Transparent, anti-fog tape or film and related devices and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12209207-B2
Application number	US-202217833101-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 6, 2022
Priority date	Jun 4, 2021
Publication date	Jan 28, 2025
Grant date	Jan 28, 2025

Abstract

The present disclosure generally relates to a stretchable anti-fogging tape (SAT) that can be applied to diverse transparent materials with varied curvatures for persistent fogging prevention. The SAT comprises three synergistically-combined transparent layers: i) a stretchable middle layer with high elastic recovery to keep transparent materials tightly bound; ii) an anti-fogging top layer to impart hydrophilicity to transparent materials; and iii) an adhesive bottom layer to form robust yet reversible adhesion between transparent materials and SATs. The SAT can be configured to have water condensate form a predominantly continuous film thereon in response to a high humidity environment At least two applications are demonstrated, including the SAT-adhered eyeglasses and goggles for clear fog-free vision, and the SAT-adhered condensation cover for efficient solar-powered freshwater production.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An anti-fog tape configured to be applied to a transparent object, comprising:
a first, hydrophilic layer that is configured to have water condensate form a predominantly continuous film thereon in response to a high humidity environment;
a second, stretchable layer having an elastic recovery of at least about 0.50, the second, stretchable layer being covalently crosslinked with the first, hydrophilic layer; and
a third, adhesive layer,
wherein a diffuse transmittance of the anti-fog tape is approximately 5% or less in high-humidity environments.

2. The anti-fog tape of claim 1 , wherein the third, adhesive layer is configured to be reversibly adhesive.

3. The anti-fog tape of claim 1 , wherein the first, hydrophilic layer is in a swollen state.

4. The anti-fog tape of claim 1 , wherein a receding contact angle of the second, stretchable layer is approximately about 0°.

5. The anti-fog tape of claim 1 , wherein the anti-fog tape is devoid of each of an anti-fog spray, and one or more hydrophilic spray agents.

6. The anti-fog tape of claim 1 , wherein the second, stretchable layer comprises a low-density polyethylene.

7. The anti-fog tape of claim 1 , wherein the first, hydrophilic layer comprises uncrosslinked hydrophilic polymers.

8. The anti-fog tape of claim 7 , wherein the uncrosslinked hydrophilic polymers of the first, hydrophilic layer comprises uncrosslinked polyacrylamide that is covalently grafted to the first layer.

9. The anti-fog tape of claim 7 , wherein the uncrosslinked hydrophilic polymers provide the covalent crosslink between the second, stretchable layer and the first, hydrophilic layer.

10. The anti-fog tape of claim 1 , wherein the third, adhesive layer comprises crosslinked polydimethylsiloxane.

11. The anti-fog tape of claim 1 , wherein the diffuse transmittance of approximately 5% or less is maintained under at least one of uniaxial tension, punching, or cyclic scratching.

12. The anti-fog tape of claim 1 , wherein a total transmittance of the anti-fog tape is approximately at least 80%.

13. The anti-fog tape of claim 12 , wherein the total transmittance of approximately at least 80% is maintained under at least one of uniaxial tension, punching, or cyclic scratching.

14. The anti-fog tape of claim 12 , wherein the total transmittance of approximately at least 80% and the diffuse transmittance of approximately 5% or less is maintained for at least 50 days.

15. An object having the anti-fog tape of claim 1 coupled thereto, the object being a flat object or a curved object.

16. An anti-fog tape configured to be applied to a transparent object, comprising:
a first, hydrophilic layer that is configured to have water condensate form a predominantly continuous film thereon in response to a high humidity environment;
a second, stretchable layer having an elastic recovery of at least about 0.50; and
a third, adhesive layer,
wherein a diffuse transmittance of the anti-fog tape is approximately 5% or less in high-humidity environments, and
wherein a receding contact angle of the second, stretchable layer is approximately about 0°.

17. The anti-fog tape of claim 16 , wherein the first, hydrophilic layer comprises uncrosslinked hydrophilic polymers.

18. The anti-fog tape of claim 17 , wherein the uncrosslinked hydrophilic polymers of the first, hydrophilic layer comprises uncrosslinked polyacrylamide that is covalently grafted to the first layer.

19. The anti-fog tape of claim 17 , wherein the uncrosslinked hydrophilic polymers provide the covalent crosslink between the second, stretchable layer and the first, hydrophilic layer.

20. An anti-fog tape configured to be applied to a transparent object, comprising:
a first, hydrophilic layer that comprises uncrosslinked polyacrylamide that is covalently grafted to the first layer and is configured to have water condensate form a predominantly continuous film thereon in response to a high humidity environment;
a second, stretchable layer having an elastic recovery of at least about 0.50; and
a third, adhesive layer,
wherein a diffuse transmittance of the anti-fog tape is approximately 5% or less in high-humidity environments.

Assignees

• Massachusetts Inst Technology

Inventors

• Chen Gang
• Zhao Xuanhe
• Lin Shaoting
• Tsurimaki Yoichiro

Classifications

• C09J7/243

  Ethylene or propylene polymers · CPC title

• C09J2301/16

  by the structure of the carrier layer · CPC title

• C09J2301/122

  the adhesive layer being present only on one side of the carrier, e.g. single-sided adhesive tape · CPC title

• C09J2451/00

  Presence of graft polymer · CPC title

• C09J7/30

  characterised by the adhesive composition · CPC title