Functionalized polyolefin solvent blends for dissimilar material bonding

Abstract

An adhesive formulation includes a functionalized polyolefin having a polyolefin backbone having a molecular weight in the range of 60,000 Da to about 90,000 Da, and a solvent or solvent mixture present in the range of 52 wt% to 82 wt%. The polyolefin backbone is functionalized by adding a polar side chain to the polyolefin backbone.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure generally relates to the use of adhesives to bond dissimilar materials, particularly dissimilar materials for medical device components. Background Technology

[0002] The medical device sector is seeing growing interest in non-PVC materials due to increasing regulatory demands (EU MDRs) for environmental considerations and recyclability, as well as growing customer needs. Furthermore, the demand for non-PVC materials in drug delivery systems, particularly for flexible applications, is increasing due to their superior low drug absorption, chemical resistance, and cleaner toxicological properties compared to PVC. Despite the numerous advantages of non-PVC material technology, bonding these low surface energy materials to polar substrates (what we often call bonding “heterogeneous” materials) remains challenging. Poor adhesion has been observed when solvents are used to attach joints to currently available flexible non-PVC components, such as tubing, infusion chambers, etc.

[0003] A common method for bonding PVC pipes to rigid joints is to use solvents such as methyl ethyl ketone (MEK), cyclohexanone, cyclopentanone, dichloromethane, tetrahydrofuran (THF), or mixtures thereof. Common rigid joints include, but are not limited to, stud joints, male luer joints, pinless valve joints, and connectors. The materials used to construct these joints are PC, ABS, mAABS, acrylic, polyester, polystyrene, etc.

[0004] Common non-PVC technologies suitable for drug delivery applications include STPE, TPO, TPU, and silicone. Among these non-PVC options, one of the most promising tubing materials is SEBS-based TPE because it offers the lowest cost, ample supply, leaching resistance, and durability compared to other material options. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The techniques disclosed herein advantageously provide improved bonding between dissimilar materials commonly used in medical device components. Furthermore, the techniques eliminate the need for a primer and the additional steps involved in its application, as well as the use of expensive adhesives prior to bonding dissimilar materials. Advantageously, common and inexpensive solvents can be used to bond components suitable for mass production or component assembly without compromising the safety of the underlying medical device components. Additional advantages may include minimizing variations in the bulk properties of the assembled components (e.g., transparency and suitability for drug delivery (e.g., low extractability / leaching, low toxicity)). Other advantages include the ability to tune the properties of the adhesive materials to match the physical properties (e.g., stiffness, hardness) of the materials to be bonded together.

[0006] Furthermore, the use of inexpensive solvents in the disclosed techniques is practical for mass production and avoids separate primer application or heating steps. While specific use cases include the medical industry, these techniques have broad application potential in other industries as well.

[0007] The techniques disclosed herein advantageously and significantly provide the ability to chemically bond dissimilar materials, increase the adhesive strength when bonding dissimilar materials, provide the ability to bond low surface energy substrates to high surface energy substrates, and offer customization based on a variety of substrate chemistry to enhance performance and tuning. Therefore, advantageously, the techniques disclosed herein are suitable for high-volume manufacturing by providing similar application time compared to currently available solvent technologies utilized in the manufacturing plant.

[0008] In one embodiment, the technology provides an adhesive formulation comprising a functionalized polyolefin having a polyolefin backbone having a molecular weight range of 60,000 Da to about 90,000 Da and a solvent or solvent mixture present in the range of 52 wt% to 82 wt%.

[0009] In another embodiment, the technology provides a method for bonding a first material to a second dissimilar material. The method includes applying an adhesive formulation to the surface of one or both of the first and second materials, and bonding the first material to the second material. The adhesive formulation comprises a functionalized polyolefin having a polyolefin backbone having a molecular weight range of 60,000 Da to about 90,000 Da, and a solvent or solvent mixture present in the range of 52 wt% to 82 wt%.

