3m Innovative Properties Company

Janet A Venne

Jayshree Seth

Ronald Wayne Ausen

Katherine A S Graham

James Stephen Mrozinski

Marie A Boulos

Dennis L Becker

Babu Nana Gaddam

Kevin Michael Lewandowski

Zai-Ming Qiu

George W Griesgraber

Leigh E Wood

Robin Edgar Wright

Stephen B Roscoe

Eric Wayne Nelson

Mark F Ellis

Zhiqun Zhang

Serkan Yurt

Byron M Jackson

Christopher K Haas

Randall Lynn Alberg

Lori-Ann S Prioleau

Haeen Sykora

Johann F Petersen

Ravi K Sura

Richard L Walter

Bryan T Whiting

Ralf G Oertel

Aaron T Hedegaard

Margaux B Mitera

Christopher C Pope

Matthew H Wessel

Curable compositions, cured compositions, articles containing the curable or cured compositions, and methods of making the articles are provided. More particularly, the curable compositions contain a (meth)acrylate-based polymer having pendant (meth)acryloyl groups, at least one monomer having a single ethylenically unsaturated group, a photoinitiator that includes an acyl phosphine oxide, and a thixotropic agent. The curable compositions can be printed or dispensed, if desired, and the cured compositions are pressure-sensitive adhesives.

Curable compositions for pressure-sensitive adhesives

Crosslinkable polymeric materials, crosslinked polymeric materials, articles containing the crosslinkable polymeric materials or crosslinked polymeric materials, and methods of making the articles and various compositions are provided. More particularly, the crosslinkable composition contains a) a first polymeric material, which has terminal dithiocarbamate or dithiocarbonate groups, b) a crosslinking composition containing a chlorinated triazine crosslinking agent and/or a crosslinking monomer having two or more ethylenically unsaturated groups, and c) a thixotropic agent containing metal oxide particles. The crosslinkable composition may be printable or dispensed. In some embodiments, the crosslinked composition is a pressure-sensitive adhesive.

Polymeric compositions prepared with a controlled radical initiator

Methods for producing an at least partially cured layer by applying a layer including a (meth)acrylate-functional siloxane to a surface of a substrate, and irradiating the layer in a substantially inert atmosphere with a short wavelength polychromatic ultraviolet light source having a peak intensity at a wavelength of from about 160 nanometers to about 240 nanometers to at least partially cure the layer. Optionally, the layer is at a curing temperature greater than 25&#xb0; C. In some embodiments, the layer has a thickness of about 0.1 micrometers to about 1 micrometer. In certain embodiments, the layer is substantially free of a photoinitiator and/or an organic solvent. In some particular embodiments, irradiating the layer with a short wavelength polychromatic ultraviolet light source takes place in an inert atmosphere including no greater than 50 ppm oxygen. The substantially cured layer may be a release layer or a low adhesion backsize (LAB).

Methods for producing an at least partially cured layer

Release compositions comprising a blend of ethylenically unsaturated fluoroorganopolysiloxane polymers and ethylenically unsaturated non-fluorinated organopolysiloxane polymers are described. The release compositions are dispersed in a solvent system and also contain a catalyst and at least one crosslinker. Both fluoroorganohydrogenpolysiloxane and organohydrogenpolysiloxane are described. Release liners and adhesive articles including cured release compositions are also disclosed.

Fluorosilicone blend release materials

Adhesive articles including transfer tapes and labels are described. The adhesive articles include a low elastic modulus adhesive on a microstructured release liner having a high coefficient of friction release surface. Improvements in die cut quality and razor slit edge quality are shown.

Microstructured adhesive article

There is provided a laminate of a thermoplastic backing to a fibrous web. This laminate, for example, could be used as a loop laminate for use in a hook and loop fastening system or an intermittently bonded elastic fibrous laminate. The laminate comprises a thermoplastic backing layer, having a first face and a second face. The backing layer has a plurality of projections extending from at least the first face of the backing. A fibrous web is attached to the backing at the location of at least some of the projections. The thermoplastic material of the backing, at the location of the projections, penetrates into the fibrous web encapsulating at least in part fibers of the fibrous web. The fibrous web preferably penetrates into at least some of the projections. The fibrous web is generally not attached, or very lightly attached, to the backing layer over at least some portion of the distance between adjacent projections. This allows for a low cost fibrous web laminate that can be directly extrusion formed with a backing without compromising the fibrous web's performance between the attached projections.

Intermittently bonded fibrous web laminate

A nonplanar, thermoplastic polymeric film having a top surface, a bottom surface, a midline, and a series of peaks and valleys oscillating around the midline and forming continuous ridges in a first direction on both the top surface and the bottom surface of the film. The nonplanar, thermoplastic polymeric film has two or more polymer layers with at least one polymer layer partitioned disproportionally in the peaks such that at least two of the two or more polymer layers vary in thickness across the width of the nonplanar, thermoplastic polymeric film.

