Ultraviolet radiation and atomic oxygen barrier films and methods of making and using the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12157941-B2
Application number	US-202218559484-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 9, 2022
Priority date	May 17, 2021
Publication date	Dec 3, 2024
Grant date	Dec 3, 2024

Abstract

Barrier films including a (co)polymeric substrate, at least one dyad on the substrate, each dyad made of a (co)polymer layer and an oxide layer overlaying the (co)polymer layer, and an outer (co)polymer layer overlaying the dyads. Optionally, at least one outer oxide layer overlays the outer (co)polymer layer. The barrier films transmit visible light and transmits, at an incident light angle of at least one of 0°, 30°, 45°, 60°, or 75°, at most 70 percent of incident ultraviolet light at a wavelength range from at least 100 nanometers to 400 nanometers or in a wavelength range from at least 100 nm to 350 nm. The barrier films exhibit atomic oxygen degradation of less than 1×10−20 mg/atom. The barrier films may be applied to decorative objects or electronic devices, (e.g., light receiving or emitting devices, in a satellite or aircraft. Methods of making the barrier films also are disclosed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A barrier film comprising:
a substrate comprised of a (co)polymer;
at least one dyad positioned on the substrate, wherein the at least one dyad is comprised of a (co)polymer layer overlaying the substrate and an oxide layer overlaying the (co)polymer layer; and
an outer (co)polymer layer overlaying the at least one dyad;
wherein the barrier film transmits visible light and transmits, at an incident light angle of at least one of 0°, 30°, 45°, 60°, or 75°, at most 70 percent of incident ultraviolet light in a wavelength range from at least 100 nanometers to 400 nanometers or in a wavelength range from at least 100 nm to 350 nm, and
further wherein the barrier film exhibits an atomic oxygen degradation, when tested according to the Atomic Oxygen Degradation Test, of less than 1×10 −20 mg/atom, 1×10 −21 mg/atom, or 1×10 −22 mg/atom.

2. The barrier film of claim 1 , wherein the substrate (co)polymer comprises a fluoropolymer, a polyimide (co)polymer, a cyclic olefin (co)polymer, poly(ethylene terephthalate), poly(ethylene naphthalate), poly(methyl methacrylate), polycarbonate, polypropylene, polyethylene, polysulfone, poly(ether sulfone), polyurethane, polyamide, poly(vinyl butyral), poly(vinyl chloride), and polybenzoxazole, optionally wherein the fluoropolymer comprises tetrafluoroethylene, hexafluoropropylene, vinylidene fluoride, a perfluoroalkoxy alkane, or a combination thereof.

3. The barrier film of claim 1 , wherein the at least one dyad is a plurality of dyads.

4. The barrier film of claim 1 , wherein each (co)polymer layer in the at least one dyad and the outer (co)polymer layer comprises a (co)polymer selected from an olefinic (co)polymer, a (meth)acrylate (co)polymer, a urethane (co)polymer, a fluoropolymer, a silicone (co)polymer, or a combination thereof.

5. The barrier film of claim 1 , wherein the outer (co)polymer layer overlaying the at least one dyad comprises at least one of a UV mirror film, a multilayer optical film, a heat sealable encapsulating film, or a combination thereof.

6. The barrier film of claim 4 , wherein the outer (co)polymer layer is crosslinked.

7. The barrier film of claim 1 , wherein at least one (co)polymer layer in the at least one dyad or the outer (co)polymer layer further comprises an ultraviolet radiation absorber, a hindered amine light stabilizer, an antioxidant, or a combination thereof.

8. The barrier film of claim 7 , wherein the ultraviolet radiation absorber is selected from a benzotriazole compound, a benzophenone compound, a triazine compound, or a combination thereof.

9. The barrier film of claim 1 , wherein the oxide layer in the at least one dyad comprises a metal oxide selected from silicon oxide, silica alumina oxide, gallium oxide, magnesium oxide, niobium oxide, titanium dioxide, yttrium oxide, zinc oxide, tin oxide, nickel oxide, aluminum doped zinc oxide, indium tin oxide, zirconium oxynitride, hafnia, alumina, alumina doped silica, lanthanum fluoride, neodymium fluoride, aluminum fluoride, magnesium fluoride, calcium fluoride, or a combination thereof.

