film.
This is because the machining process generates heat that alters
the morphology of the film material. The oriented crystalline
structure of the polymeric film is altered by the exposure to the
thermal effects (i.e., heat) caused by the friction involved in the
film material machining process. Thus, the present invention
provides a process to create a molecularly oriented polymeric film
having elongate microstructure features on at least one side
thereof in a simple and efficient manner. The film may be cast and
then stretched, rather than cast, stretched and then machined.
Accordingly, the elimination of the machining step not only allows
the formation of an oriented film having relatively uniform
morphology throughout, it is more economical.
[0188] The stretched film has been elongated past its elongation
point to orient the crystalline molecules therein. However, if the
stretched film is later heated to a temperature above its glass
transition state (but below its melting point), the longitudinally
oriented crystalline alignment will break down and revert to a more
random pattern. This will cause the film to shrink in the
longitudinal dimension.
[0189] In one form, as mentioned above, the inventive film may be
used as a reinforcing material for such applications as tire
cordage. For vehicle tires, cordage material (e.g., like the
reinforcing steel belts in "steel belted radials") is provided to
reinforce the tire rubber and provide added strength and durability
to the finished tire. The molecularly oriented polymeric film of
the present invention can likewise serve this cordage purpose,
since its microstructure features are oriented, and held in that
orientation by the film's body, and thus provides an array of
joined fibers or cords (i.e., the microstructured features) that
are relatively strong in the longitudinal dimension of the film's
body. The film may be oriented annularly about the axis of a tire
being formed to provide hoop strength, in one or as many layers as
desired. The layers may be aligned so that the longitudinal
dimensions of the layered films are substantially parallel, or they
are different. For instance, in another embodiment, one or more
layers of such film may be aligned in alternative orientations
(such as, for example, with the longitudinal dimension of the
film's body parallel to the tire's axis, radiating from the tire's
axis, or in an arc about the tire's axis). In addition, the film
layers may be spaced apart, or they may be engaged, such that at
least some of the features or structures on a first layer engage
the second surface of the body of a second layer overlying the
first layer. In addition, the relatively thin body provides a means
for handling the elongate features for precise placement within the
tire as it is being molded about the reinforcing cordage film, thus
simplifying the production process of the reinforced tire. As
opposed to a flat film that might be used for cordage purposes, the
relatively high surface area of the inventive film's features and
body also allow for enhanced bonding of the rubber to the film
during tire assembly. This characteristic is even further enhanced
by discontinuities in the microstructure features, since that
creates additional feature surface area for bonding. Further, the
polymeric material may be lighter in weight than prior cordage
materials, while providing equivalent cord strength.
[0190] In another form, as mentioned above, the inventive film may
be used as a reinforcing material for other applications, such as
tape backings. When disposed with the longitudinal dimension of the
film's body generally parallel to the length of a tape strip on a
backing for the tape (or serving itself as the tape backing), the
inventive film provides longitudinal reinforcement for the tape. In
one embodiment, an adhesive is disposed on at least one surface of
the body such as, for example, a pressure sensitive adhesive.
[0191] In another form, as mentioned above, the inventive film may
be formed from a multi-phase film, where one component is in
another in the film to create a porous structure. For example, the
initial film that is cast or molded to have microstructure features
on one side of its body may be a high density polyethylene (HDPE)
with mineral oil therein. Upon stretching of this film, the spaces
in the HDPE that were holding the mineral oil are elongated and
become voids where the oil was. In addition, the stretched film may
be further processed to remove much of the mineral oil therein (by
known techniques). The stretching thus forms oriented microcavities
in the longitudinal dimension, and the stretched film becomes a
microporous membrane material that may be, for example, vapor
permeable but not liquid permeable. The removal of mineral oil
makes the film even more porous. If the film is further stretched
in a lateral dimension (i.e., is thus biaxially oriented), the
cavities or voids can be even further enlarged in volume and film
porosity further increased. The microporous stretched film material
(with microstructure features on at least one side thereof) can be
used as a single microporous film material, or may be stacked upon
similar film material layers to achieve a stacked array of
microfluidic porous films. The elongate microstructure features
thus serve to define fluidic flow channels between film layers, by
spacing apart the bodies of layers of films. The stacked film
layers may be aligned with the longitudinal dimensions of their
bodies generally parallel, or they may be aligned in different
directions (e.g., perpendicular). As noted above, separation spans
may be provided between adjacent elongate microstructure features.
Such separation spans may further enhance the fluidic flow capacity
or diversion capabilities of the inventive film when used as a
microporous membrane, by forming larger fluidic flow channels
between adjacent features. Discontinuities on the microstructure
features, such as discontinuities 141, 142 or 143, permit fluidic
flow across a feature and thus between adjacent flow channels (such
as between channels 144, 145, 146 and 147 shown on film 109 in FIG.
10. Providing discontinuities on the microstructure features may
also increase the surface area of the features (and any microporous
film or fibers they are disposed on).
[0192] In another form, as mentioned above, the inventive film may
be fibrillated after stretching to provide one or more
longitudinally oriented fibers that may be useful for such
applications as the formation of filtration media. To do so, the
body connecting the elongate microstructure features is separated
along generally longitudinally disposed separation lines, with each
section of the separated body including one or more microstructure
features thereon (although in one embodiment, there may be selected
sections of the body which bear no features thereon). While the
relatively thin body may separate under fibrillation on its own
accord, the process of forming the film may also include the
defining of longitudinal separation lines on the film. Those
separation lines then define where the film separates to form
fibers during fibrillation. As noted, a fiber may include only one
microstructure feature, or may include several features (with
connective portions of the body remaining between the several
features to bind them together). For example, as seen in FIG. 11, a
stretched film 110 having a body or land portion 112, a first
surface portion 114, a second surface portion 117, and elongate
microstructure features 116 disposed on the first surface portion
114, may have separation lines 121 formed on the body 112 of the
film 110. In some cases, adjacent features 116 may have a
separation span 123 therebetween. The separation lines may be
between adjacent features (such as separation line 121a) or may be
disposed in a separation span, such as separation line 121b, and
thus spaced laterally from the microstructure features on each side
of that separation span 121b. A separation line 121 may be defined
in the body 112 (such as, for example, a score line or weakened
segment of the body) for use in separating the stretched film 110
into fibers or fiber elements 125 (see FIG. 12) during
fibrillation. In this case, fibrillation is the process of
splitting a longitudinally oriented film into a network of
interconnected fibers, and may be achieved by fibrillation
processes known in the art.
