Antifragmentation plates of polymethylmethacrylate

Abstract: Antinoise and antifragmentation plates based on acrylic polymers employing a polymeric continuous film placed inside the plate, wherein the film is characterized by an elastic modulus lower than the one of PMMA of at least 30%, and/or elongation at break higher than at least 40%, measured by the test according to ISO 527 standard for plates or for films.

Description: The present invention relates to plates based on acrylic polymers to be used as barriers having antinoise and anti-fragmentation properties. In particular it relates to transparent poly(methylmethacrylate)plates with a thickness of 10-25 mm, preferably 15-20 mm, for e.g motorway barriers, viaducts and bridges. It is well known to utilize acrylic panels rather than other materials in the construction of antinoise barriers to be utilized in motorway. The technical problem arises when a blunt instrument crashes into the panel thus determining the formation of fragments falling in the road area. The same problem arises in case of viaducts and bridges causing danger situations for what lies under these structures. It is known to build protective barriers against this fragmentation by means of nets wrapping the panel. However the net meshes must have wide sizes otherwise the panel does not show any more transparence phenomena, necessary for the practical applications of these panels. The alternative utilized in practice consists in employing nets with large meshes to allow a certain transparence. The drawback of this technical solution consists in that the antifragmentation effect of the net with large meshes is very diminished. Moreover, to maintain a certain transparence the panels must be subject to very frequent cleaning operations since nets favour the accumulation of substances lowering the transparence, for instance dust or leaves. This requires the taking down of nets with the consequent increase of maintenance costs. The same drawbacks, as regards the transparence, occur also when the nets are inserted into the panel, even if the cleaning operation described above is in this way eliminated. From USP 5,040,352 transparent antifragmentation panels based on acrylic resins containing threads, fibers, bands or nets made of plastic material, and placed approximately in the middle of the panel with respect to the total thickness, are known. In particular the materials indicated as suitable for reinforcing acrylic panels are monofilaments of polyamide or polypropylene because of their poor adhesion to the acrylic glass. The preferred diameter for monofilaments is 0.2-2 mm. Plastic bands which can be formed by films or fibers preferably have a width from 5 to 25 mm and a thickness from 0.2 to 2 mm. The distance between filaments or bands must be in the range between 10 and 100 mm. The advantage of these plastic materials inserted about in the middle of the panel consists in that they are transparent and therefore avoid problems of diminished transparency and avoid the cleaning operations due to the environmental pollution since they are inside the panel. The antifragmentation properties are good. The Applicant has unexpectedly and surprisingly found that it is possible to prepare 10-25 mm thick antinoise and antifragmentation plates based on acrylic polymers by employing one or more polymeric continuous films placed as one or more interlayers within the panel, wherein the films have an elastic modulus lower by at least 30% than that of PMMA, and/or an elongation at break higher than 40%, preferably of at least 60%, as measured according to ISO 527 standard for plates, or films. If only one film is utilized, the film can be put in the middle of the thickness of the panel, preferably it is placed nearer the tensile part during the crash. In practice the film is preferably placed between 70 and 95% of the total thickness of the plate with respect to the surface opposite to that subject to crash. In other words, the film is put at a distance preferably comprised between 5 and 30% of the total thickness of the plate with respect to the surface opposite to the surface subject to crash. It is also