Patent ID: 8876512

Claim:
A die for coextruding a plurality of fluid layers, comprising: a. a primary fluid passage; b. one or more distribution plates, each of said plates having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, the fluid outlet from each of said plates being in fluid communication with said primary fluid passage and structured to deliver a layer of fluid having a thickness D to said primary fluid passage; and c. a microlayer assembly, comprising (1) a microlayer fluid passage, and (2) a plurality of microlayer distribution plates, each of said microlayer plates having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, the fluid outlet from each of said microlayer plates being in fluid communication with said microlayer fluid passage and structured to deliver a microlayer of fluid having a thickness M to said microlayer fluid passage, said microlayer plates being arranged to provide a predetermined order in which the microlayers are delivered to said microlayer fluid passage to form a substantially unified, microlayered fluid mass in said microlayer fluid passage, wherein, said thickness M of said microlayers is less than said thickness D of said fluid layer from said distribution plate, and said microlayer fluid passage is in fluid communication with said primary fluid passage such that said microlayered fluid mass flows from said microlayer fluid passage and into said primary fluid passage in order to minimize interfacial flow instabilities.