Ultrabarrier substrates

Abstract

A barrier assembly. The barrier assembly includes at least one barrier stack having at least one barrier layer and at least one polymer layer. The barrier stack has an oxygen transmission rate of less than 0.005 cc/m²/day at 23° C. and 0% relative humidity, and an oxygen transmission rate of less than 0.005 cc/m²/day at 38° C. and 90% relative humidity. The barrier stack also has a water vapor transmission rate of less than 0.005 g/m²/day at 38° C. and 100% relative humidity. A method for making a barrier assembly is also disclosed.

Description

[0001]This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09 / 427,138, filed Oct. 25, 1999, entitled “Environmental Barrier Material For Organic Light Emitting Device and Method Of Making,” now U.S. Pat. No. 6,522,067, issued Feb. 18, 2003. <?insert-end id="INS-S-00001" ?>BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]The present invention relates generally to barrier coatings, and more particularly to barrier coatings having improved barrier properties.[0003]Many different types of products are sensitive to gas and liquids, which can cause deterioration of the product or render it useless, including electronics, medical devices, and pharmaceuticals. Barrier coatings have been included in the packaging for these environmentally sensitive products to protect them from gas and liquid transmission. As used herein, the term environmentally sensitive means products which are subject to degradation caused by permeation of environmental gases or liquids, such as oxygen an...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0008]The present invention meets these needs by providing a barrier assembly and a method for making such an assembly. The barrier assembly includes at least one barrier stack having at least one barrier layer and at least one polymer layer. The barrier stack has an oxygen transmission rate of less than 0.005 cc / m2 / day at 23° C. and 0% relative humidity, and an oxygen transmission rate of less than 0.005 cc / m2 / day at 38° C. and 90% relative humidity. It also preferably has a water vapor transmission rate of less than 0.005 g / m2 / day at 38° C. and 100% relative humidity.

Problems solved by technology

Many different types of products are sensitive to gas and liquids, which can cause deterioration of the product or render it useless, including electronics, medical devices, and pharmaceuticals.

However, the gas and liquid permeation resistance of plastics is poor, often several orders of magnitude below what is required for product performance.

A single layer coating on PET reduces oxygen permeability to levels of about 0.1 to 1.0 cc / m2 / day, and water vapor permeability to about 0.1 to 1.0 g / m2 / day, which is insufficient for many display devices.

The oxygen transmission rates for these coatings are inadequate for many display devices.

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