possible to manufacture the plate with the insertion of two films, each one put near one of the opposing faces. The film has generally a thickness from 70 µm up to 6 mm, preferably from 90 µm to 5 mm. According to another embodiment of the invention, as already said, 2 or more films may be inserted in the panel. This embodiment is industrially preferable since it allows to manufacture multilayer structures with film thicknesses towards the lower limit of the range indicated above. In multilayer structures the film thickness is generally of the order of 500 µm up to 2 mm. The preferred polymers are transparent poly(alkyleneterephthalates) with the alkyl having from 2 to 5 carbon atoms, for instance poly(ethyleneterephthalate) (PET), poly(butyleneterephthalate) (PBT); polyvinylbutyral (PVB), transparent elastomers having an acrylic basis, transparent thermoplastic elastomers having a styrene basis, for instance styrene/butadiene block copolymers, or transparent polymers with a styrene basis, for instance methylmethacrylate-butadiene-styrene MBS. These polymers can be used alone or in admixture with each other or with other polymers, for instance PMMA, or MMA/styrene copolymers in such ratios as to maintain the transparency and the elongation and modulus features as defined above. As elastomers having an acrylic basis there can be utilized homopolymers, for instance poly(butyl(meth)acrylate), MMA butyl acrylate as well as copolymers even with complex structures such as core-shell, having one or more layers, similar to those generally used in impact resistant PMMA. Examples of elastomeric products with an acrylic basis are described in US-A- 5,183,851, 3,793,402, 3,808,180 and 4,180,529. In case of poor adhesion it can be improved with the employment of suitable transparent bonding agents such that the final composite is transparent. For instance in case of PET and PBT, the bonding agents commercialized by films suppliers are used. Bonding agents based on acrylate, butadiene, chloroprene, nitrile or butene, obviously selected depending on the chemical nature of the film inserted, can generally be used. For the elastomers with an acrylic basis or a styrene basis, the compatibility with PMMA is generally sufficient in itself to assure a good adhesion. The preferred polymers to obtain films for use according to the invention are the following: The preferred polymers are PET and styrene/butadiene block copolymers. The latter are in trade as K RESIN, in particular K RESIN 03; 04, 05 and KK38 of Phillips Petroleum. Among styrene polymers, methylmethacrylate-butadiene-styrene terpolymers (MBS) can also be mentioned. With the preferred polymers a uniform film with good adhesion to the acrylic basis is obtained, in case of PET by utilizing the suitable known bonding agents; with the K RESIN, bonding agents are not required for the reasons indicated above. Another preferred film to be utilized as inner layer is a copolymerization product of the following monomer components: (a) a component selected from: (a1) alkyl (meth)acrylate monomers having the general formula: wherein R 0 ''' is H or CH 3 R 01 is an alkyl having from 1 to 10 carbon atoms, linear or branched when possible, preferably linear, having preferably from 1 to 6 carbon atoms, or a cycloalkyl alkyl having from 5 to 15 carbon atoms, optionally containing heteroatoms, for instance cyclopentyl or cyclohexyl; (a2) aliphatic urethane oligomers di (tri)(meth)acrylates obtainable by reaction of a polyisocyanate, preferably a di(tri)isocyanate having the general formula: R'-(NCO) q wherein R' is an aliphatic chain having from 1 to 10 carbon atoms, preferably from 2 to 6, or an (alkyl)cycloaliphatic chain wherein the alkyl has the meaning described above and the cycloalkyl is a ring having from 3 to 6 carbon atoms, preferably 5-6, q being an integer from 2 to 6, preferably from 2 to 3, with dialcohols of general formula: HO-R"-OH wherein R" has the same meaning as R' to form an NCO or OH terminated prepolymer; said prepolymer is reacted with (meth)acrylic acid to obtain unsaturated terminations; and (a3) mixtures of (a1) and (a2), the amount of (a2) ranging from 20 