[0010] In another embodiment, the technology provides a method for bonding a first material to a second material. The method includes applying an adhesive formulation to the surface of one or both of the first and second materials, and bonding the first material to the second material. The first material is a low surface energy non-PVC substrate material, and the second material is a rigid polymer selected from the group consisting of: polycarbonate, polyester, acrylic acid, polystyrene, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), and methyl methacrylate ABS (mABS). The adhesive formulation comprises a functionalized polyolefin (functionalization including adding polar side chains to the polyolefin backbone) and a solvent or solvent mixture.

[0011] Additional features and advantages of this subject matter will be set forth in the following description, and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of this subject matter. The advantages of this subject matter will be realized and obtained through the structures particularly pointed out in the written description, its embodiments, and the accompanying drawings.

[0012] It should be understood that the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and illustrative, and are intended to provide further explanation of the subject matter. Attached Figure Description

[0013] Various features of illustrative embodiments of the present invention are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The illustrated embodiments are intended to illustrate, not limit, the invention. The drawings include the following figures:

[0014] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a material interaction mechanism for substrate bonding according to at least some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown.

[0015] Figure 2 Examples of maleic anhydride-functionalized polyolefin structures are shown. Detailed Implementation

[0016] It should be understood that various configurations of the present subject matter will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which this disclosure pertains, wherein the various configurations of the present subject matter are illustrated and described by way of illustration. As will be appreciated, the present subject matter can have other configurations and different configurations, and various details of the present subject matter can be modified in many other ways, all of which do not depart from the scope of the present subject matter. Therefore, the summary, drawings, and detailed description are to be considered illustrative in nature and not restrictive.

[0017] The specific embodiments described below are intended as a description of various configurations of the subject matter, and not as representing the only configuration that can be implemented to represent the subject matter. The accompanying drawings are incorporated herein and form part of the detailed description. The detailed description includes specific details intended to provide a thorough understanding of the subject matter. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the subject matter can be implemented without these specific details. In some instances, to avoid obscuring the concepts of the subject matter, well-known structures and components are shown in block diagram form. For ease of understanding, the same components are labeled with the same element numbers.

[0018] In one embodiment, the adhesive formulation comprises a functionalized polyolefin and a solvent or solvent mixture. The functionalized polyolefin may be a polyolefin backbone with a molecular weight ranging from 60,000 Da to 90,000 Da. The solvent or solvent mixture may be present in the adhesive formulation at an amount ranging from 52 wt% to 82 wt%.

[0019] Polyolefin backbones include homopolymers produced from ethylene, propylene, or higher olefins, or copolymers produced from two or more such monomers, unmodified polyolefins, and modified polyolefins. Examples of polyolefin backbones include, but are not limited to, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymers, polypropylene, and polyethylene.

[0020] In some embodiments, the polyolefin backbone can be functionalized by adding polar side chains. Examples of polar side chains include, but are not limited to, chlorinated groups, maleic anhydride, acrylic acid, or combinations thereof. The chlorinated group can be a chlorinated saturated or unsaturated group, such as an alkyl, alkenyl, cycloalkyl, or aryl group in which one or more hydrogen atoms are replaced by chlorides. In some embodiments, up to 35% of the polyolefin backbone can be functionalized with polar side chains. For example, up to about 5%, about 10%, about 15%, about 20%, about 25%, about 30%, about 35%, or any amount between any two of these amounts.

[0021] As used herein, the term “about” is as understood by those skilled in the art relative to the actual value stated, and allows for approximations, inaccuracies, and measurement limits in the relevant context. In one or more aspects, the terms “about,” “substantially,” and “approximately” can provide industrially acceptable tolerances for the correlation between their respective terms and / or items, such as tolerances less than 1% to 10% of the actual value, as well as other suitable tolerances.

