3m Innovative Properties Company

3m Innovation Properties Company

Solventum Intellectual Properties Company

Pamela A Percha

Michael R Berrigan

William T Fay

David A Olson

Eric M Moore

Delton R Thompson, Jr

Myles Lee Brostrom

Michael D Swan

Alexander J Kugel

Liming Song

William Ward Merrill

Andrew R Fox

Thomas J Blong

Bruce R Broyles

Ta-Hua Yu

Anne N De Rovere

Sachin Talwar

Daniel J Zillig

Matthew D Wilding

Jill R Munro

Jerald W Hall, Jr

Michael D Romano

Randy L Christiansen

Amanda Catherine Engler

Rajdeep S Kalgutkar

Derek J Dehn

John D Stelter

Ignatius A Kadoma

Kiu-Yuen Tse

Jeffrey P Kalish

Eugene H Carlson

Nataliya V Fedorova

Jennifer N Hanson

Sehyun Nam

Bradley L Givot

Peter J Harrison

David C Brownlee

Eugen H Carlson

Robert F Babb

Karl JL Geisler

Andrew J Witte

Myles L Brostrom

An adhesive article including a tie layer and a silicone adhesive is disclosed. The tie layer includes a segmented copolymer having a first segment that is one of (a) a polyether comprising one of PTMO or PEO/PPO or (b) a polysiloxane. The segmented copolymer has a water absorbency of less than about 13%.

Tie layer chemistry to promote bonding with silicone adhesive

A process and apparatus for producing a dimensionally stable melt blown nonwoven fibrous web. The process includes forming a multiplicity of melt blown fibers by passing a molten stream including molecules of at least one thermoplastic semi-crystalline (co)polymer through at least one orifice of a melt-blowing die, subjecting at least a portion of the melt blown fibers to a controlled in-flight heat treatment operation at a temperature below a melting temperature of the at least one thermoplastic semi-crystalline (co)polymer immediately upon exiting from the at least one orifice, and collecting at least some of the melt blown fibers subjected to the controlled in-flight heat treatment operation on a collector to form a non-woven fibrous structure. The nonwoven fibrous structure exhibits a Shrinkage less than a Shrinkage measured on an identically-prepared structure including only fibers not subjected to the controlled in-flight heat treatment operation, and generally less than 15%.

Dimensionally-stable melt blown nonwoven fibrous structures, and methods and apparatus for making same

In one embodiment, a film is described comprising a mixture of semicrystalline polylactic acid polymer; polyvinyl acetate polymer having a glass transition temperature (Tg) midpoint as measured by differential scanning calorimetry of at least 25&#xb0; C.; and plasticizer; wherein the film is oriented. In another embodiment, a film is described comprising a mixture comprising semicrystalline polylactic acid polymer, polymer having a midpoint Tg as measured by differential scanning calorimetry of at least 25&#xb0; C., and plasticizer; wherein the mixture exhibits a single midpoint Tg and the single midpoint Tg ranges from 40&#xb0; C. to 65&#xb0; C.; and wherein the film is oriented and the oriented film exhibits a higher midpoint Tg ranging from 40&#xb0; C. to 65&#xb0; C. and a lower midpoint Tg ranging from 5 to 25&#xb0; C.

Oriented polylactic acid polymer based film

Process of making dimensionally-stable melt blown nonwoven fibrous structures

A composition comprises a blend comprising (a) a binder comprising (i) C5 hydrocarbon resin or (ii) a resin comprising rosin acids, rosin esters, modified rosin acids, modified rosin esters or mixtures thereof, and (b) polydimethylsiloxane polyamide copolymer.

Pavement marking compositions

A melt blowing process comprising: (a) providing a thermoplastic polymer material that includes at least one or a plurality of polyester polymers and at least one or a combination of different meltable metal phosphinates; and (b) melt blowing the thermoplastic polymer material into at least one fiber or a plurality of fibers, with each fiber having a diameter or thickness that is less than about 10 microns. The metal phosphinate is in an amount that (a) reduces the viscosity of the polyester polymer and (b) functions as a crystallizing agent, which at least promotes crystallization of the polyester polymer, when the thermoplastic polymer material is melt blown into the at least one fiber. Non-woven and woven fibrous structures can be made using fibers made from this process.

Melt blown fiber forming process and method of making fibrous structures

The thermoplastic pavements markers and pavement marking compositions of the present application include a miscible blend of ethylene acrylic acid polymers and have a crystallization onset temperature observed upon cooling of greater than 65.6&#xb0; C. (150&#xb0; F.).