to 80% by weight with respect to (a1), preferably between 20-40% by weight; (b) one or more of' the following monomer components: (b1) polyalkylene-glycols di(meth)acrylates having the general formula: wherein R 0 is H or CH 3 , R''' is H or alkyl having from 1 to 6 carbon atoms, preferably 1, m is an integer from 2 to 12, preferably from 3 to 10; (b2) alkyl di(meth)acrylates having the general formula: wherein R 0 is equal to H, CH 3 , n' is an integer from 2 to 10, preferably from 4 to 6; (b3) diallylethers having the general formula: wherein n"is an integer from 1 to 8,preferably from 3 to 6; m'is an integer from 2 to 10,preferably from 2 to 6, R 0 , is equal to H or an alkyl from 1 to 10 carbon atoms, preferably from 1 to 6; the mixture of (a) and (b) is such as to have a viscosity from 5-300 Pa.s (50 to 3,000 Poises), preferably from 1-100 Pa.s (100 to 1,000 Poises), at 20°C; (c) alkyl(meth)acrylate of hydroxy or carboxy alkyls from 2 to 6 carbon atoms, in amounts comprised between 0.5 and 5% by weight on the total, preferably 0.5-2; the amount of component (b) in the composition being comprised between 5 and 20% by weight, preferably between 5 and 10% by weight; the component (b) can be omitted if the component (a2) is present in the formulation; the film being obtained by UV polymerization in the presence of photoinitiators in amounts comprised between 0.1 and 10% by weight, preferably between 0.5 and 5% by weight; the amount of (a) being the complement to 100%. The components of type (a2) are commercially known for instance as EB®: such as EB 230, EB 264, EB 284, EB 244 produced by the company UCB. The components; of type (a1) are for instance methyl-, ethyl-, butyl-, isobutyl- or ethyl-hexyl acrylate. The compounds (b1) are also known commercially as: SARTOMER® 252, SARTOMER® 400, commercialized by Cray Valley, or tripropylene-glycol diacrylate (TPGDA); compounds (b2) are well known, hexanediol diacrylate (HDDA) can be mentioned; compounds (b3) are known in trade as SANTOLINK® XI 100 commercialized by Monsanto. Compounds (c) which can be mentioned are hydroxyethyl and hydroxypropyl acrylates or methacrylates; alpha-hydroxyethyl (meth)acrylate, carboxyethyl (meth)acrylate, for instance 2-carboxyethyl(meth)acrylate, are preferred. As polymerization photoinitiators of radical type, induced by ultraviolet light one can mention those based on benzophenone such as ESACURE® KT 37 and UVECRYL® P115 by Lamberti, or such as IRGACURE® 500 by Ciba-Geigy. DAROCUR® 1173 and the other compounds indicated in EP patent 374,516 can also be utilized; alkylic or aromatic peroxides and/or hydroperoxides, for instance benzoyl peroxide, ter-butyl hydroperoxide, lauryl peroxide, lauroyl peroxide, cumyl hydroperoxide, etc. can also be utilized. The amount of radical photoinitiators as said above ranges from 0.5 to 5% by weight, preferably from 0.5 to 2% by weight of the polymerization mixture. The industrially preferred process for preparing antifragmentation panels with the film described above by its monomer components (a) (b) and (c) is the following: two plates are superimposed by interposing at the borders of the plates a biadhesive tape, for instance the product commecialized by 3M as VHB®, having a thickness of several millimeters, in order to form an interspace of the same size as the plates and the same thickness as the tape, taking care however of leaving one or more openings depending on the plate size, to allow the filling of the interspace with the UV polymerizable film forming resin composition to be used according to the invention. The amount of resin is determined considering besides the volume of the interspace also the dimensional shrinkage of the composition of the invention during the polymerization phase. The so obtained panel is inserted inside an oven equipped with UVA lamps and kept therein for the time necessary for polymerization to proceed. Since this kind of lamps does not give rise to a strong increase of the temperature of the panel under preparation; the possible stresses of the panel, which could compromise the properties thereof, are thus avoided. Besides the radicalic photoinitiators indicated