[0022] Examples of functionalized polyolefins include, but are not limited to: SUPERCHLON E-723, E-673, and E-503 (CPO, commercially available from Nippon Paper Chemicals); ADVANTIS 510W, CP 730-1, and CP 164-1 (non-CPO, commercially available from Eastman); AUROREN AE 20 and AE-301 (non-CPO, commercially available from Nippon Paper Chemicals); KOATTRO PB M 8510M and KOATTRO PB M 8911M (unmodified polyolefins, random copolymers of 1-butene with high ethylene content, commercially available from LyondellBasel); the HARDLEN series (chlorinated polyolefins modified with maleic anhydride, including HARDLEN CY1321P, HARDLEN CY-9122P, and HARDLEN F-2P, commercially available from Toyobo Ltd.), TOYO TAC series (maleic anhydride modified polypropylene, including TOYO TAC PMA-L, TOYO TAC PMA-KE, TOYO TACPMA-KH, and TOYO TAC PMA-T (commercially available from Toyobo Ltd.); and TRAPYLEN series (CPO, including TRAPYLEN 950S, TRAPYLEN 911S, TRAPYLEN 1395, and TRAPYLEN 1455, commercially available from Tramaco).

[0023] In some embodiments, the solvent or solvent mixture includes cyclohexanone, methylcyclohexanone, butyl acetate, cyclopentanone, or combinations thereof. Other solvents may also be used, such as methyl ethyl ketone, tetrahydrofuran, heptane, toluene, and xylene, but these solvents should be avoided in medical applications due to their potential toxicity.

[0024] Adhesive formulations can be formed by adding a suitable solvent to a powder (or mixture of powders) of one or more functionalized polyolefins and rotating the mixing container for a period of time. The time required to obtain the adhesive formulation and the specific rotation or stirring method will depend on the specific functionalized polyolefin, the specific solvent, and the ratio of the solvent to the functionalized polyolefin. In some cases, the mixture can be heated to accelerate the dissolution of the powder in the solvent. In some embodiments, the mixture can be heated to a temperature in the range of about 30°C to about 90°C, for example, to the following temperature ranges: about 30°C to about 40°C, about 35°C to about 45°C, about 40°C to about 50°C, about 45°C to about 55°C, about 50°C to about 60°C, about 55°C to about 65°C, about 60°C to about 70°C, about 65°C to about 75°C, about 70°C to about 80°C, about 75°C to about 85°C, about 80°C to about 90°C, or any combination thereof.

[0025] One aspect of this disclosure includes a method for bonding a first material to a second dissimilar material. The method may include applying an adhesive formulation disclosed herein to the surface of one or both of the first and second materials, and bonding the first material to the second material.

[0026] Therefore, adhesive formulations may include functionalized polyolefins having a polyolefin backbone with a molecular weight ranging from about 60,000 Da to about 90,000 Da, and a solvent or solvent mixture present in the range of 52 wt% to 82 wt%. Functionalization may involve adding polar side chains to up to about 35% of the polyolefin backbone. Polar side chains may include, but are not limited to, chlorinated groups, maleic anhydride, acrylic acid, or combinations thereof.

[0027] Examples of solvents contained in adhesive formulations are, but are not limited to, cyclohexanone, methylcyclohexanone, butyl acetate, cyclopentanone, or combinations thereof.

[0028] In some embodiments, the first material may include a low surface energy non-PVC substrate material. Examples of the first material include, but are not limited to, non-PVC polyolefin polymers, such as styrene-based thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs) or styrene-based thermoplastic olefins (TPOs).

[0029] In some embodiments, the second material may comprise a rigid amorphous polymer having polar groups. Examples of the second material include, but are not limited to, polycarbonate or copolymers thereof, polyacrylate or copolymers thereof, such as methyl methacrylate-acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (mABS) copolymer, or acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) or copolymers thereof, or derivatives of any of the foregoing materials. Other examples of the second material may include polyester, acrylic acid, or polystyrene.

[0030] In some embodiments, the adhesive formulation is applied to the inner surface of a first component made of a first material, and a second component made of a second material is inserted into the first component such that the outer surface of the second component contacts the inner surface of the first component. In some embodiments, the adhesive formulation is applied to the outer surface of the second component instead of the inner surface of the first component. In some embodiments, the adhesive formulation is applied to the inner surface of the first component and the outer surface of the second component. In some embodiments, the first component is inserted into the second component such that the outer surface of the first component contacts the inner surface of the second component. In such embodiments, the adhesive formulation may be suitably applied to one or both of the outer surface of the first component and the inner surface of the second component.