[0193] Fibrillation of the inventive film results in a plurality of
oriented, crystalline and homogenous polymeric fibers having
generally uniform morphology. The features on the fibers may have
the same characteristics as the features on the stretched film from
which the fibers are formed. For instance, the features on the
fibers have a high feature thickness to body thickness
relationship, which is not possible to attain by machining of an
oriented film to create the features.
[0194] As seen, for example, in FIG. 13, each fiber 125 thus formed
may have a fiber body or land portion 212, a first surface portion
214, a second surface portion 217, and one or more elongate
microstructure features 216 disposed on the first surface portion
214 of the fiber body 212. Each fiber body 212 has a longitudinal
dimension (like the film 110 that formed it), and the features 216
likewise are disposed in a direction substantially parallel to the
longitudinal dimension of the fiber body 212, and are substantially
parallel. The fibers can be cut laterally and then mixed together
to form a filtration layer of mixed fibers in any desired shape
(e.g., a filter pad, a filter cylinder, a filter cone, etc.) and
density. Alternatively, the fibers may be maintained in an array
where the fiber bodies of the fibers in the array are substantially
parallel, such as illustrated schematically by array 127 of fibers
125 in FIG. 14. In this configuration, the array 127 of fibers 125
may also be used for filtration, or in a reinforcement capacity
such as tire cordage or tape backing, as referenced above. Like the
film as also discussed above, an array of fibers may serve as a
layer and layers may over lie each other, such as illustrated
schematically in FIG. 15 by overlaying arrays 127a, 127b and 127c
of fibers. Overlaying layers or arrays may be engaged, or may be
spaced apart, and the longitudinal dimensions of the fibers in such
arrays may be aligned substantially parallel or may be disposed in
different directions.
[0195] Additionally, the fibers may be charged with an electric
potential to further aid in their filtration capacities. To do so,
the polymeric film is exposed to an electrical field (e.g., by
passing the film by a corona wire) to define the film as an
electret. The exposing step may precede the stretching step for the
film, or may be done after the film is stretched. On the film, at
least one of the microstructure features is shaped to enhance
electrical field effects. Thus, when the film is separated into
fibers, each fiber is an electret, and in one embodiment, at least
one of the microstructure features on a fiber is shaped to enhance
electrical field effects. As illustrated, for example, in FIG. 16,
a fiber 125 has a fiber body 212 that has a number of edges or
points 250 (in lateral view) that create electrical potential
discontinuities around the fiber body 212. These focused charge
areas (i.e., edges 250) on the fiber 125 can further aid the fiber
in a filtration context by electrically attracting particulate
materials to the fiber. Hence, the more such edges on a fiber, the
better, for filtration purposes. The inventive film, when segmented
into fibers, allows the creation of fibers having microstructure
features thereon with any desired number of edges. In addition, the
formation of surface discontinuities on a microstructure feature
can define additional edges along the elongate length of the
feature and, in turn, create additional electrical potential
discontinuities along the fiber body. This not only creates more
electrical potential field effect attraction for the fiber, but
also increases its surface area for filtration purposes. The result
of a filtration layer of such fibers is a highly effective
filtration medium. As noted above, the stretched film itself may be
defined as an electret by charge application. Thus, when the film
is used for fluidic flow purposes or in a filtration context, it
also can attract particles to it to collect those particles.
[0196] In one embodiment, when forming a polymeric film of the
present invention (for use either as a film or to form fibers from
a film), at least one generally laterally disposed separation line
may be defined across the longitudinal dimension of the body of the
film. For example, such a lateral separation line is illustrated by
line 255 across the film 109 of FIG. 10. Such a separation line 255
may be defined as, for example, a score line or weakened segment of
the body and/or microstructure features along the line 255 for use
in separating the film or fiber (after stretching) into fibers
element segments. For fibers, such segment separation may
constitute a separate processing step or may occur at the same time
as fibrillation. Alternatively, a film (e.g., tape) may be formed
with a plurality of lateral separation lines along its longitudinal
dimension but is not separated into tape segments until such time
as the use defines a desired length of tape. The lateral separation
line then facilitates the tearing off of a selected tape
segment.
[0197] In addition to the other characteristics noted herein, the
inventive film (and the fibers formed therefrom) may be formed as a
microporous film (or fiber) that contains microparticlate material.
The microparticulate material (which can be one material or a
combination of materials) useful in the present invention is
non-swellable in aqueous and organic media and is substantially
insoluble in water or the elution solvent. Not more than 1.0 gram
of particulate will dissolve in 100 g. of aqueous media or elution
solvent into which particulate is mixed at 20.degree C. The
particulate material can be an organic compound, a polymer, or an
inorganic oxide such as silica, alumina, titania, zirconia, and
other ceramics, or it can be ion exchange or chelating particles.
Suitable particles for the purposes of this invention include any
particle which can be coated with insoluble, non-swellable sorbent
material or the surface (external and/or internal) of which can be
derivatized to provide a coating of insoluble, non-swellable
sorbent material thereon. Such particles in film are disclosed in
U.S. Pat. No. 4,810,381.
[0198] In addition, other additives (e.g., a catalyst (e.g., CO
oxidative catalytically active nano-gold particles), carbon fibers
or particles, or pigment materials) may be added to the film to
provide it or the fibers created thereby with desired properties.
In addition, the film and fibers formed therefrom may be adsorbent
or absorbent.
[0199] In the above description, the position of elements has
sometimes been described in terms of "first", "second", "third",
"top" and "bottom". These terms have been used merely to simplify
the description of the various elements of the invention, such as
those illustrated in the drawings. They should not be understood to
place any limitations on the useful orientation of the elements of
the present invention.
[0200] Accordingly, the present invention should not be considered
limited to the particular examples described above, but rather
should be understood to cover all aspects of the invention as
fairly set out in the claims. Various modifications, equivalents,
as well as numerous structures to which the present invention may
be applicable will be readily apparent to those of skill in the art
to which the present invention is directed upon review of the
present specification. The claims are intended to cover such
modifications and devices.
EXAMPLES
Example 1
[0201] A polyethylene terephthalate (PET) with an inherent
viscosity (I.V.) of 0.74 available from Eastman Chemical Company,
Kingsport, Tenn. was used in this example.
