Process for making a metal-polymer composite having an irradiated and thermally adhered polymer coating
OwnerThomas L. Levendusky, Ronald G. Ankneyinventors
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Abstract
A process for making a metal-polymer composites sheet suitable for shaping into container end panels having improved adhesion and water resistance. A polymer precurser coating is applied to a metal sheet. The polymer precurser coating is selected from the group consisting of epoxy acrylates, silicones, and polyester acrylates. The polymer precurser coating on the metal sheet is irradiated with ultraviolet or an electron beam energy to polymerize the coating and heated to adhere the polymer to the microsurface of the metal sheet.
Claims16
A process for making a metal-polymer composite sheet suitable for shaping into food and beverage container end panels, comprising:
- (a) coating a metal sheet with a radiation curable polymer precurser;
- (b) irradiating said polymer precurser with ultraviolet or electron beam radiation in an amount sufficient to polymerize said polymer precurser to form a metal-polymer composite;
- and
- (c) heating said metal-polymer composite to adhere said polymer to said metal.
A process for making a aluminum alloy-polymer composite sheet suitable for shaping into food and beverage container end panels, comprising:
- (a) coating an aluminum alloy sheet with about a 1-13 microns thick layer of a radiation curable thermosetting polymer precurser;
- (b) irradiating said polymer precurser with about 2-20 mrads of electron beam radiation to polymerize said polymer precurser to form an aluminum alloy metal-polymer composite;
- and
- (c) heating said aluminum alloy-polymer composite to adhere said polymer to said metal.
A metal-polymer composite sheet suitable for shaping into food or beverage container end panels comprising an aluminum alloy sheet coated with a thermosetting polymer, said polymer polymerized by electron beam radiation and thermally adhered to said aluminum alloy sheet.
An aluminum alloy-polymer composite container comprising an exterior aluminum alloy shell and an interior polymeric coating polymerized on said shell and thermally adhered to said shell.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.