[0031] In some embodiments, at least the portions of the first and second components that come into contact with each other can be treated to complete the bonding process. For example, this portion (or the entire first and second components) can be heated or exposed to radiation. Heating can reach temperatures in the range of about 30°C to about 150°C, for example, about 30°C to about 40°C, about 35°C to about 45°C, about 40°C to about 50°C, about 45°C to about 55°C, about 50°C to about 60°C, about 55°C to about 65°C, about 60°C to about 70°C, about 65°C to about 75°C, about 70°C to about 80°C, about 75°C to about 85°C, about 80°C to about 90°C, about 85°C to... The temperatures may be approximately 95°C, approximately 90°C to approximately 100°C, approximately 95°C to approximately 105°C, approximately 100°C to approximately 110°C, approximately 105°C to approximately 115°C, approximately 110°C to approximately 120°C, approximately 115°C to approximately 125°C, approximately 120°C to approximately 130°C, approximately 125°C to approximately 135°C, approximately 130°C to approximately 140°C, approximately 135°C to approximately 145°C, approximately 140°C to approximately 150°C, or any combination thereof. In some embodiments, the radiation may be visible light, ultraviolet (UV) light, or other ionizing radiation, such as X-rays or gamma rays.

[0032] Examples of components that can use the technology disclosed herein include, but are not limited to, medical infusion devices such as connectors and catheters.

[0033] Therefore, another aspect of this disclosure includes a method for bonding a low-surface-area non-PVC substrate first material to a rigid polymer second material, the rigid polymer second material being selected from the group consisting of polycarbonate, polyester, acrylic acid, polystyrene, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), and methyl methacrylate ABS (mABS). The method includes applying an adhesive formulation to the surface of one or both of the first and second materials and bonding the first material to the second material. The adhesive formulation may include a functionalized polyolefin functionalized by adding polar side chains to the polyolefin backbone and a solvent or solvent mixture.

[0034] As described herein, adhesive formulations comprise functionalized polyolefins. Functionalization of the polyolefin backbone includes chlorination, maleic anhydride modification, acrylate modification, or combinations thereof. This functionalization with high surface energy polar chemicals is designed to generate affinity for polar substrate materials that would otherwise be incompatible with the polyolefin backbone. Furthermore, the polyolefin backbone used in the solvent (blend) interacts with low surface energy non-PVC substrate materials, such as TPE and TPO (i.e., the first material described herein). While not wishing to be bound by theory, although favorable chemical interactions arising from this type of bridging chemistry are considered the primary mechanism for adhesive formation, the solvent system will facilitate chain miscibility of dissimilar materials through diffusion and opening up space within larger molecular chains at interfaces, thus allowing for such miscibility.

[0035] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the material interaction mechanism for substrate bonding according to at least some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. Large ellipses represent small solvent molecules, thin wavy lines represent one type of chemical similarity between the first substrate and the adhesive, and thick wavy lines represent another type of chemical similarity between the second substrate and the adhesive. Small star shapes represent favorable interactions when affinity is generated between similar molecules.

[0036] Figure 2 Examples of maleic anhydride-functionalized polyolefin structures are shown.

[0037] Experimental data from the embodiments described herein demonstrate that bonding dissimilar materials using the techniques disclosed herein provides the ability to chemically bond chemically dissimilar materials, for example, bonding a material with a low surface energy substrate to a material with a high surface energy substrate, and also provides enhanced adhesive strength. The techniques disclosed herein also allow for customization and tuning based on a variety of substrate chemistry to enhance performance. Furthermore, advantageously, the techniques disclosed herein are suitable for high-volume manufacturing by providing application times similar to currently available techniques for bonding dissimilar materials while offering higher adhesive strength.