[0202] The PET pellets were dried to remove residual water and
loaded into the extrusion of an extruder hopper under a nitrogen
purge. The PET was extruded with a increasing temperature profile
of 232.degree. C. to 282.degree. C. within the extruder and the
continuing melt train through to the die set at 282.degree. C. Melt
train pressures were continuously monitored and an average taken at
the final monitored position along the melt train prior to bringing
the die into close proximity to the tool onto which the polymer
film is formed simultaneously with the structuring of a first
surface of that film against the tool.
[0203] The tool was a structured belt having a negative version of
the structured surface formed on the cast film. The structured
surface comprised a repeating and continuous series of triangular
prisms. The triangles formed a sawtooth-like pattern. The basal
vertices of the individual prisms were shared by their adjoining,
neighboring structures. The prisms were aligned along the casting
or machine direction (MD) direction. The structured surface of the
tool was coated with a fluorochemical benotriazole having the
formula
##STR00003##
where R.sub.f is C.sub.8F.sub.17 and R is --(CH.sub.2).sub.2--, as
disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,376,065. The tool was mounted on a
temperature-controlled rotating can which provides a continuous
motion of the tool surface along the casting (MD) direction. The
measured surface temperature of the tool averaged 92.degree. C.
[0204] The die orifice through which the molten polymer exits the
melt train was brought into close proximity with the rotating belt
tool forming a final slot between the tool and die. The pressure at
the final monitored position along the melt train increased as the
die and tool became closer. The difference between this final
pressure and the previously recorded pressure is referred to as the
slot pressure drop. The slot pressure drop in this example was
7.37.times.10.sup.6 Pa (1070 psi) providing sufficient pressure to
drive the molten polymer into the structured cavities formed by the
tool negative. The film thereby formed and structured, was conveyed
by the tool rotation from the slot, quenched with additional air
cooling, stripped from the tool and wound into a roll. Including
the height of the structures, the total thickness of the cast film
(T) was about 510 microns.
[0205] The cast and wound polymer film closely replicated the tool
structure. Using a microscope to view the cross-section a prismatic
structure was identified on the surface of the film with an
approximately 85.degree. apex angle, 20.degree. inclination from
the horizontal of the film land for one leg of the triangle and a
15.degree. tilt from the perpendicular for the opposite leg. The
measured profile exhibited the expected, nearly right triangular
form with straight edges and a slightly rounded apex. The
replicated prisms on the polymeric film surface were measured to
have a basal width (BW) of 44 microns and a height (P) of 19
microns. The peak-to-peak spacing (PS) was approximately the same
as the basal width (BW). The tool is also imperfect and small
deviations from nominal sizing can exist.
[0206] The structured cast film was cut into sheets with an aspect
ratio of 10:7 (along the grooves:perpendicular to grooves),
preheated to about 100.degree. C. as measured in the plenums and
stretched to a nominal stretch ratio of 6.4 and immediately relaxed
to a stretch ratio of 6.3 in a nearly truly uniaxial manner along
the continuous length direction of the prisms using a batch tenter
process. That is individual sheets were fed to a conventional
continuous operation film tenter. The relaxation from 6.4 to 6.3 is
accomplished at the stretch temperature to control shrinkage in the
final film. The structured surfaces maintained a prismatic shape
with reasonably straight cross-sectional edges (reasonably flat
facets) and approximately similar shape. The basal width after
stretch (BW') was measured by microscopy cross-sectioning to be
16.5 microns and the peak height after stretch (P') was measured to
be 5.0 microns. The final thickness of the film (T'), including the
structured height, was measured to be 180 microns. The indices of
refraction were measured on the backside of the stretched film
using a Metricon Prism Coupler as available from Metricon,
Piscataway, N.J., at a wavelength of 632.8 nm. The indices along
the first in-plane (along the prisms), second in-plane (across the
prisms) and in the thickness direction were measured to be 1.672,
1.549 and 1.547 respectively. The relative birefringence in the
cross-sectional plane of this stretched material was thus
0.016.
Example 2
[0207] A polyethylene terephthalate (PET) with an inherent
viscosity (IV.) of 0.74 available from Eastman Chemical Company,
Kingsport, Tenn. was used in this example.
[0208] The PET pellets were dried to remove residual water and
loaded into the extrusion hopper under a nitrogen purge. The PET
was extruded with a flat temperature profile about 282.degree. C.
within the extruder and the continuing melt train through to the
die set at 282.degree. C. Melt train pressures were continuously
monitored and an average taken at the final monitored position
along the melt train prior to bringing the die into close proximity
to the tool onto which the polymer film is formed simultaneously
with the structuring of a first surface of that film against the
tool.
[0209] The tool was a structured belt having the desired negative
version of the structured surface formed on the cast film. The
structured surface comprised a repeating and continuous series of
isosceles right triangular prisms, with basal widths (BW) of 50
microns and height (P) of nearly 25 microns. The basal vertices of
the individual prisms were shared by their adjoining, neighboring
structures. The prisms were aligned along the casting (MD)
direction. The structured surface of the tool was coated with a
fluorochemical benezotriazole having the formula
##STR00004##
where R.sub.f is C.sub.4F.sub.9 and R is --(CH.sub.2).sub.6--. The
tool was mounted on a temperature-controlled rotating can which
provides a continuous motion of the tool surface along the casting
(MD) direction. The measured surface temperature of the tool
averaged 98.degree. C.
[0210] The die orifice through which the molten polymer exits the
melt train was brought into close proximity with the rotating belt
tool forming a final slot between the tool and die. The pressure at
the final monitored position along the melt train increased as the
die and tool became closer. The difference between this final
pressure and the previously recorded pressure is referred to as the
slot pressure drop. The slot pressure drop in this example was
7.92.times.10.sup.6 Pa (1150 psi) providing sufficient pressure to
drive the molten polymer into the structured cavities formed by the
tool negative. The film thereby formed and structured, was conveyed
by the tool rotation from the slot, quenched with additional air
cooling, stripped from the tool and wound into a roll. Including
the height of the structures, the total thickness of the cast film
(T) was about 600 microns.
[0211] The cast and wound polymer film closely replicated the tool
structure. Using contact profilometry, (e.g. a KLA-Tencor P-10 with
a 60.degree. 2 micron radius stylus).a clear, reasonably sharp
prismatic structure was identified on the surface of the film. The
measured profile exhibited the expected, nearly right triangular
form with straight edges and a slightly rounded apex. The
replicated prisms on the polymeric film surface were measured to
have a basal width (BW) of 50 microns and a height (P) of 23.4
microns. The peak-to-peak spacing (PS) was approximately the same
as the basal width (BW). The profilometry is limited to about a
micron in resolution due to the shape and size of the stylus probe
and the actual apex may be considerably higher. The tool is also
imperfect and small deviations from nominal sizing can exist. A
ratio of the profile-measured cross-sectional area to the ideal
calculated cross-sectional area provided a calculated fill of
99%.