above use can be also made of mixed type of radicalic and cationic photoinitiators. UV light sensitive cationic initiators of polymerization and crosslinking are well known in the art, for instance triarylsulphonium salts, such as triarylsulphonium hexafluoroantimonates (UVT-6974-CYRACURE®, Union Carbide) and triarylsulphonium hexafluorophosphates (UVI-6990-CYRACURE®, Union Carbide), can be mentioned. Such cationic photoinitiators are not inhibited by oxygen and are employed in combination with radicalic photoinitiators preferably in a weight ratio between radicalic/cationic photoinitiator of at least 2/1, more preferably of 3/1. By employing such ratios it is possible to obtain crosslinking of the resin composition in air with relative humidity up to 60%. The amount of cationic photoinitiator generally ranges from 0.01 to 3% by weight, preferably from 0.2 to 0.6. As indicated above, upon crosslinking, the resin leads to products of rubbery nature with the characteristics indicated herein before. Crosslinking with radicalic photoinitiators is generally carried out for times comprised between 30 s and 30 min depending on the lamp power, the distance between the panel and the lamp, generally depending on the radiant power really reaching the panel containing the resin to be polymerized. The panels with an acrylic basis can also be obtained by compression molding, by casting, by coextrusion or by glueing. In case of coextrusion it is particularly preferred to utilize styrene-butadiene block copolymers, for instance K RESIN (R) as indicated herein before. The panels according to the present invention must be able to resist to a minimum impact energy such as to cause the breaking of the panels according to the tests described in the examples. The antifragmentation tests are positive if fragments are kept together after the plate has broken. It is thus determined if the panel breaks without causing fragments, that is, if the fragments are kept by the film. According to the present invention, polymers having an acrylic basis are MMA homopolymers or MMA copolymers with monomers such as ethyl (meth)acrylate, butyl (meth)acrylate in low concentrations. The amounts of comonomer are generally up to 10% by weight. MMA homopolymers or copolymers can be obtained by polymerization according to usual techniques, for instance by polymerization in mass or in suspension. The molecular weight can be adjusted by addition of suitable chain transfer agents (CTA), for instance mercaptan CTA. The weight average molecular weights M w can generally be comprised in the range of 50,000-2,000,000. The lowest values of molecular weight are preferred for the production of plates by co(extrusion); the highest ones in case the plates are prepared by casting. The following examples are given only for illustrative purpose but are not limitative of the present invention. EXAMPLE 1 Preparation of the panel with the film A three-layer 250 x 250 mm plate (thickness 15 mm) is obtained by compression molding of two external plates of MMA copolymer as specified below (thickness 8 and 5 mm) with an internal plate of a styrene/butadiene block copolymer (thickness 4 mm) of Phillips Petroleum K RESIN 04. Preparation of the plate : The two MMA copolymer plates (MMA/ethyl acrylate) are prepared by compression molding according to the following procedure: MMA copolymer Altuglas (R) 9E of ATOHAAS in granules with elastic modulus of about 3200 MPa and elongation at break lower than 6%; molding temperature: 180°C and piston hydraulic pressure of 20.6 MPa (210 kg/cm 2) (Compression Molding Equipment POTVEL® 60). The styrene/butadiene copolymer plate is obtained from granules by compression molding according to the following procedure: styrene/butadiene copolymer K RESIN 04 of Phillips Petroleum having bending modulus lower than 2000 MPa; molding temperature 160°C and piston hydraulic pressure of 19.6 MPa (200 kg/cm 2 ) (Compression Molding Equipment POTVEL® 60). The three-layer plate is obtained by further compression molding in a 15 mm thick mold, according to the following procedure: 2 plates of MMA copolymer sandwiching 1 plate of styrene/butadiene copolymer