[0038] While specific examples of functionalized polyolefins and solvents are disclosed herein, adhesive formulations including other polyolefin backbones, other functional groups, other solvent types, or solvent mixtures with different blending ratios are also considered within the scope of this disclosure.

[0039] Example

[0040] To evaluate Neo tubes bonded with Hardlen or Toyotac adhesives (with or without MEK baking primer), Luer extension tube tensile tests were performed. Details of the samples used for testing are shown in Table 1.

[0041] Table 1: Sample Details

[0042]

[0043]

[0044] Example 1: Preparation of adhesive formulation

[0045] All adhesives used in Toyo-tac™ formulations require mixing Toyo-tac powder and solvent in a 150 ml glass flask before assembly and use; formulations are shown in Table 2. A stirring plate and magnetic stirrer are used, set to 350 rpm when adding ingredients, and then to 200 rpm for the remainder of the mixing process. The heating temperature is set to 75°C. No filtration system is used. After adding all ingredients, allow 80–90 minutes for the powder particles to dissolve. Procedures for specific formulations are shown below:

[0046] a. Formulation 1: First add the solvent, then slowly add the powder over about 15 minutes, gently rotating the mixing container from time to time.

[0047] b. Formulation 2: First add the solvent, then slowly add the powder over about 15 minutes, stirring with a small metal spoon at the beginning to break up any lumps.

[0048] c. Formulations 3 and 4: First add the powder, then add the solvent through a funnel, and stir with a metal spoon at the beginning to break up any lumps.

[0049] The adhesives used in the Hardlen kit require no prior preparation before assembly and use.

[0050] Table 2: Examples of custom solvent blend formulations containing functionalized polyolefins

[0051]

[0052] Example 2: Assemble all sample groups except Hardlen F2-MB

[0053] To check the consistency (i.e., viscosity) of the adhesive, a polyswab is dipped into the adhesive and then removed. Dripping was observed in all cases; no dripping indicates the adhesive is too thick and may need dilution.

[0054] To check wettability, the adhesive on the composite swab is applied to a representative surface area, and any difficulties in application, including clumping or separation, are visually inspected by lightly rubbing the composite swab against a plastic cup. Observations may lead to adjustments in the application technique. If a variation of the technique is used, the technique employed is documented.

[0055] Dip the composite swab in the adhesive and immediately apply it to the outer surface of the tube using only a brushing motion.

[0056] After applying the adhesive, insert the tube into the connector. Record the time required for the adhesive solution to be applied to the tube, from the moment the composite swab is picked up until the tube is fully inserted into the connector. Before testing, place the subassembly on a tray under the cover.

[0057] Example 3: Assembling the Hardlen F2-MB sample group

[0058] Using a composite swab, F2-MB Hardlen adhesion promoter was first applied as a thin layer to the tube (thickness was uncontrolled or unmeasurable as part of a first proof-of-concept, although thickness was a potential factor). The tube with the F2-MB coating was conditioned in a 55°C oven for 50 min, then left to cool at room temperature for 10 min. The coated tube segment was then immersed in MEK solvent, removed, and excess solvent was applied onto a lab coat or absorbent paper while wet (solvent evaporation was not permitted), and then inserted into the connector pocket.

[0059] Example 4: Instron Test

[0060] Tensile tests were performed using the Instron Bluehill universal testing program, version 3.76.4926, with the operating parameters detailed in Table 3. Table 3 shows the tensile results for the Luer extension tubes of the sample groups, along with the number of samples for each failure mode (TPO = tube pull-out, BAN = tip (nose) breakage), a visual assessment of the location of adhesive residue (i.e., on the joint, tube, or both), the adhesive / solvent / primer used, and the application time (the Hardlen F2-MB group includes the time required to apply F2-MB and MEK).

[0061] Table 3: Universal Test (Instron) Parameters

[0062]

[0063] The universal test was performed at 5 in / min with a 1-inch gap. Table 5 details the tensile results for the sample groups, along with a visual assessment of the failure modes (TPO = tube pull-out, BAN = tip breakage) and the location of adhesive residue (on the connector, on the tube, or both), as well as the application time (from picking up the composite swab to the tube being fully inserted). Formulation details are shown in Table 2.