Pavement marking materials and methods

A method for making a bonded nonwoven fibrous web comprising 1) providing a nonwoven fibrous web that comprises oriented semicrystalline polymeric fibers, and 2) subjecting the web to a controlled heating and quenching operation that includes a) forcefully passing through the web a fluid heated to at least the onset melting temperature of said polymeric material for a time too short to wholly melt the fibers, and b) immediately quenching the web by forcefully passing through the web a fluid at a temperature at least 50&#xb0; C. less than the Nominal Melting Point of the material of the fibers. The fibers of the treated web generally have i) an amorphous-characterized phase that exhibits repeatable softening (making the fibers softenable) and ii) a crystallite-characterized phase that reinforces the fiber structure during softening of the amorphous-characterized phase, whereby the fibers may be autogenously bonded while retaining orientation and fiber structure. Apparatus for carrying out the method can comprise 1) a conveyor for conveying a web to be treated, 2) a heater mounted adjacent a first side of the conveyor and comprising a) a chamber having a wall that faces the web, b) one or more conduits through which a heated gas can be introduced into the chamber under pressure and c) a slot in said chamber wall through which heated gas flows from the chamber onto a web on the conveyor, 3) a source of quenching gas downweb from the heater on the first side of the conveyor, the quenching gas having a temperature substantially less than that of the heated gas, 4) gas-withdrawal mean disposed on the second side of the conveyor opposite from the heater, the gas-withdrawal means having a portion in alignment with the slot so as to draw heated gas from the slot through the web and also a portion downweb from the slot in alignment with the source of quenching gas so as to draw the quenching gas through the web to quench the web. Flow restrictor means is preferably disposed on the second side of the conveyor in the path of at least one of the heated gas and the quenching gas so as to even the distribution of the gas through the web.

Bonded nonwoven fibrous webs comprising softenable oriented semicrystalline polymeric fibers and apparatus and methods for preparing such webs

A solar panel backside film used in solar panel constructions. The film comprises a PET film having a net peak area as measured by differential scanning calorimetry of about &#x2212;15 J/g to about 5 J/g measured from the endpoint of the glass transition (Tg) up to 230&#xb0; C., and an additive to opacify the PET film. A polymeric layer is adhered to the PET film to create a solar panel backside film. The solar panel backside film generally has a reflectivity of 50% or greater at a point in the visible range of light. Additionally, the solar panel backside film, when applied to a solar panel and exposed to 2000 hours at 85&#xb0; C. and 85% relative humidity, does not result in exfoliation or visible cracks in the PET film.

Multilayer film

Nonwoven fibrous webs comprise fibers of uniform diameter that vary in morphology along their length. The variation provides longitudinal segments that exhibit distinctive softening characteristics during a bonding operation. Some segments soften under the conditions of the bonding operation and bond to other fibers of the web, and other segments are passive during the bonding operation. Webs as described can be formed by a method that comprises a) extruding filaments of fiber-forming material; b) directing the filaments through a processing chamber in which the filaments are subjected to longitudinal stress; c) subjecting the filaments to turbulent flow conditions after they exit the processing chamber; and d) collecting the processed filaments; the temperature of the filaments being controlled so that at least some of the filaments solidify while in the turbulent field.

Bondable, oriented, nonwoven fibrous webs and methods for making them

Nonwoven fibrous webs including amorphous polymeric fibers with improved and/or more convenient bondability are disclosed. The nonwoven fibrous webs may include only amorphous polymeric fibers or they may include additional components in addition to amorphous polymeric fibers. The amorphous polymeric fibers within the web may be autogeneously bonded or autogeneously bondable. The amorphous polymeric fibers may be characterized as varying in morphology over the length of continuous fibers so as to provide longitudinal segments that differ from one another in softening characteristics during a selected bonding operation.

Nonwoven amorphous fibrous webs and methods for making them

New fibrous nonwoven webs are taught that comprise a mass of polyethylene terephthalate fibers that exhibit a double melting peak on a DSC plot: one peak is representative of a first molecular portion within the fiber that is in non-chain-extended crystalline form, and the other peak is representative of a second molecular portion within the fiber that is in chain-extended crystalline form and has a melting point elevated over that of the non-chain-extended crystalline form. Webs comprising fibers having such a morphology have a unique combination of durability and dimensional stability. The fibers are generally autogenously bonded at points of fiber intersection.

Fibrous nonwoven webs

A method and apparatus for tentering nonwoven webs during annealing. The nonwoven web of thermoplastic fibers is restrained on a tentering structure at a plurality of tentering points distributed across an interior portion of the web, rather than just along its edges. The nonwoven web is annealed while restrained on the tentering structure to form a dimensionally stable nonwoven fibrous web, dimensionally stable up to at least the heatsetting temperature. The annealed nonwoven fibrous web is then removed from the tentering structure. In one embodiment, the tentering structure restrains the nonwoven fibrous web in a non-planar configuration during the annealing process. The tentering structure includes a plurality of tentering points projecting distally from a tentering support. The tentering points are positioned to be engaged with an interior portion of the web, thus restraining the web during annealing.

Apparatus for making dimensionally stable nonwoven fibrous webs

Growing community of inventors

Woodbury, MN, United States of America

Pamela A Percha