Coated thermoplastic articles with removable coating

A method for making a thermoplastic article with a removable coating, the method comprising:

• applying a supramolecular polymer to an outer surface of a thermoplastic object at a first application temperature, wherein the supramolecular polymer has a melt temperature lower than the first application temperature;
• cooling the applied supramolecular polymer to a second application temperature lower than the melt temperature to form an interface layer of the thermoplastic object;
• and
• applying a coating to the interface layer,
• wherein the coating comprises an organic-inorganic hybrid coating, or the supramolecular polymer comprises a plurality of monomers with at least one flexible linker and an alkoxy group that bonds to the coating layer in response to exposure of the colloidal suspension on the solid interface to UV light.

A method for removing a coating layer from a coated thermoplastic article, the method comprising:

• applying heat to the coated thermoplastic article;
• and
• applying force to the coating layer of the coated thermoplastic article, wherein a thermoplastic portion of the coated thermoplastic article is coupled to a supramolecular polymer interface disposed between the coating layer and an outer surface of the thermoplastic portion,
• wherein the supramolecular polymer has a first melt temperature, and the thermoplastic portion has a second melt temperature that is higher than the first melt temperature,
• wherein applying heat comprises heating the supramolecular polymer interface to a third temperature equal to or greater than the first melt temperature and less than the second melt temperature;
• wherein applying heat to the coated thermoplastic article comprises applying electromagnetic radiation to the supramolecular polymer interface, and
• wherein the thermoplastic article comprises a selected one of an automotive instrument panel cover, an automotive instrument control, or an automotive interior trim.

A method for removing a coating layer from a coated thermoplastic article, the method comprising:

• applying heat to the coated thermoplastic article;
• and
• applying force to the coating layer of the coated thermoplastic article, wherein a thermoplastic portion of the coated thermoplastic article is coupled to a supramolecular polymer interface disposed between the coating layer and an outer surface of the thermoplastic portion,
• wherein the supramolecular polymer has a first melt temperature, and the thermoplastic portion has a second melt temperature that is higher than the first melt temperature,
• wherein applying heat comprises heating the supramolecular polymer interface to a third temperature equal to or greater than the first melt temperature and less than the second melt temperature;
• wherein applying force to the coating layer comprises applying mechanical force to uncouple the coating layer from the outer surface of the thermoplastic portion, and
• wherein applying heat and mechanical force to the coated thermoplastic article comprises tumbling the coated thermoplastic article in a heated chamber.