[0064] The results of the universal test (Instron) are shown in Table 4:

[0065] Table 4: Instron test results for each sample group:

[0066]

[0067]

[0068] Table 5: Summary of Test Results

[0069]

[0070]

[0071] Table 6 summarizes the physical properties of the main formulation components and their performance improvements relative to the baseline solvent technology.

[0072] Table 6: Formulation adhesion properties compared to the baseline solvent technology:

[0073]

[0074]

[0075] Table 6 illustrates that the adhesive formulations disclosed herein result in significantly higher standard adhesive strength compared to using solvents alone to bond materials.

[0076] Subject matter technology as an explanation of the terms.

[0077] For convenience, various embodiments of multiple aspects of this disclosure are described as numbered clauses (1, 2, 3, etc.). These clauses are provided by way of example and do not limit the subject matter. The accompanying drawings and reference numerals provided below are provided by way of example for illustrative purposes only, and the clauses are not limited by these reference numerals.

[0078] Clause 1. Adhesive formulations include functionalized polyolefins having a polyolefin backbone having a molecular weight range of 60,000 Da to about 90,000 Da; and solvents or solvent mixtures present in the range of 52 wt% to 82 wt%.

[0079] Clause 2. The adhesive formulation according to Clause 1, wherein functionalization of the functionalized polyolefin includes adding a polar side chain to the polyolefin backbone.

[0080] Clause 3. Adhesive formulations pursuant to Clause 2, wherein the polar side chain comprises a chlorinated group, maleic anhydride, acrylic acid, or a combination thereof.

[0081] Clause 4. An adhesive formulation according to any one of Clauses 1-3, wherein the solvent includes cyclohexanone, methylcyclohexanone, butyl acetate, cyclopentanone, or a combination thereof.

[0082] Clause 5. An adhesive formulation according to any one of Clauses 1-4, wherein up to 35% of the polyolefin backbone is functionalized into a functionalized polyolefin.

[0083] Clause 6. A method of bonding a first material to a second dissimilar material, the method comprising applying an adhesive formulation to a surface of one or both of the first and second materials. The adhesive formulation comprises a functionalized polyolefin having a polyolefin backbone having a molecular weight range of 60,000 Da to about 90,000 Da, and a solvent or solvent mixture present in the range of 52 wt% to 82 wt%. The method further comprises bonding the first material to the second material.

[0084] Clause 7. The method according to Clause 6, wherein the first material comprises a low surface energy non-PVC substrate material.

[0085] Clause 8. The method according to Clause 6, wherein the first material is a low surface energy non-PVC substrate material and the second material is a rigid polymer selected from the group consisting of: polycarbonate, polyester, acrylic, polystyrene, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) and methyl methacrylate ABS (mABS).

[0086] Clause 9. The method according to any one of Clauses 6-8, wherein functionalization of the functionalized polyolefin comprises adding a polar side chain to the polyolefin backbone.

[0087] Clause 10. The method according to any one of Clauses 6-9, wherein the polar side chain comprises a chlorinated group, maleic anhydride, acrylic acid, or a combination thereof.

[0088] Clause 11. The method according to any one of Clauses 6-10, wherein up to 35% of the polyolefin backbone is functionalized into a functionalized polyolefin.

[0089] Clause 12. The method according to any one of Clauses 6-11, wherein the solvent includes cyclohexanone, methylcyclohexanone, butyl acetate, cyclopentanone, or a combination thereof.

[0090] Clause 13. The method according to Clause 6, wherein the polar side chain comprises a chlorinated group and the solvent comprises butyl acetate and methylcyclohexanone.

[0091] Clause 14. A method of bonding a first material to a second material, the method comprising applying an adhesive formulation to the surface of one or both of the first and second materials and bonding the first material to the second material. The first material is a low surface energy non-PVC substrate material. The second material is a rigid polymer selected from the group consisting of: polycarbonate, polyester, acrylic acid, polystyrene, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), and methyl methacrylate ABS (mABS). The adhesive formulation comprises: a functionalized polyolefin, said functionalization comprising adding a polar side chain to the polyolefin backbone, and a solvent or solvent mixture.