[0212] The structured film can be stretched in a manner similar to
that in Example 1.
Example 3
[0213] A polyethylene naphthalate (PEN) with an inherent viscosity
(I.V.) of 0.56 was made in a reactor vessel.
[0214] The PEN pellets were dried to remove residual water and
loaded into the extrusion hopper under a nitrogen purge. The PEN
was extruded with a flat temperature profile of 288.degree. C.
within the extruder and the continuing melt train through to the
die set at 288.degree. C. Melt train pressures were continuously
monitored and an average taken at the final monitored position
along the melt train prior to bringing the die into close proximity
to the tool onto which the polymer film is formed simultaneously
with the structuring of a first surface of that film against the
tool.
[0215] The tool was a structured belt having the desired negative
version of the structured surface formed on the cast film. The
structured surface comprised a repeating and continuous series of
isosceles right triangular prisms, with basal widths (BW) of 50
microns and height (P) of nearly 25 microns. The basal vertices of
the individual prisms were shared by their adjoining, neighboring
structures. The prisms were aligned along the casting (MD)
direction. The structured surface of the tool was coated with a
fluorochemical benzotriazole having the formula
##STR00005##
[0216] where R.sub.f is C.sub.8F.sub.17 and R is
--(CH.sub.2).sub.2--. The tool was mounted on a
temperature-controlled rotating can which provides a continuous
motion of the tool surface along the casting (MD) direction. The
measured surface temperature of the tool averaged 144.degree.
C.
[0217] The die orifice through which the molten polymer exits the
melt train was brought into close proximity with the rotating belt
tool forming a final slot between the tool and die. The pressure at
the final monitored position along the melt train increased as the
die and tool became closer. The difference between this final
pressure and the previously recorded pressure is referred to as the
slot pressure drop. The slot pressure drop in this example was
5.51.times.10.sup.6 Pa (800 psi) providing sufficient pressure to
drive the molten polymer into the structured cavities formed by the
tool negative. The film thereby formed and structured, was conveyed
by the tool rotation from the slot, quenched with additional air
cooling, stripped from the tool and wound into a roll. Including
the height of the structures, the total thickness of the cast film
(T) was about 600 microns.
[0218] The cast and wound polymer film closely replicated the tool
structure. Using contact profilometry, (e.g. a KLA-Tencor P-10 with
a 60.degree. 2 micron radius stylus). A clear, reasonably sharp
prismatic structure was identified on the surface of the film. The
measured profile exhibited the expected, nearly right triangular
form with straight edges and a slightly rounded apex. The
replicated prisms on the polymeric film surface were measured to
have a basal width (BW) of 50 microns and a height (P) of 23.3
microns. The peak-to-peak spacing (PS) was approximately the same
as the basal width (BW). The profilometry is limited to about a
micron in resolution due to the shape and size of the stylus probe
and the actual apex may be considerably higher. The tool is also
imperfect and small deviations from nominal sizing can exist. To
better characterize the actual extent of fill, e.g. characterize
the precision of replication with the tool, the profilometry
cross-section was fit to a triangle. Using data from the measured
profile, the edges were fit as straight lines along the legs of the
cross-section between 5 and 15 micron height as measured from the
base. An ideal apex height of 24.6 microns was calculated. A ratio
of the profile-measured cross-sectional area to the ideal
calculated cross-sectional area provided a calculated fill of
98.0%.
[0219] The structured cast film was stretched in a nearly truly
uniaxial manner along the continuous length direction of the
prisms, using a batch tenter process. The film was preheated to
nominally 165.degree. C. as measured in the plenums and stretched
at this temperature over 25 seconds at a uniform speed (edge
separation) to a final stretch ratio of about 6. The structured
surfaces maintained a prismatic shape with reasonably straight
cross-sectional edges (reasonably flat facets) and approximately
similar shape.
[0220] Table 1 shows the effect of stretching at various distances
from the center of the cast film.
TABLE-US-00001 Ratio of Relative Nominal higher to In-plane
In-plane Refractive Distance Length Thick. lower cross Thickness
Peak width refractive refractive index Relative from Stretch
Stretch sectional (T') Peak Height (BW') index along index perp.
through Birefrin- Center Ratio Ratio stretch ratios microns (P')
Microns Microns stretch to stretch thickness gence 0.000 0.427
0.381 1.12 230 8.4127 22.025 1.8095 1.5869 1.5785 0.0370 0.044
0.427 0.385 1.11 230 8.4494 21.95385 1.81 1.5873 1.5781 0.0405
0.089 0.427 0.377 1.13 230 8.4226 22.08462 1.8101 1.5869 1.5779
0.0395 0.133 0.427 0.414 1.03 250 8.3739 22.16154 1.8101 1.5871
1.5778 0.0409 0.178 0.427 0.385 1.11 230 8.3923 22.05 1.8104 1.5866
1.5781 0.0373 0.222 0.422 0.377 1.12 230 8.3194 21.9286 1.8132
1.5859 1.5799 0.0261 0.267 0.417 0.368 1.13 220 8.1205 21.85 1.8153
1.5859 1.5778 0.0347 0.311 0.417 0.352 1.18 210 7.8141 21.9143
1.8166 1.5859 1.5752 0.0453 0.356 0.411 0.335 1.23 200 7.4737
21.9615 1.818 1.5875 1.5744 0.0553 0.400 0.406 0.322 1.26 190
7.1668 22.1071 1.8173 1.5887 1.572 0.0705 0.444 0.406 0.31 1.31 190
6.8934 22.5143 1.8166 1.5908 1.5727 0.0771 0.489 0.411 0.301 1.37
180 6.6182 22.85 1.8161 1.5917 1.5718 0.0849 0.533 0.417 0.289 1.44
170 6.3933 23.4154 1.8146 1.5924 1.5714 0.0902 0.578 0.422 0.272
1.55 160 5.8504 24.2167 1.8163 1.5979 1.5686 0.1257 0.622 0.438
0.264 1.66 160 5.6835 25.3154 1.8131 1.5988 1.5662 0.1414 0.667
0.458 0.264 1.73 160 5.6538 26.8769 1.8112 1.6014 1.5643 0.1625
0.711 0.484 0.26 1.86 160 5.6149 28.725 1.8111 1.6112 1.5615 0.2211
0.756 0.51 0.251 2.03 150 5.5633 30.8818 1.811 1.6089 1.5579 0.2241
0.800 0.552 0.247 2.23 150 5.4791 33.77 1.8117 1.6128 1.552 0.2652
0.844 0.594 0.243 2.44 150 5.6443 36.075 1.8143 1.6164 1.5454
0.3042 Relative distance from center = distance from center/one
half of the width of the film
Example 4
[0221] A polyethylene naphthalate (PEN) with an inherent viscosity
(IV.) of 0.56 was made in a reactor vessel.
