초록 ▼

A flexible composite surfacing film for providing a substrate with desired surface characteristics is disclosed. The film comprises a flexible temporary carrier film and a flexible transparent outer polymer clear coat layer releasably bonded to the temporary carrier film, the flexible outer polymer

A flexible composite surfacing film for providing a substrate with desired surface characteristics is disclosed. The film comprises a flexible temporary carrier film and a flexible transparent outer polymer clear coat layer releasably bonded to the temporary carrier film, the flexible outer polymer layer comprising an extruded thermoplastic polymer having a M.sub.w /M.sub.n ratio of 4 or lower. A pigmented base coat layer is adhered to said outer clear coat layer and is visible therethrough, and a thermoformable backing layer is adhered to the pigmented base coat layer. The film is produced by extruding a molten transparent thermoplastic polymer and applying the polymer to a flexible temporary carrier thereby forming a continuous thin transparent film. A pigmented thermoplastic polymer in a volatile liquid vehicle is applied to the exposed surface of the transparent film while the film is bonded to the flexible temporary carrier, thus forming thereon a coating of the pigmented thermoplastic polymer overlying the transparent thermoplastic polymer film. The thus formed composite may then be heated while the transparent thermoplastic polymer film is bonded to the flexible temporary carrier to evaporate the volatile liquid vehicle and form a pigmented polymer layer. The heating step also molecularly relaxes the underlying film of transparent thermoplastic polymer to relieve any molecular orientation caused by the extrusion.

대표청구항 ▼

[ That which is claimed is:] [1.] A method for making a flexible composite surfacing film for providing a substrate with desired surface characteristics comprising the steps of:extruding a molten transparent thermoplastic polymer comprising at least one of a fluoropolymer and an acrylic polymer;appl

[ That which is claimed is:] [1.] A method for making a flexible composite surfacing film for providing a substrate with desired surface characteristics comprising the steps of:extruding a molten transparent thermoplastic polymer comprising at least one of a fluoropolymer and an acrylic polymer;applying the extruded transparent thermoplastic polymer to a flexible temporary carrier and forming thereon a continuous thin film of the transparent thermoplastic polymer releasably bonded to the flexible temporary carrier;applying a pigmented thermoplastic dispersion comprising at least one of a fluoropolymer and an acrylic polymer in a volatile liquid vehicle to the exposed surface of the transparent film while the film is bonded to the flexible temporary carrier and forming thereon a coating of the pigmented thermoplastic polymer overlying the transparent thermoplastic polymer film;heating the thus formed composite while the transparent thermoplastic polymer film is bonded to the flexible temporary carrier to evaporate the volatile liquid vehicle and form a pigmented polymer layer and also to molecularly relax the underlying extruded thin film of transparent thermoplastic polymer such that the transparent thermoplastic polymer exhibits thermal dimensional stability at 350.degree. F.;laminating a thermoformable backing layer to the pigmented polymer coating and subsequently stripping the flexible temporary carrier from the transparent thermoplastic polymer film to thereby provide a thermoformable composite film laminate having the desired surface characteristics; andwherein the process provides a composite surfacing film with a DOI of at least 65% as measured in the absence of the temporary carrier.