[0092] Clause 15. The method according to Clause 14, wherein the polyolefin backbone of the functionalized polyolefin has a molecular weight in the range of 60,000 Da to 90,000 Da.

[0093] Clause 16. The method according to Clause 14, wherein the solvent or solvent mixture in the adhesive formulation is present in the range of 52 wt% to 82 wt%.

[0094] Clause 17. The method according to any one of Clauses 14-16, wherein up to 35% of the polyolefin backbone of the functionalized polyolefin is functionalized.

[0095] Clause 18. The method according to any one of Clauses 14-17, wherein the solvent comprises cyclohexanone, methylcyclohexanone, butyl acetate, cyclopentanone, or a combination thereof.

[0096] Clause 19. The method according to any one of Clauses 14-18, wherein the polar side chain is selected from the group consisting of: chlorinated groups, maleic anhydride, acrylic acid, and combinations thereof.

[0097] Clause 20. The method according to any one of Clauses 14-19, wherein the polar side chain comprises a chlorinated group and the solvent comprises butyl acetate and methylcyclohexanone.

[0098] Other considerations

[0099] In some implementations, any clause in this document may be subordinate to any independent clause or any dependent clause. In one aspect, any clause (e.g., a dependent or independent clause) may be combined with any other one or more clauses (e.g., a dependent or independent clause). In one aspect, a claim may include some or all of the words (e.g., step, operation, apparatus, or component) recited in a clause, sentence, phrase, or paragraph. In one aspect, a claim may include some or all of the words recited in one or more clauses, sentences, phrases, or paragraphs. In one aspect, some words may be removed from each clause, sentence, phrase, or paragraph. In one aspect, additional words or elements may be added to a clause, sentence, phrase, or paragraph. In one aspect, the subject matter may be implemented without utilizing some of the components, elements, functions, or operations described herein. In one aspect, the subject matter may be implemented using additional components, elements, functions, or operations.

[0100] The foregoing description is provided to enable those skilled in the art to practice the various configurations described herein. Although the subject matter has been specifically described with reference to several accompanying drawings and configurations, it should be understood that these descriptions are for illustrative purposes only and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the subject matter.

[0101] There are many other ways to implement the techniques described herein. Many of the functions and elements described herein may be distinguished differently from those shown without departing from the scope of the techniques described herein. Various modifications to these configurations will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein can be applied to other configurations. Therefore, those skilled in the art can make many changes and modifications to the techniques described herein without departing from the scope of the techniques described herein.

[0102] It should be understood that the specific order or hierarchy of steps in the disclosed process is an illustration of an exemplary method. Based on design preferences, it should be understood that the specific order or hierarchy of steps in the process can be rearranged. Some steps may be performed simultaneously. The appended method claims present elements of multiple steps in an exemplary order and are not intended to limit one to the specific order or hierarchy presented.

[0103] As used herein, the phrase “at least one” preceding a series of items, and the terms “and” or “or” used to separate any items, modify the list as a whole, not each member of the list (i.e., each item). The phrase “at least one” does not require selection of at least one of each of the listed items; rather, the phrase means including at least one of any one item, and / or at least one of any combination of items, and / or at least one of each item. For example, the phrases “at least one of A, B, and C” or “at least one of A, B, or C” each refer to only A, only B, or only C; any combination of A, B, and C; and / or at least one of each of A, B, and C.

[0104] Furthermore, with regard to the terms “comprising”, “having”, etc., used in the specification or claims, such terms are intended to be contained in a manner similar to how the term “comprising” is interpreted when used as a transitional word in a claim.

[0105] In one or more respects, the terms “about,” “basically,” and “approximately” may provide industrially acceptable tolerances for the correlation between their respective terms and / or items, for example, from less than 1% to 5%.