[0222] The PEN pellets were dried to remove residual water and
loaded into the extrusion hopper under a nitrogen purge. The PEN
was extruded with a flat temperature profile of 288.degree. C.
within the extruder and the continuing melt train through to the
die set at 288.degree. C. Melt train pressures were continuously
monitored and an average taken at the final monitored position
along the melt train prior to bringing the die into close proximity
to the tool onto which the polymer film is formed simultaneously
with the structuring of a first surface of that film against the
tool.
[0223] The tool was a structured belt having the desired negative
version of the structured surface formed on the cast film. The
structured surface comprised a repeating and continuous series of
isosceles right triangular prisms, with basal widths (BW) of 50
microns and height (P) of nearly 25 microns. The basal vertices of
the individual prisms were shared by their adjoining, neighboring
structures. The prisms were aligned along the casting (MD)
direction. The structured surface of the tool was coated with a
fluorochemical benzotriazole having the formula
##STR00006##
where R.sub.f is C.sub.8F.sub.17 and R is --(CH.sub.2).sub.2--, as
disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,376,065. The tool was mounted on a
temperature-controlled rotating can which provides a continuous
motion of the tool surface along the casting (MD) direction. The
measured surface temperature of the tool averaged 153.degree.
C.
[0224] The die orifice through which the molten polymer exits the
melt train was brought into close proximity with the rotating belt
tool forming a final slot between the tool and die. The pressure at
the final monitored position along the melt train increased as the
die and tool became closer. The difference between this final
pressure and the previously recorded pressure is referred to as the
slot pressure drop. The slot pressure drop in this example was
4.13.times.10.sup.6 Pa (600 psi) providing sufficient pressure to
drive the molten polymer into the structured cavities formed by the
tool negative. The film thereby formed and structured, was conveyed
by the tool rotation from the slot, quenched with additional air
cooling, stripped from the tool and wound into a roll. Including
the height of the structures, the total thickness of the cast film
(T) was about 600 microns.
[0225] The cast and wound polymer film closely replicated the tool
structure. Using contact profilometry, (e.g. a KLA-Tencor P-10 with
a 60.degree. 2 micron radius stylus). A clear, reasonably sharp
prismatic structure was identified on the surface of the film. The
measured profile exhibited the expected, nearly right triangular
form with straight edges and a slightly rounded apex. The
replicated prisms on the polymeric film surface were measured to
have a basal width (BW) of microns and a height (P) of 23.5
microns. The peak-to-peak spacing (PS) was approximately the same
as the basal width (BW). The profilometry is limited to about a
micron in resolution due to the shape and size of the stylus probe
and the actual apex may be considerably higher. The tool is also
imperfect and small deviations from nominal sizing can exist. To
better characterize the actual extent of fill, e.g. characterize
the precision of replication with the tool, the profilometry
cross-section was fit to a triangle. Using data from the measured
profile, the edges were fit as straight lines along the legs of the
cross-section between 5 and 15 micron height as measured from the
base. An ideal apex height of 24.6 microns with an included apex
angle of 91.1.degree. was calculated. A ratio of the
profile-measured cross-sectional area to the ideal calculated
cross-sectional area provided a calculated fill of 98.0%.
[0226] The structured cast film was stretched in a nearly truly
uniaxial manner along the continuous length direction of the prisms
using the batch tenter process. The film was preheated to nominally
158.degree. C. for stretched at this temperature over 90 seconds at
a uniform speed (edge separation) to a final stretch ratio of about
6. The structured surfaces maintained a prismatic shape with
reasonably straight cross-sectional edges (reasonably flat facets)
and approximately similar shape.
[0227] The same contact profilometry as used on the cast film was
used to measure the stretched film. The basal width after stretch
(BW') was measured by microscopy cross-sectioning to be 22 microns
and the peak height after stretch (P') was measured to be 8.5
microns. The final thickness of the film (T'), including the
structured height, was calculated to be about 220 microns. The
indices of refraction were measured on the backside of the
stretched film using a Metricon Prism Coupler as available from
Metricon, Piscataway, N.J., at a wavelength of 632.8 nm. The
indices along the first in-plane (along the prisms), second
in-plane (across the prisms) and in the thickness direction were
measured to be 1.790, 1.577 and 1.554 respectively. The relative
birefringence in the cross-sectional plane of this stretched
material was thus 0.10.
[0228] Using the profilometry data, the ratio of the apparent
cross-sectional areas provide a measured estimate of the stretch
ratio of 6.4, uncorrected for density changes upon stretching and
orientation. Using this value of 6.4 for the stretch ratio and the
profilometry data, the shape retention parameter was calculated to
be 0.94.
Example 5
[0229] A co-polymer (so-called 40/60 coPEN) comprising 40 mol %
polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and 60 mol % polyethylene
naphthalate character, as determined by the carboxylate
(terephthalate and naphthalate) moiety (sub-unit) ratios, was made
in a reactor vessel. The inherent viscosity (I.V.) was about
0.5.
[0230] The 40/60 coPEN resin pellets were dried to remove residual
water and loaded into the extrusion hopper under a nitrogen purge.
The 40/60 coPEN was extruded with a decreasing temperature profile
of 285.degree. C. to 277.degree. C. within the extruder and the
continuing melt train through to the die set at 288.degree. C. Melt
train pressures were continuously monitored and an average taken at
the final monitored position along the melt train prior to bringing
the die into close proximity to the tool onto which the polymer
film is formed simultaneously with the structuring of a first
surface of that film against the tool.
