Sulfonated block copolymer laminates with polar or active metal substrates

A permanent laminate formed by a process comprising:

• providing a film consisting essentially of a sulfonated block copolymer having at least one end block A and at least one interior block B, wherein each A block contains essentially no sulfonic acid or sulfonate ester functional groups and each B block is a polymer block containing from about 10 to about 100 mol percent sulfonic acid or sulfonate ester functional groups based on the number of monomer units,
• wherein the sulfonated block copolymer has a general configuration A-B-A, A-B-A-B-A, (A-B-A)nX, (A-B)nX, A-D-B-D-A, A-B-D-B-A, (A-D-B)nX, (A-B-D)nX or mixtures thereof;
• wherein n is an integer from 2 to about 30, and X is a coupling agent residue,
• wherein each D block is selected from the group consisting of (i) a polymerized or copolymerized conjugated diene selected from isoprene, 1,3-butadiene having a vinyl content prior to hydrogenation of between 20 and 80 mol percent, (ii) a polymerized acrylate monomer, (iii) a silicon polymer, (iv) a polymerized isobutylene and (v) mixtures thereof, wherein any segments containing polymerized 1,3-butadiene or isoprene are subsequently hydrogenated;
• and wherein the plurality of A blocks, B blocks, or D blocks are the same or different,
• exposing the film to water to obtain a partially or fully hydrated film,
• applying said partially or fully hydrated film directly to a polar surface or metal activated surface of a substrate, and
• laminating said partially or fully hydrated film onto the polar surface or activated metal surface of the substrate by drying to form the permanent laminate,
• wherein the polar surface or the metal activated surface has active metal and/or polar groups or moieties on the surface for forming any of a hydrogen bond, covalent bond, or ionic bond with the sulfonic acid or sulfonate ester functional groups of the film, and
• wherein the film does not delaminate from the substrate after being exposed to humidity of up to 85%, at a temperature of at least 60° C., for a duration of at least 72 hours, forming the permanent laminate.