Films comprising polyurethanes and plasticized polyvinyl acetals that are useful as auto wraps

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025179335-A1
Application number	US-202218686024-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 25, 2022
Priority date	Aug 27, 2021
Publication date	Jun 5, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

Thermoplastic films are disclosed that are suitable for use as auto wraps. The films comprise a thermoplastic polymer layer comprising: a thermoplastic polyurethane polymer: a polyvinyl acetal polymer; and a polymeric plasticizer. The thermoplastic polyurethane polymer is present in the thermoplastic polymer layer in an amount from about 70 to about 99 percent by weight. The films further comprise a patterned adhesive layer.

First claim

1 . A thermoplastic film, comprising:
a. a thermoplastic polymer layer comprising:
i. a thermoplastic polyurethane polymer comprising the reaction product of:
1. an aliphatic diisocyanate,
2. an aliphatic polyol, and
3. a chain extending agent;

ii. a polyvinyl acetal polymer characterized by:
1. a % PVOH value from about 10 to about 26 and
2. a molecular weight from about 30,000 to about 300,000; and

iii. a polymeric plasticizer,
wherein the thermoplastic polyurethane polymer is present in the thermoplastic polyurethane layer in an amount from about 70 to about 97 percent by weight; and b. a patterned adhesive layer, wherein the thermoplastic film:
when tested by a 25% Heat Relaxation Test at a thickness of about 0.006 inches, exhibits a final load from about 0.01 to about 0.30 pounds force; and
when tested by a 25% Elastic Recovery test, exhibits a residual strain at one minute of 2% or greater.

2 . The thermoplastic film of claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic film further comprises a colored layer, positioned between the thermoplastic layer and the patterned adhesive layer.

3 . The thermoplastic film of claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic film further comprises a colored layer, positioned between the thermoplastic layer and the protective topcoat.

4 . The thermoplastic film of claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic film further comprises a protective topcoat provided with a pigment, positioned on the thermoplastic polyurethane layer.

5 . The thermoplastic film of claim 1 , wherein the patterned adhesive layer comprises a pigment.

6 . The thermoplastic film of claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic layer comprises a pigment.

7 . The thermoplastic film of claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic film, when tested by ASTM D-412, exhibits a stress at 5% strain of no greater than 700 psi.

8 . The thermoplastic film of claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic film, when tested by ASTM D-412, exhibits a stress at 5% strain of from about 100 to about 300 psi.

9 . The thermoplastic film of claim 1 , wherein the polyvinyl acetal polymer comprises polyvinyl butyral.

10 . The thermoplastic film of claim 1 , wherein the polyvinyl acetal polymer is characterized by a % PVOH value from 15 to about 25, and a molecular weight from about 50,000 to about 280,000.

11 . The thermoplastic film of claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic film, when tested by an Impact Force Attenuation Test, exhibits an attenuated load, and when tested by ASTM D-412, exhibits a tensile load per inch at 5% strain, and wherein a ratio of the attenuated load to the tensile load per inch at 5% strain is from about 200:1 to about 500:1.

12 . The thermoplastic film of claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic polyurethane polymer comprises a soft segment and a hard segment, and wherein the soft segment comprises from 40 to about 60 percent by weight of the thermoplastic polyurethane polymer.

13 . The thermoplastic film of claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic polyurethane layer further comprises one or more of: an aliphatic polyether thermoplastic polyurethane; ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA); poly(cyclohexylene dimethylene cyclohexanedicarboxylate), glycol and acid comonomer (PCCE); polyvinyl chloride; a thermoplastic polyamide, a thermoplastic polyolefin elastomer, a thermoplastic styrene block copolymer; or a thermoplastic aromatic copolyester ether elastomer.

14 . The thermoplastic film of claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic film is visually clear.

15 . The thermoplastic film of claim 1 , wherein the aliphatic diisocyanate comprises at least 80 mol % of one or more of 4,4′-Methylene dicyclohexyl diisocyanate, hexamethylene diisocyanate, or isophorone diisocyanate.

16 . The thermoplastic film of claim 1 , wherein the aliphatic polyol of the thermoplastic polyurethane polymer has a Mw from about 750 to about 2,000.

17 . The thermoplastic film of claim 1 , wherein the aliphatic polyol comprises an aliphatic polycaprolactone polyol.

18 . The thermoplastic film of claim 1 , wherein the aliphatic polyol comprises an aliphatic polyether polyol.

19 . The thermoplastic film of claim 1 , wherein the chain extending agent comprises a diol having from two to ten carbon atoms.

20 . The thermoplastic film of claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic polyurethane polymer or thermoplastic polyurethane polymer blend has a Tg from about −30° C. to about 60° C.

21 . The thermoplastic film of claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic polyurethane has a weight average molecular weight from 50,000 daltons to 400,000 daltons.

22 . The thermoplastic film of claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic polyurethane polymer comprises residues of hexamethylene diisocyanate, 1,4-butanediol, and caprolactone.

23 . The thermoplastic film of claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic film further comprises a protective topcoat on a side of the film opposite the patterned adhesive layer.

24 . The thermoplastic film of claim 1 , wherein the polymeric plasticizer comprises one or more of: triethyl citrate; acetyl triethyl citrate; tri-n-butyl citrate; acetyl tri-n-butyl citrate; a benzoate ester obtained by the reaction of benzoic acid and linear/branched alkyl residues in the range of C 7 -C 12 ; dibenzoate esters of C 2 -C 8 linear/branched glycols/diols; or polymers formed by the polymerization of glycols with one or more of adipic acid, phthalic acid, and sebacic acid.

25 . The thermoplastic film of claim 1 , wherein the polymeric plasticizer is a polymeric adipate plasticizer.

26 . An article coated with the thermoplastic film of claim 1 .

27 . The article of claim 26 , wherein the article comprises one or more of an automobile, a truck, or a train.

28 . A method of applying the thermoplastic film of claim 1 to a substrate, the method comprising:
a. exposing the patterned adhesive layer;
b. tacking the patterned adhesive layer of the thermoplastic film to at least one location on the substrate;
c. stretching the thermoplastic film and tacking the patterned adhesive layer to another location on the substrate;
d. smoothing out the thermoplastic film using one or more of a hand, a gloved hand, or a squeegee so that the thermoplastic film conforms to the substrate; and
e. wrapping the thermoplastic film around at least one edge of the substrate so as to hide an underlying color of the substrate.

29 . The method of claim 28 , wherein the thermoplastic film is heated during the method.

30 . The method of claim 28 , wherein the thermoplastic film is heated after the thermoplastic film is applied to the substrate, to accomplish one or more of: setting the film in place, reducing tension, or preventing post-application separation.

31 . The method of claim 28 , wherein the at least one location on the substrate is near a middle of the substrate.

Assignees

• Eastman Chem Co

Inventors

• Young Robert Erik
• Bhat Sanmitra A
• Chen Wenjie
• Hochstetler Spencer Erich
• Jin Yan
• Pecorini Thomas Joseph

Classifications

• C09J2475/00

  Presence of polyurethane · CPC title

• C09J2467/00

  Presence of polyester · CPC title

• C09J2459/00

  Presence of polyacetal · CPC title

• C09J11/02

  Non-macromolecular additives · CPC title

• C09J5/00

  Adhesive processes in general; Adhesive processes not provided for elsewhere, e.g. relating to primers · CPC title