[0231] The tool was a structured belt having the desired negative
version of the structured surface formed on the cast film. The
structured surface comprised a repeating and continuous series of
isosceles right triangular prisms, with basal widths (BW) of 50
microns and height (P) of nearly 25 microns. The basal vertices of
the individual prisms were shared by their adjoining, neighboring
structures. The prisms were aligned along the casting (MD)
direction. The structured surface of the tool was coated with a
fluorochemical benzotriazole having the formula
##STR00007##
[0232] where R.sub.f is C.sub.4F.sub.9 and R is
--(CH.sub.2).sub.6--, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,376,065. The
tool was mounted on a temperature-controlled rotating can which
provides a continuous motion of the tool surface along the casting
(MD) direction. The measured surface temperature of the tool
averaged 102.degree. C.
[0233] The die orifice through which the molten polymer exits the
melt train was brought into close proximity with the rotating belt
tool forming a final slot between the tool and die. The pressure at
the final monitored position along the melt train increased as the
die and tool became closer. The difference between this final
pressure and the previously recorded pressure is referred to as the
slot pressure drop. The slot pressure drop in this example was
4.23.times.10.sup.6 Pa (614 psi) providing sufficient pressure to
drive the molten polymer into the structured cavities formed by the
tool negative. The film thereby formed and structured, was conveyed
by the tool rotation from the slot, quenched with additional air
cooling, stripped from the tool and wound into a roll. Including
the height of the structures, the total thickness of the cast film
(T) was about 560 microns.
[0234] The cast and wound polymer film closely replicated the tool
structure. Using contact profilometry, (e.g. a KLA-Tencor P-10 with
a 60.degree. 2 micron radius stylus), a clear, reasonably sharp
prismatic structure was identified on the surface of the film. The
measured profile exhibited the expected, nearly right triangular
form with straight edges and a slightly rounded apex. The
replicated prisms on the polymeric film surface were measured to
have a basal width (BW) of 49.9 microns and a height (P) of 23.5
microns. The peak-to-peak spacing (PS) was approximately the same
as the basal width (BW). The profilometry is limited to about a
micron in resolution due to the shape and size of the stylus probe
and the actual apex may be considerably higher. The tool is also
imperfect and small deviations from nominal sizing can exist. To
better characterize the actual extent of fill, e.g. characterize
the precision of replication with the tool, the profilometry
cross-section was fit to a triangle. Using data from the measured
profile, the edges were fit as straight lines along the legs of the
cross-section between 5 and 15 micron height as measured from the
base. An ideal apex height of 24.6 microns with an included apex
angle of 91.1.degree. was calculated. A ratio of the
profile-measured cross-sectional area to the ideal calculated
cross-sectional area provided a calculated fill of 98.0%.
[0235] The structured cast film was stretched in a nearly truly
uniaxial manner along the continuous length direction of the
prisms. Using a laboratory stretcher. The film was preheated to
103.degree. C. for 60 seconds and stretched at this temperature
over 20 seconds at a uniform speed (edge separation) to a final
stretch ratio of about 6. The structured surfaces maintained a
prismatic shape with reasonably straight cross-sectional edges
(reasonably flat facets) and approximately similar shape. The
indices of refraction were measured on the backside of the
stretched film using a Metricon Prism Coupler as available from
Metricon, Piscataway, N.J., at a wavelength of 632.8 nm. The
indices along the first in-plane (along the prisms), second
in-plane (across the prisms) and in the thickness direction were
measured to be 1.758, 1.553 and 1.551 respectively. The relative
birefringence in the cross-sectional plane of this stretched
material was thus 0.0097.
Example 6
[0236] A multilayer optical film made according to the procedures
as described in examples 1-4 of U.S. Patent Application Publication
2004/0227994 A1 was cast and the protective polypropylene skin
layer removed. The low index polymer used was a co-PET.
[0237] The multilayer optical film was cut into a sheet and dried
in an oven at 60.degree. C. for a minimum of 2 hours. The platens
were heated to 115.degree. C. The film was stacked in a
construction of layers in the order: cardboard sheet, chrome plated
brass plates (approx 3 mm thick), release liner, nickel
microstructure tool, multilayer optical film, release liner, chrome
plated brass plate (approx 3 mm thick), and cardboard sheet. The
construction was placed between the platens and closed. A pressure
of 1.38.times.10.sup.5 Pa (20 psi) was maintained for 60
seconds.
[0238] The structured surface of the nickel microstructure tool
comprised a repeating and continuous series of triangular prisms,
with a 90.degree. apex angle, basal widths (BW) of 10 microns and a
height (P) of about 5 microns. The basal vertices of the individual
prisms were shared by their adjoining, neighboring structures.
[0239] The embossed sheets were cut to an aspect ratio of 10:7
(along to across the grooves). The structured multilayer optical
film was stretched in a nearly truly uniaxial manner along the
continuous length direction of the prisms using a batch tenter
process. The film was preheated to nearly 100.degree. C., stretched
to a stretch ratio around 6 over about 20 seconds, and then the
stretching was reduced by about 10% while still in the tenter at
stretch temperature, to control shrinkage in the film. The final
thickness of the film (T'), including the structured height, was
measured to be 150 microns. The indices of refraction were measured
on the backside of the stretched film using a Metricon Prism
Coupler as available from Metricon, Piscataway, N.J., at a
wavelength of 632.8 nm. The indices along the first in-plane (along
the prisms), second in-plane (across the prisms) and in the
thickness direction were measured to be 1.699, 1.537 and 1.534
respectively. The birefringence in the cross-sectional plane of
this stretched material was thus 0.018.
Example 7
[0240] An oriented, microreplicated structure was constructed as
follows: 90.degree. prismatic grooves at 125 micron pitch were
embossed into an 0.010 inch thick film of cast PEN (polyether
naphalate) by compression molding at 125 C for 4 minutes. The tool
structured film was quenched in an icewater. After removal and
drying of the film, the film was then uniaxially stretched 5.times.
along the long axis of the grooves at 128 C. This resulted in
transverse shrinkage of 5%, yielding a final pitch of approximately
62 microns. The refractive index was measured to be 1.84 along the
oriented axis and 1.53 in the transverse direction. The indices of
refraction were measured on the flat backside of the film using a
Metricon Prism Coupler at a wavelength of 632.8 nm.
[0241] A piece of the oriented microstructured film was
subsequently adhered to a glass microscope slide with the
structured surface facing the slide using a UV curable acrylate
resin with an isotropic refractive index 1.593. The acrylate resin
was cured by multiple passes through the UV chamber--3 times on
each side to ensure full cure of the resin.
