Method of Manufacturing Thermoplastic Membrane Articles and Methods of Use
AssigneeOMNOVA Solutions Inc.
InventorWilliam D. Tippins
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A release liner web has thermoplastic membranes coated on opposite sides of the release liner web that are thermoplastically fused proximally to an edge of the release liner web, nearly doubling the width of thermoplastic membranes that can be prepared using conventional equipment. Also described are geomembranes prepared from an amorphous or semi-crystalline thermoplastic sheet material and having a high gloss surface, and methods of manufacture and use of same.
Claims34
A method of manufacturing a wide, fused thermoplastic membrane, comprising:
- drawing a release liner web into a throat between parallel, spaced apart first and second nip rollers of a membrane extruder, the release liner web having first and second sides and first and second opposed edges;
- simultaneously extruding a molten first thermoplastic and a molten second thermoplastic that are compatible and fusible with each other into the throat of the two rollers, wherein the first thermoplastic is extruded between the first side of the release liner web and the first roller, and wherein the molten second thermoplastic is extruded into the throat of the two rollers between the second side of the release liner web and the second roller, the resulting first and second thermoplastic membranes being wider than the release liner web and thereby fusing the first thermoplastic and the second thermoplastic proximally to the first and second edges of the release liner web to encapsulate the release liner web and to form a thermoplastic/release liner web composite;
- slitting an edge of the resulting thermoplastic/release liner web composite to provide the first thermoplastic membrane coated on the first side of the release liner and the second thermoplastic membrane coated on the second side of the release liner, wherein the first thermoplastic membrane and the second thermoplastic membrane are fused proximally to the second edge of the release liner web.
A fused thermoplastic/release liner web composite comprising:
- a release liner web having first and second sides and first and second opposed edges;
- a first thermoplastic membrane coated on the first side of the release liner web;
- and
- a second thermoplastic membrane coated on the second side of the release liner web;
- wherein the first thermoplastic membrane and the second thermoplastic membrane are thermoplastically fused proximally to the second edge of the release liner web.
A method of simultaneously manufacturing a plurality of thermoplastic membranes, comprising:
- drawing at least one release liner web into a throat between parallel, spaced apart first and second nip rollers of a membrane extruder, the release liner web having first and second sides and first and second opposed edges;
- simultaneously extruding a molten first thermoplastic and a molten second thermoplastic into the throat of the two rollers, wherein the first thermoplastic is extruded between the first side of the release liner web and the first roller, and wherein the molten second thermoplastic is extruded into the throat of the two rollers between the second side of the release liner web and the second roller, the resulting first and second thermoplastic membranes being wider than the release liner web, to form a thermoplastic/release liner web composite;
- slitting both edges of the resulting thermoplastic/release liner web composite to provide the first thermoplastic membrane coated on the first side of the release liner and the second thermoplastic membrane coated on the second side of the release liner, and wherein the first thermoplastic membrane and the second thermoplastic membrane are not fused to each other.
A method of manufacturing a fused thermoplastic membrane tube, comprising:
- drawing a release liner web into a throat between parallel, spaced apart first and second nip rollers of a membrane extruder, the release liner web having first and second sides and first and second opposed edges;
- simultaneously extruding a molten first thermoplastic and a molten second thermoplastic that are compatible and fusible with each other into the throat of the two rollers, wherein the first thermoplastic is extruded between the first side of the release liner web and the first roller, and wherein the molten second thermoplastic is extruded into the throat of the two rollers between the second side of the release liner web and the second roller, the resulting first and second thermoplastic membranes being wider than the release liner web and thereby fusing the first thermoplastic and the second thermoplastic proximally to the first and second edges of the release liner web to encapsulate the release liner web and to form a thermoplastic/release liner web composite;
- and
- cutting the resulting thermoplastic/release liner web composite in a cross machine direction to provide a thermoplastic/release liner tube.
A method of manufacturing a fused thermoplastic membrane bladder, comprising:
- drawing a release liner web having a predetermined length into a throat between parallel, spaced apart first and second nip rollers of a membrane extruder, the release liner web having first and second sides and first and second opposed side edges and front and back edges;
- simultaneously extruding a molten first thermoplastic and a molten second thermoplastic that are compatible and fusible with each other into the throat of the two rollers, wherein the first thermoplastic is extruded between the first side of the release liner web and the first roller, and wherein the molten second thermoplastic is extruded into the throat of the two rollers between the second side of the release liner web and the second roller, the resulting first and second thermoplastic membranes being wider and longer than the release liner web and thereby fusing the first thermoplastic and the second thermoplastic proximally to the first and second side edges and the front and back edges of the release liner web to encapsulate the release liner web and to form a thermoplastic/release liner web composite;
- and
- cutting the resulting thermoplastic/release liner web composite in a cross machine direction at a location that does not correspond to the release liner to provide a thermoplastic/release liner bladder.
A geomembrane prepared from an amorphous or semi-crystalline thermoplastic sheet material, the geomembrane having first and second major surfaces, wherein at least the first major surface of the geomembrane is provided with a surface structure that has an average gloss value that is greater than about 10 in a 20° gloss angle measurement taken in accordance with ASTM 2457-03.
A geomembrane prepared from an amorphous or semi-crystalline thermoplastic sheet material, the geomembrane having first and second major surfaces, wherein at least the first major surface of the geomembrane is provided with a surface structure having sufficient gloss value that the resulting geomembrane exhibits a secant angle that is greater than about 35 at a normal force of 250 psf when measurement is using Type III sand taken in accordance with ASTM D 5321-02.
A geomembrane prepared from an amorphous or semi-crystalline thermoplastic sheet material, the geomembrane having first and second major surfaces, wherein at least the first major surface of the geomembrane is provided with a surface structure having sufficient gloss value that the resulting geomembrane exhibits a secant angle that is greater than about 25 at a normal force of 250 psf when measurement is using a geonet taken in accordance with ASTM D 5321-02.
A method of making a geomembrane prepared from an amorphous or semi-crystalline thermoplastic sheet material and having high gloss on at least one surface, comprising:
- drawing a release liner web into a throat between parallel, spaced apart first and second nip rollers of a membrane extruder, the release liner web having first and second sides;
- simultaneously extruding a molten thermoplastic into the throat of the two rollers, wherein the first thermoplastic is extruded between the first side of the release liner web and the first roller, thereby forming an amorphous or semi-crystalline thermoplastic sheet material having a first major surface in contact with the release liner web, wherein upon removal of the release liner web from the amorphous or semi-crystalline thermoplastic sheet material the first major surface of the thermoplastic sheet material exhibits high gloss.
A method of making a geomembrane prepared from an amorphous or semi-crystalline thermoplastic sheet material and having high gloss on at least one surface, comprising:
- extruding a molten thermoplastic into a throat between parallel, spaced apart first and second nip rollers of a membrane extruder, thereby forming an amorphous or semi-crystalline thermoplastic sheet material having a first and a second major surface;
- contacting at least the first major surface with a surface finishing roller under conditions to impart the first major surface of the thermoplastic sheet material with a high gloss surface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.