Degradable breathable multilayer film with improved properties and method of making same
AssigneeKimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
InventorsVasily Topolkaraev, Patrick Downey
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A multilayer film includes a plastic layer and an elastomeric layer. The plastic layer and/or the elastomeric layer can contain filler particles, and may be present as a well bonded bilayer laminate. The plastic layer and a filled elastomeric layer can also be combined with an unfilled elastomeric layer to form a tri-layer laminate. The film has an average roughness of about 500 to about 1,000 nanometers. The multilayer films can provide breathable films with improved degradability, stretchability and recoverability, and tactile feel.
Claims18
A multilayer film, comprising:
- a plastic layer;
- and
- an elastomeric layer,
- wherein the plastic layer and the elastomeric layer form a well bonded bilayer laminate;
- and wherein the film has an average surface roughness of about 500 to about 1,000 nanometers.
A method of making a multilayer film, comprising:
- extruding a plastic layer;
- extruding an elastomeric layer;
- combining the plastic layer and the elastomeric layer in a multilayer combining block to form a laminate;
- separating the laminate to form a pair of laminate halves each including a portion of the plastic layer and a portion of the elastomeric layer;
- stretching the laminate halves to thin and widen the laminate halves;
- stacking the laminate halves to reform another laminate having alternating plastic and elastomeric layers in parallel stacking arrangement;
- repeating the separating, stretching and stacking to form a multilayer structure having a plurality of alternating plastic and elastomeric layers in parallel stacking arrangement;
- allowing the multilayer structure to solidify into a solidified film;
- and
- stretching the solidified film to at least three times its original length to form a multilayer film,
- wherein the multilayer film is a well bonded laminate having an average surface roughness of about 500 to about 1,000 nanometers.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.