Coextruded profiled webs

Methods for coextruding a predetermined initial melt stream through at least one profiled die having a nonlinear inlet opening and an outlet opening. The die insert is positioned so as to cause redistribution of at least a portion of the melt stream. The nonlinear melt stream formed at the nonlinear inlet opening converges within the die insert into a substantially more linear or rectangular melt stream at the die insert outlet opening. At the die insert outlet opening at least one or more regions of the melt stream vary in properties or material clue to the redistribution of the melt stream in the die insert. Articles extruded using the coextrusion methods are also described.

Method of extruding articles

The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a stretched mechanical fastening web laminate () comprising a thermoplastic web layer () having two major surfaces, one of the major surfaces bearing a multitude of male fastening elements () suitable for engagement with a corresponding female fastening material, and on its other major surface a fibrous web layer (), said method comprising the steps of

Methods of manufacturing a stretched mechanical fastening web laminate

The invention is directed in part to an article that includes a polymer foam having a surface with surface microstructures, the surface microstructures have at least one extent or dimension of about 10 microns or more, preferably 50 microns or more. A maximum extent (unless it is a continuous rib-like structure) the microstructure is about 300 microns or less, preferably 200 microns or less, and generally a maximum height of 1000 microns or less, preferably 750 microns or less and a minimum height of 200 microns or more, preferably 300 microns or more. The foamed article may be provided in a variety of shapes, including a rod, a cylinder, a sheet, etc. In a preferred embodiment where the foam is provided in the form of a sheet, the foam has a pair of major surfaces, one or both of which can be provided with surface microstructures. The foam backing and microstructures include a plurality of voids, which voids are preferably of a mean size substantially less than the smallest cross-sectional dimension or extent of the microstructures.

Integrally foamed microstructured article

The present invention provides a method for forming preferably a unitary polymeric hook fastener comprising a flexible backing, and a multiplicity of spaced hook members projecting from the upper surface of the unitary backing wherein each hook member comprises a multiplicity of hook head elements projecting in substantially the same direction. The hook members each comprise a stem portion attached at one end to the backing, and a head portion at the end of the stem portion opposite the backing. The head portion can also extend from a side of a stem portion or be omitted entirely to form alternative projections which can be other forms than a hook member. The head portion preferably projects past the stem portion on at least one of two opposite sides. At least the hook head portions have two or more hook head elements on at least one of the two opposing sides of the stem. The hook head portions preferably have been heat treated so as to decrease the hook head thickness and thereby reducing or eliminating molecular orientation in at least the hook head in the machine direction.

Multiheaded hook

The present invention concerns breathable fasteners for use with hook fastener systems. The breathable fastening system comprises a first breathable mechanical fastener surface, which is generally a loop or fibrous type surface that can optionally be joined to a breathable backing loop, and a recon large area breathable hook type fastener. The hook type fastener generally has an integral film backing which film backing has a porosity of from 0.0001 to 0.005 cm, a backing thickness of from 25 to 200 &#x3bc;m, a stiffness of from 10 to 2000 Gurley units and a hook or projection containing surface area of at least 10 cm.

Breathable fasteners

A method that includes coextruding two or more thermoplastic resin streams through a profiled die plate, which die plate is shaped to form a nonplanar film (three dimensional) preferably with a regularly oscillating peak and valley structure that oscillates from a top surface to a bottom surface forming longitudinally extending ridges on both faces of the film. The film is formed by coextruding the film through the oscillating die plate opening causing partitioning of the resins in different zones in the width direction of the film. Flattening of the film results in a film with side-by-side zones formed of different polymers or relative proportions of polymers.

There is provided a hook fastener comprising a base, where at least one surface has a multiplicity of engaging projections, which projections have a top surface and an attached end that are arranged in a region to form one or more shapes. There is also provided a method for forming the above fastener comprising dispersing onto a contact release surface polymer particles in at least one discrete area forming a predetermined shape and forming preform projections. The front surface of the base is fixed to the terminal ends of at least some of the preform projections and then removed from the contact release surface in the form of the predetermined shape. In an alternative method polymer particles are uniformly dispersed onto a contact release surface using electrostatic attraction and selectively transferred to the base in the predetermined shape by masks or selective adhesion or the like.

Methods for making fasteners

The present invention concerns a polymeric film hook netting comprising a continuous film backing having a net section formed of plurality of a first set of thermoplastic strands extending in a first direction and a second set of integral strands extending in a second direction at least one of which strands has upstanding hook elements and a second integral non-net film section.

Growing community of inventors

Roseville, MN, United States of America

Janet A Venne