[0242] A Helium-Neon laser beam was passed through the slide
mounted oriented structured film. The HeNe laser was cleaned to a
uniform linear polarization by passing through a Glan-Thompson
polarizer. The ordinary-ray (o-ray) passed through the structure
with only a small degree of splitting, where the half angle of the
zeroth order divergence was found to be approximately 2.degree.. A
half-wave plate was then inserted immediately after the
Glan-Thompson in order to rotate the laser beam 90.degree. to the
orthogonal polarization (e-ray). The zeroth order beam showed a
divergence half angle of approximately 8.degree., or 4.times. the
divergence of the o-ray.
Example 8
[0243] A filter according to the invention was made from a polymer
film that was melt-cast onto a micro-grooved tool, length oriented,
fibrillated, and electret charged. The film was cast and length
oriented in a continuous process, depicted generally in FIG. 17,
employing standard extrusion techniques using a 400 melt index
polypropylene homopolymer resin, type 3505 from Exxon Co (now
ExxonMobil Chemical Co., Houston, Tex.). Molten resin at a
temperature of approximately 188.degree. C. was delivered from an
extruder 50 to the nip formed between a micro-grooved pattern roll
or tool 52 and a rubber nip roll 54. Temperature of the
micro-grooved tool 52 was maintained at approximately 52.degree. C.
with the cooperating rubber nip roll 54 maintained at approximately
27.degree. C. The nip force between the tool 52 and rubber nip roll
54 was maintained at 29 N/cm. The film path continued past heated
rolls 55 and 56, draw zone 57 and rubber nip roll 58 and associated
drive roll 59. The draw ratio, amount of elongation of the film
based on the ratio of the surface speeds of the tool and the final
winding roll (drive roll 59), was four to one. The micro-grooved
tool 52 had continuous, circumferentially aligned, "V" shaped
grooves disposed on its surface, with features like that shown in
FIG. 18. The grooves on the tool abutted one another across the
face of the tool and had a depth of 165 .mu.m with peak-to-peak
spacing of 120 .mu.m and an angle forming the groove of 40.degree..
The film produced had a basis weight of 22.1 g/m.sup.2 and a total
thickness of 81 Features on the surface of the film were
approximately 50 .mu.m in height. FIG. 19 is an illustrative photo
of a sample of the stretched film made as described above.
[0244] The film formed in the first extrusion step was fibrillated
using a hydroentangler 60 (FIG. 20), in this case exemplified by
Hydrolace 350 System, available from CEL International LTD.,
Coventry, England. A hydroentangler is a device that uses
high-pressure water jets to impinge on and entangle fibrous webs.
In this application the hydroentangler was employed to separate
features of the film into individual strands or bundles of strands.
Prior to fibrillation, two lengths of film were layered, one placed
on top of one another, and passed through the hydroentangler with
their microstructure features aligned in the machine direction of
the hydroentangler. The two film layers were fixed together at
their ends with adhesive tape and passed under a succession of six
jet-strips 62, 63, 64, 65, 66 and 67 that were directed towards,
and 2.54 cm above, perforated conveyor drums 68 and 70 as is
indicated in FIG. 20. The conveyor speed of the hydroentangler 60
was maintained at a rate of 5 m/min. Each jet-strip had a line of
evenly spaced jet holes, 15.75 holes/cm, with each hole having a
diameter of 120 microns. The first jet-strip 62 was operated at a
water pressure of 5 mega Pascal (MPa), while the second through
sixth jet strips, indicated as jet strips 63, 64, 65, 66 and 67,
were operated at 7.5 MPa, 10 MPa, 5 MPa, 7.5 MPa, and 10 Mpa,
respectively. After passing through the hydroentangler the film
segments were allowed to air dry prior to electret charging.
[0245] With the ends of the fibrillated film layers fixed with
adhesive tape the film was electret charged using a DC corona
discharge device. The film was electret charged by exposure to a
high voltage field in a method generally described in U.S. Pat. No.
3,998,916 (van Turnhout). The film was placed in contact with an
aluminum ground plane, and then passed twice under an electrically
positive 25 kV DC corona source, in air, at a rate of about 1.77
meters/min, while maintaining a current to ground plane of about
0.017 mA/cm of corona source length. The distance from corona
source to ground was about 4 cm. The electret charged film was then
formed into a filter bed of fibrils and tested for filter
performance.
[0246] The charged film was formed into a bed of fibrils by cutting
the electret charged fibrillated film into five to six centimeter
long segments and mixing by hand to form a 2.67 gram mass of
fibrils. The fibril mass was then formed by hand into the shape of
a cylindrical filter bed, 11.4 cm in diameter and 0.6 cm deep. This
fiber bed was placed in a test fixture and exposed to a particle
challenge and evaluated for particle capture efficiency and
pressure drop as outlined in the National Institute for
Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) standard and described in
United States Code of Federal Regulations, 42CFR84. Using a model
8127 automatic filter tester from TSI Incorporated, St. Paul Minn.,
an initial particle penetration was determined by forcing 0.3
micrometer diameter dioctyl phthalate (DOP) particles at a
concentration of 103 mg/m.sup.3 (generated using a TSI No. 212
sprayer with four orifices and 207 kPa aerosol pressure, 50 L/min
dilution air, and neutralizer on) through the filter bed at a rate
of 42.5 L/min (a face velocity of 6.9 centimeters per second). The
sample was exposed to the DOP aerosol for 30 seconds until the
readings stabilized. Particle penetration was measured at 47% with
a pressure drop of just 1.95 Pa (0.2 mmH.sub.2O). DOP penetration
and pressure drop were used to calculate a filter quality factor,
Q, from the natural log (ln) of the DOP penetration using the
following formula:
Q [ 1 / mm H 2 O ] = - Ln DOPPenetration ( % ) 100 PressureDrop [
mm H 2 O ] ##EQU00001##
[0247] The quality factor for the web tested was 3.8; quality
factors greater than 2 are generally accepted to represent
efficient filters.
Example 9
[0248] A film according to the invention was produced. The film
comprised a phase-separated film that had been embossed with linear
features and then biaxially stretched to both elongate the feature
and cause the film to become microporous. A microporous precursor
(unstretched) film, formed in the manner generally described in
U.S. Pat. No. 4,539,256 (Shipman), was made using a melt-blended
composition of homopolymer polypropylene and mineral oil. The
unstretched phase-separated film was produced from a 46:54 blend of
mineral oil (80 centistokes viscosity) and polypropylene (0.8 melt
flow index). Two layers of the film were embossed with a
micro-grooved tool in a hydraulic press heated to 155.degree. C. at
a pressure of 574 kPa for 30 seconds. The tool had linear grooves
that abutted each other running along the length of one surface of
a 12.7 cm.times.30.5 cm plate. The grooves on the master tool had a
depth of 92.9 .mu.m with peak-to-peak spacing of 67.8 .mu.m and an
angle forming the groove of 45.degree.. The groove was tilted
17.5.degree. from normal. The embossed film was then placed in a
small tentering frame and stretched to 1.5 times its width
(perpendicular to the features) and two times its width (parallel
to the features). The resulting microstructured-microporous film
was observed microscopically to have microporous structure
throughout the film including the features, as is evident in FIG.