10. The barrier film of claim 1 , further comprising at least one outer oxide layer overlaying the outer (co)polymer layer and further wherein the at least one outer oxide layer overlaying the outer (co)polymer layer comprises at least one layer comprised of hafnia, zirconium oxynitride, silicon oxide, gallium oxide, indium tin oxide, niobium oxide, titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, tin oxide, nickel oxide, silica aluminum oxide, aluminum doped zinc oxide, or a combination thereof.

11. The barrier film of claim 10 , wherein the at least one outer oxide layer comprises a plurality of outer oxide layers comprised of hafnia, zirconium oxynitride, silicon oxide, gallium oxide, indium tin oxide, tin oxide, nickel oxide, silica aluminum oxide, niobium oxide, titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, aluminum doped zinc oxide, or a combination thereof and a top layer comprised of silicon oxide.

12. The barrier film of claim 1 , further comprising an adhesion-promoting layer positioned between at least one of the substrate and the at least one dyad, the (co)polymer layer and the oxide layer of the at least one dyad, or the oxide layer and the outer (co)polymer layer.

13. The barrier film of claim 1 , wherein incident light transmission through the barrier film is greater than 30 percent in a wavelength range from at least 400 nanometers to 1500 nanometers.

14. An article comprising the barrier film of claim 1 applied to a surface of (i) a decorative object, the decorative object further comprising a graphic film, a paint, an ink, a stain, a dye, a lacquer, or a combination thereof, or (ii) an electronic device, the electronic device further comprising a light emitting device, a light receiving device, a photovoltaic device, a thin film transistor or a combination thereof.

15. A process of making the barrier film of claim 1 , comprising:
providing the substrate;
applying the at least one dyad to the substrate by applying a (co)polymer layer overlaying the substrate and applying an oxide layer overlaying the (co)polymer layer; and
applying an outer (co)polymer layer overlaying the at least one dyad.

16. The process of claim 15 , wherein applying the (co)polymer layer to the substrate comprises:
evaporating at least one monomer, oligomer or pre-(co)polymer;
condensing the at least one monomer, oligomer or pre-(co)polymer on the substrate; and
curing the at least one monomer, oligomer or pre-(co)polymer to form the (co)polymer layer overlaying the substrate.

17. The process of claim 15 , further comprising applying at least one outer oxide layer overlaying the outer (co)polymer layer, wherein applying the oxide layer comprises evaporating a metal alkoxide and reacting the metal alkoxide with water to form the oxide layer overlaying the (co)polymer layer overlaying the substrate, or sputter depositing an oxide material to form the oxide layer overlaying the (co)polymer layer overlaying the substrate.

18. The process of claim 15 , further comprising:
forming a plurality of dyads overlaying the substrate by repeatedly applying the (co)polymer layer to the substrate and applying the oxide layer overlaying the (co)polymer layer to the substrate to create alternating (co)polymer layers and oxide layers between the substrate and the outer (co)polymer layer overlaying the plurality of dyads.

19. The process of claim 15 , further comprising:
forming an adhesion-promoting layer positioned between at least one of the substrate and the at least one dyad, the (co)polymer layer and the oxide layer of the at least one dyad, the oxide layer and the outer (co)polymer layer, or the outer (co)polymer layer and the oxide layer overlaying the outer (co)polymer layer, optionally wherein the adhesion promoting layer comprises the reaction product of at least one silane compound.

Assignees

• 3M Innovative Properties Company

Inventors

• Sweetnam Sean M
• Maki Stephen P
• Hebrink Timothy J
• Pierpont Daniel M
• Weigel Mark D
• Rowe David J
• Pietz Brandon R
• Lyons Christopher S
• Hagen Kevin D

Classifications

• C23C14/5833

  Ion beam bombardment · CPC title

• C23C14/24

  Vacuum evaporation · CPC title

• C23C14/12

  Organic material · CPC title

• C23C14/08 Primary

  Oxides (C23C14/10 takes precedence) · CPC title

• C23C14/0676

  Oxynitrides · CPC title