at a molding temperature of 180°C and a piston hydraulic pressure of 19.6 MPa (200 kg/cm 2 ) (Compression Molding Equipment POTVEL® 60). Antifragmentation tests Impact tests Weight falling mass: (with steel spheric punch with a diameter of 50 mm) 4.0 kg on the middle of the panel; fall height: 2.1 m; impact energy: 82 Joule. The panel is put on a rigid square support having sides of 255 mm, with a support frame of 8 mm. The three-layer panel is put on the support with the layer of MMA copolymer with a thickness initially of 5 mm in tensile stress. The panel breaks and shows surfaces of fracture propagation. The panel breaks up but fragments remain perfectly together. EXAMPLE 1A (Comparative) Example 1 was repeated but using a MMA copolymer plate as such having a thickness of 15 mm, without the internal film of styrene/butadiene copolymer and submitted to the same impact test. It breaks causing numerous fragments. EXAMPLE 1B Example 1 was repeated but using MMA copolymer plates obtained by extrusion of Altuglas (R) 9EL in pearls. The three layer plate is prepared and submitted to crash exactly as reported in example 1. The composite formed by the three plates shows good antifragmentation properties similar to the ones of Example 1. EXAMPLE 1C A 125 x 125 mm sample obtained from a panel described in example 1 is tested according to the following procedure: the sample is put in the middle of a support having an opening in the middle with a diameter of 90 mm. A weight of 15.5 kg having an hemispheric punch with a diameter of 20 mm is let fall on the middle of the sample from an height of 200 cm such that the impact rate is of about 2 m/s. After crash the panel shows a star-shaped fracture but the acrylic plate fragments are kept together by the film interposed between the two acrylic plates. EXAMPLE 2 Preparation A three-layer 250 x 250 mm panel (thickness 15 mm) is obtained by compression molding of two external plates of MMA copolymer Altuglas (R) 9E of Example 1 (thickness 8 and 5 mm) with an internal plate having a thickness of 4 mm formed of a blend composed of 33 wt% of a styrene/MMA block copolymer and 67 wt % of styrene/butadiene block copolymer. Preparation of the plate : The two MMA copolymer plates are prepared by compression molding according to the procedure reported in Example 1. Preparation of the material for the intermediate plate The intermediate plate was obtained from granules of a blend of ZYLAR (R) 93456 manufactured by Novacor (containing 45% by weight of K RESIN 04) and pure K RESIN 04 granules, with a total content of styrene/butadiene copolymer of 67% by weight, by compression molding at 170°C and piston hydraulic pressure of 19.6 MPa (200 kg/cm 2 ) (the same apparatus as for Ex. 1). The final plate is obtained according to the procedure of Example 1. Antifragmentation tests The procedure of Example 1 was repeated for the impact tests. The panel broke but fragments remained perfectly together. EXAMPLE 3 A three-layer 250 x 250 mm panel (thickness about 18 mm) is obtained by glueing an external plate and a film of PMMA copolymer (thickness 17 and 1 mm) with PET internal film having a thickness of 70 µm. Preparation of the panel The panel is obtained by glueing the PET film commercialized by 3M, having elongation > 50%, to the MMA copolymer plate. Subsequently a second plate of MMA copolymer is glued by using a commercial cyanoacrylic adhesive. During glueing care was taken to eliminate the air bubbles among the various layers by rolling. Antifragmentation tests The procedure of example 1 was repeated for the impact tests, but utilizing a weight of 3.8 kg and a fall height of 2.3 m (about 85 Joule). The plate broke but the fragments remained perfectly together. EXAMPLE 4 Preparation of the resin to be polymerized The components (a) (b) and (c) of the resin to be used according to the invention are weighed in a dark glass flask, then it was heated below by rotating up to 40°C in a ultrasonic thermostatic bath to obtain a perfect homogenization of the same. The mixture thus obtained must be kept in dark glass containers in order to avoid the early polymerization of the same. The formulation