21. Films of this type might find use in filtration, fuel cell, or
apparel applications where having an integral feature in the
microporous film would be beneficial.
Example 10
Crystallinity Index Method
[0249] Crystallinity index was determined using transmission
geometry data collected in the form of survey scans through use of
a Bruker GADDS Microdiffractometer (available from Bruker AXS Inc.
of Madison, Wis.), CuK.sub..alpha. radiation source, and HiStar 2D
position sensitive detector registry of the scattered radiation.
Samples were positioned so as to place the lengthwise dimension in
the vertical plane of the diffractometer. The diffractometer was
fitted with pinhole collimation that used a 300 micron aperture and
graphite incident beam monochromator. The detector was centered at
0 degrees (2.theta.), and no sample tilt was employed. Data were
accumulated for 15 minutes at a sample to detector distance of 6
cm. X-ray generator settings of 50 kV and 100 mA were employed;
values of crystallinity were reported as an index of the percent
crystallinity. Two-dimensional data were radially summed to produce
a conventional 1D diffraction pattern. The resulting pattern was
subjected to profile fitting using the program ORIGIN (Origin Lab
Co., Northhampton, Mass.) to separate amorphous and crystalline
polymer scattering components. For profile fitting, a parabolic
background model and a Gaussian peak shape model were employed.
Crystallinity index was evaluated as the ratio of crystalline
scattering above background to total amorphous and crystalline
scattering above background within the 10 to 35 degrees (2.theta.)
scattering angle range.
Example 10b
[0250] A microstructured and drawn film of the invention was made
from a polymer that was melt-cast onto a micro-grooved master tool
and length oriented. The microreplicated film was produced by
extruding polymer into a nip, with one surface being formed from
the metal tool and the other surface being formed from a flat
silicone rubber belt surface. The film was cast in a continuous
process employing standard extrusion techniques using a 9.0 melt
index polypropylene homopolymer resin, type 3576X from Total
Petrochemicals USA, Houston, Tex. Molten resin at a temperature of
approximately 229.degree. C. was delivered to the nip formed
between a micro-grooved master tool and a rubber belt. The
temperature of the micro-grooved casting roll was maintained at
approximately 60.degree. C. with the cooperating rubber belt
maintained with a surface temperature of 171-177.degree. C. The nip
force between the casting roll and rubber belt was maintained at
80.8 N/cm. The micro-grooved master tool had continuous,
circumferentially aligned, "V" shaped grooves disposed on its
surface, with features like that shown in FIG. 22. The grooves on
the master tool had larger features having a depth of 66 .mu.m with
peak-to-peak spacing of 236 .mu.m and an angle forming the groove
of 54.degree.. The smaller features had a depth of 39 .mu.m with
peak-to-peak spacing of 52 .mu.m and an angle forming the groove of
54.degree.. The film produced had a basis weight of 60.7 g/m.sup.2
and a total thickness of 106 .mu.m. The separation span between
adjacent features was 13 .mu.m. Features on the surface of the
film, shown in FIG. 23, followed the form of the master tool and
had a height of 49 .mu.m for the larger features and 30 .mu.m for
the small features with a land thickness of 57 .mu.m.
[0251] A film sample was uniaxially drawn, using a Karo IV
Laboratory drawing machine, available from Bruckner ServTec,
Siegsdorf, Germany. The film sample was cut into a 100 mm.times.100
mm square, and drawn along the axis of the microstructure features.
After equilibrating to a temperature of 150.degree. C. the film
sample was draw at a rate of 3.5 m/min to length five times their
original length resulting in draw ratio of 5:1. The sample was then
subjected to x-ray crystallography analysis to determine the degree
of crystallinity, result are given in Table 1.
Comparative Example 10b
[0252] A drawn and then microstructured film was produced and
tested as described in Example 1b except that the microstructured
features were applied to the film after it had been drawn. Using
the same material as described in Example 10b, the film of the
comparative was produced by extruding a thin molten sheet between a
smooth metal casting roll and a smooth rubber roll. Molten resin at
a temperature of approximately 294.degree. C. was delivered to the
nip formed between the smooth metal roll, and smooth rubber roll.
The metal casting roll was maintained at a temperature of
22.degree. C., while the cooperating rubber roll was cooled using
14.degree. C. water. The surface temperature of the rubber roll was
not measured but was appreciable higher than the temperature of the
cooling water. The nip force between the casting roll and rubber
belt was maintained at 169 N/cm. The resultant film had a nominal
thickness of 70 .mu.m and a basis weight of 59 g/m.sup.2. A sample
of the film was taken and drawn as described in Example 10b. The
drawn sample was then micro-machined on one surface using a
diamond-tipped tool. Features of the same general configuration and
orientation to the draw direction, as the drawn film produced in
Example 10b, were cut into the film. To machine the film, a section
was mounted on a precision turning drum, the drum was rotated at a
surface speed of 31.7 m/min and the diamond tip brought to contact
the film. The 90.degree. sharp-tip diamond tool was plunged into
the film to produce abutting channels that were 12-15 um um deep. A
Model SS-156 tooling machine, from Pneumo Precision Products Inc.
was used to machine the film (Pneumo Precision Products Inc. became
the Pneuma ultra-precision machine tool division of Taylor Hobson
(formerly Rank Taylor Hobson/Rank Pneumo), and has since merged
into Precitech, Inc., Keene, N.H.). The sample was then subjected
to x-ray crystallography analysis to determine the degree of
crystallinity, result are given in Table 1.
TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 1 Example 10b C10b Crystallinity Index 0.35
0.29
[0253] Results: As is illustrated by the crystallinity index the
inventive film retained a desirably greater crystalline level than
the comparative film, even though both films were drawn to an
equivalent degree and had similar microstructure features. The
results indicate that the crystalline morphology of the
microstructure features is retained for the inventive film but lost
in the comparative film, where the microstructure features are
formed into the film after drawing. Higher degree of crystallinity
results in desirable mechanical and optical properties.
* * * * *