Multi-stage polymer composition and films and polarizer plates made therefrom

Abstract

A multi-stage polymer composition comprising a crosslinked core component, one or more intermediate layer components and an outermost layer component in which the refractive index of each of the crosslinked core, the one or more intermediate layers and the outermost layer are within 2% of the refractive index of each adjacent component; wherein the crosslinked core component comprises from 75 to 99.9 weight percent of units derived from at least one first monomer selected from the group consisting of alkyl, aryl, and cycloalkyl (meth)acrylate monomer, optionally from 1 to 20 weight percent of units derived from a second monomer selected from the group consisting vinyl monomers; and from 0.1 to 5 weight percent of units derived from cross-linking monomers, graft-linking monomers, or combination thereof, and has a Tg of from −75 to −35° C.; wherein each of the one or more intermediate layer components comprises from 71 to 99.9 weight percent of units derived from a third monomer selected from the group consisting alkyl, aryl and cycloalkyl (meth)acrylate monomers, from 0 to 5 weight percent of units derived from a cross-linking monomer, graft-linking monomer, or combination thereof, optionally from 1 to 10 weight percent of units derived from one or more functional monomers, from 0 to 14 weight percent of vinyl monomers, and has a Tg of from −35 to 100° C.; and wherein the outermost layer component comprises from 90 to 100 weight percent units derived from a fourth monomer selected from the group consisting of alkyl (meth)acrylate having from one to twelve carbon atoms, optionally from 0.5 to 10 weight percent of units derived from one or more functional monomers, and has a Tg of from 80 to 130° C. is provided. Films and polarizer plates made from the compositions are also provided.