of this example is the following: Formulation 1 parts by weight (% by wt) components 65 64.2 ethyl acrylate 10 9.8 methyl methacrylate 5 4.9 2-carboxyethyl acrylate 20 19.7 EB-230(UCB) 1 0.98 DAROCURE® 1173 (Ciba) 0.4 0.39 UVI-6990 (Union Carbide) Examples 5-7 were prepared by using the process of example 4: EXAMPLE 5 Formulation 2 parts by weight (% by wt) components 70 69 ethyl acrylate 5 4.93 methyl methacrylate 5 4.93 2-carboxyethyl acrylate 20 19.7 EB-244 (UCB) 1 0.98 DAROCURE® 1173 (Ciba) 0.4 0.39 UVI-6990 (Union Carbide) EXAMPLE 6 Formulation 3 parts by weight (% by wt) components 65 64.1 ethyl acrylate 15 14.8 methyl methacrylate 5 4.9 2-carboxyethyl acrylate 15 14.8 C-252 (SARTOMER® - Cray Valley) 1 0.98 DAROCURE® 1173 (Ciba) 0.4 0.39 UVI-6990 (Union Carbide) EXAMPLE 7 Formulation 4 parts by weight (% by wt) components 65 64.2 butyl acrylate 10 9.8 methyl methacrylate 5 4.9 2-carboxyethyl acrylate 20 19.7 SANTOLINK®XI-100(Monsanto) 1 0.98 DAROCURE® 1173 (Ciba) 0.4 0.39 UVI-6990 (Union Carbide) EXAMPLE 8 Preparation of the test pieces for the impact tests The preparation of antifragmentation panels was carried out as follows: two PMMA plates obtained by casting, 1000 mm x 1100 mm large and 8 mm thick and containing no UV absorber, are superimposed by interposing at the borders of the plates a biadhesive tape, (product commercialized by 3M VHB®), having a thickness of 1.5 mm, in order to form an interspace having the same size as the plates and the same thickness as the tape, and leaving three openings for the air flow during the filling of the interspace with UV polymerizable resin having the composition indicated in example 1. The amount of resin introduced is 1815 cm 3 . During the filling phase care must be taken that air bubbles do not form which can optionally be removed by using a syringe through the biadhesive tape and/or by pressure on the PMMA plates. Once the filling of the interspace is over, the air flow holes are sealed. The so obtained panel is inserted at room temperature inside an oven equipped with 25 Watt/cm UVA lamps, maintained at a distance of about 20 cm from the panel, and kept therein for 15 min (time necessary for polymerization). Antifragmentation test From the plate, obtained with the method described above a sample having 620 x 620 x 17.5 mm is obtained. The sample is put on a rigid 600 x 600 mm square support having a frame width of about 30 mm. The panel is struck in the middle by a steel sphere having a diameter of 90 mm and a weight of about 3 kg fallen from an heigth of 6 meters. After the crash the plate shows a star-shaped fracture but the fragments are kept together by the film interposed between the two acrylic plates. The same test was repeated on 10 test pieces: some gave the fracture in the form of a star as indicated above, the others did not show any fracture at all. In any case when the panel breaks the pieces are kept together by the film interposed between the two acrylic plates. EXAMPLE 9 One operates as in Example 8 for the preparation of the panel and for the antifragmentation test, but utilizing for the latter a steel sphere of about 4 kg and with a diameter of 100 mm. The results of the antifragmentation test are similar to those of Example 8. EXAMPLE 10 The procedure of Example 8 for preparing the sample to be submitted to the antifragmentation test is followed, but the sample is fixed by utilizing an upper frame having the same size as the lower frame by means of two clamps on each side such that the clamping pressure is of 150 KPa (150 kN/m 2 ). The results of the antifragmentation tests are similar to those of example 8, in this case the plate showed a star-shaped fracture but the fragments were kept together by the film. EXAMPLE 11 One operates as in example 8, but obtaining a sample of 250 mm x 250 mm x 17.5 mm. The sample is put on a square support having sides of 255 mm and a support frame with a width of 8 mm. A punch with a steel sphere at the end, having a diameter of 50 mm for a total weight of 4 kg is let fall from a height of 2,1 m on the middle of the sample. The results of the antifragmentation test are similar to those of Example 8.

