Surface modification of semicrystalline polymers
AssigneeMinnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
InventorsAndrew J. Ouderkirk, Douglas S. Dunn, Robert W. Warner
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Semicrystalline polymers can have predetermined amounts of their surfaces rendered quasi-amorphous by irradiation. Polymer surfaces which are so modified can display enhanced ability to accept bonding to other materials.
Claims36
A polymer article comprising a semicrystalline polymer in the form of a layer, sheet, film or coating having on at least one surface thereof areas having thicknesses of at least 5 nm of the same polymer in a quasi-amorphous state, said areas comprising from 5% to 100% of said at least one surface, wherein said semicrystalline polymer comprises a polymer selected from the group consisting of poly(vinyl chloride), poly(vinylidene chloride), polytetrafluoroethylene, nylon, polyurethane, polyester, polyolefin, and copolymers thereof.
A polymeric article comprising a semicrystalline polymer in the form of a layer, sheet, film or coating having on at least one surface thereof areas of said surface having thicknesses of at least 5 nm from the top of said surface, said areas comprising from 5% to 100% of said at least one surface, which areas have short-range ordering of the polymer consistent with an amorphous state of said polymer and having long-range ordering of the polymer consistent with a semicrystalline state of said polymer, wherein said semicrystalline polymer comprises a polymer selected from the group consisting of poly(vinyl chloride), poly(vinylidene chloride), polytetrafluoroethylene, nylon, polyurethane, polyester, polyolefin, and copolymers thereof.
A polymeric article comprising a semicrystalline polymer in the form of a layer, sheet, film or coating having a crystalline orientation therein and having on at least one surface thereof areas having thicknesses of at least 5 nm of the same polymer in a quasi-amorphous state, said areas comprising from 5% to 100% of said at least one surface, said quasi-amorphous areas having a latent memory for the crystallite orientation of said semicrystalline polymer, wherein said semicrystalline polymer comprises a polymer selected from the group consisting of poly(vinyl chloride), poly(vinylidene chloride), polytetrafluoroethylene, nylon, polyurethane, polyester, polyolefin, and copolymers thereof.
A polymeric article comprising a semicrystalline polymer having a crystallite orientation therein and having on at least one surface thereof areas having thicknesses of at least 5 nm of the same polymer in a quasi-amorphous state, said quasi-amorphous areas having a latent memory for the crystallite orientation of said semicrystalline polymer wherein said quasi-amorphous areas comprise 80 to 100% of said at least one surface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.