Claims: Antinoise panels of thickness of 10-25 mm, made of methylmethacrylate homopolymers or copolymers, comprising one or more polymeric films, placed inside the panel, of thickness from 70 µm to 6 mm, said films having an elastic modulus lower by at least 30% than the one of PMMA and/or elongation at break higher than 40% as measured according to ISO 527 standard. Panels according to claim 1, wherein the film is placed about in the middle of the panel thickness. Panels according to claim 1, wherein the film is located between 70 and 95% of the total thickness of the panel with respect to the surface opposite to that subject to crash. Panels according to anyone of claims 1-3, wherein the plate contains two insertions of film put near both faces of said panels. Panels according to anyone of claims 1-4, wherein the film is based on polymers selected from transparent polyalkylene terephthalates with the alkylene groups from 2 to 5 carbon atoms; polyvinylbutyral (PVB); transparent elastomers having an acrylic basis; transparent thermoplastic elastomers having a styrene basis. Panels according to claim 5, wherein the film is selected from polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polybutylene terephthalate (PBT); styrene/butadiene block copolymers; transparent copolymers having a styrene basis; elastomers having an acrylic basis selected from homopolymers such as polybutyl(meth)acrylate, copolymers having core-shell structures having one or more layers. Panels according to anyone of claims 1-4, wherein the film is a copolymerization product of the following monomers: (a) selected from the following components: (a1) alkyl(meth)acrylate monomers having the general formula: wherein R 0 ''' can be H or CH 3 R 01 can be an alkyl from 1 to 10 carbon atoms, linear or branched when possible, a cycloalkyl - alkyl from 5 to 15 carbon atoms, optionally containing heteroatoms, (a2) aliphatic urethane oligomers di(tri)(meth) acrylates obtainable by reaction of a polyisocyanate having the general formula: R'-(NCO) q wherein R' is an aliphatic moiety from 1 to 10 carbon atoms, an (alkyl)cycloaliphatic moiety wherein the alkyl has the meaning described above for R 01 and the cycloalkyl is a ring having from 3 to 6 carbon atoms, q being an integer from 2 to 6, with dialcohols of general formula: HO-R"-OH wherein R" has the same meaning as R' to form an NCO or OH terminated prepolymer; said prepolymer is reacted with (meth)acrylic acid to obtain unsaturated terminations; or (a3) mixtures of (a1) and (a2), the amount of (a2) ranging from 20 to 80% by weight with respect to (a1), (b) one or more of the following components: (b1) polyalkyleneglycols di-(meth)acrylates having the general formula: wherein R 0 is H or CH 3 , R''' is equal to H or alkyl having from 1 to 6 carbon atoms, m is an integer from 2 to 12, (b2) alkylene di-(meth)acrylates having the general formula: wherein R 0 is equal to H or CH 3 , n' is an integer from 2 to 10, (b3) diallylethers having the general formula: wherein n" is an integer from 1 to 8, m' is an integer from 2 to 10, R 0' is H or an alkyl from 1 to 10 carbon atoms, the mixture of (a) and (b) is such as to have a viscosity from 5-300 Pa.s (50 to 3,000 Poises) at 20°C, the component (b) can be omitted if the component (a2) is present in the formulation; (c) (meth)acrylates of hydroxy or carboxy alkyls having from 2 to 6 carbon atoms, in amounts comprised between 0.5 and 5% by weight on the total, the amount of component (b) in the composition being comprised between 5 and 20% by weight, and the film being obtainable by UV polymerization in the presence of (d) photoinitiators in amounts comprised between 0.1 and 10% by weight, the amount of (a) being the complement to 100 wt. % of the composition. Panels according to claim 7 wherein the components (a1) are methyl-, ethyl-, butyl-, isobutyl-, ethyl-hexyl acrylate, the component (b1) is tripropylene glycol diacrylate (TPGDA); compound (b2) is hexandiol diacrylate (HDDA), compounds (c) are selected from hydroxyethyl- and hydro-xypropyl-acrylates or methacrylates, carboxyethyl(meth)-acrylate. Panels according to anyone of claims 7-8, wherein the polymerization UV photoinitiators are of radical type and are selected from those based on benzophenone, alkyl or aromatic peroxides and/or hydro peroxides, the amount of radical photoinitiators ranges from 0.5 to 5% by weight of the polymerization mixture. Panels according to claim 9, wherein crosslinking is carried out with mixed radical and cationic photoinitiators. Panels according to claim 10, wherein cationic photoinitiators are selected from triarylsulphonium salts. Panels according to claims 10 or 11, wherein the weight ratio between radical and cationic photoinitiator is at least 2/1. Use of the panels according to anyone of claims 1- 8 as antifragmentation panels.

Inventors: BINAGHI MARCO, STANCO DONATO, STASI ALBERTO LUCA, BINAGHI, MARCO, STANCO, DONATO, STASI, ALBERTO LUCA
Applicants: ATOFINA
Application year: 1996
Main classification: E01F8
IPC codes: B32B27, E01F8