[0106] The term “exemplary” is used herein to mean “serving as an example, instance, or illustration.” Any embodiment described herein as “exemplary” is not necessarily to be construed as being more preferred or advantageous than other embodiments.

[0107] Unless otherwise specified, components mentioned in the singular are not intended to mean "one and only one," but rather "one or more." Masculine pronouns (e.g., his) include feminine and neuter pronouns (e.g., her and its), and vice versa. The term "some" refers to one or more. Underlined and / or italicized headings and subheadings are for convenience only and do not limit the subject matter or relate to the interpretation of the description of the subject matter. All structural and functional equivalents of the various configurations of components described in this disclosure that are known to or will be known thereafter by those skilled in the art are expressly incorporated herein by reference and are intended to be included in the subject matter. Furthermore, nothing disclosed herein is intended to be offered to the public, whether or not such disclosure is expressly stated in the foregoing description.

[0108] While the specific embodiments contain numerous details, these details should not be construed as limiting the scope of the subject matter, but merely as illustrating different instances and aspects of the subject matter. It should be understood that the scope of the subject matter includes other embodiments not discussed in detail above. Various other modifications, alterations, and variations can be made to the arrangement, operation, and details of the methods and apparatuses of the subject matter disclosed herein without departing from the scope of this disclosure. Unless otherwise stated, elements referred to in the singular are not intended to mean "one and only one," but rather "one or more." Furthermore, in order to be included within the scope of this disclosure, it is not necessary for the apparatus or method to solve every problem (or possess every achievable advantage) that can be solved through the different embodiments of this disclosure. The word "may" and its derivatives as used herein should be understood as meaning "possibly" or "optionally," as opposed to an affirmative capability.

Claims

1. An adhesive formulation comprising: Functionalized polyolefins having a polyolefin backbone with a molecular weight range of 60,000 Da to 90,000 Da; as well as Solvent or solvent mixture present in the range of 52 wt% to 82 wt%.

2. The adhesive formulation of claim 1, wherein the functionalization of the functionalized polyolefin comprises adding a polar side chain to the polyolefin backbone.

3. The adhesive formulation according to claim 2, wherein the polar side chain comprises a chlorinated group, maleic anhydride, acrylic acid, or a combination thereof.

4. The adhesive formulation according to claim 1, wherein the solvent comprises cyclohexanone, methylcyclohexanone, butyl acetate, cyclopentanone, or a combination thereof.

5. The adhesive formulation according to claim 1, wherein up to 35% of the polyolefin backbone is functionalized in the functionalized polyolefin.

6. A method for bonding a first material to a second dissimilar material, the method comprising: An adhesive formulation is applied to the surface of one or both of a first material and a second material, the adhesive formulation comprising: Functionalized polyolefins having a polyolefin backbone with a molecular weight range of 60,000 Da to 90,000 Da, and A solvent or solvent mixture present in the range of 52 wt% to 82 wt%; and The first material is bonded to the second material.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the first material comprises a low surface energy non-PVC substrate material.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the first material is a low surface energy non-PVC substrate material, and the second material is a rigid polymer selected from the group consisting of: polycarbonate, polyester, acrylic acid, polystyrene, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), and methyl methacrylate ABS (mABS).

9. The method of claim 6, wherein functionalization of the functionalized polyolefin comprises adding a polar side chain to the polyolefin backbone.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the polar side chain comprises a chlorinated group, maleic anhydride, acrylic acid, or a combination thereof.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the polar side chain comprises a chlorinated group, and the solvent comprises butyl acetate and methylcyclohexanone.

12. The method of claim 6, wherein up to 35% of the polyolefin backbone is functionalized in the functionalized polyolefin.

13. The method of claim 6, wherein the solvent comprises cyclohexanone, methylcyclohexanone, butyl acetate, cyclopentanone, or a combination thereof.

14. A method for bonding a first material to a second material, the method comprising: The adhesive formulation is applied to the surface of one or both of the first and second materials; as well as Adhere the first material to the second material. The first material is a low surface energy non-PVC substrate material. The second material is a rigid polymer selected from the group consisting of: polycarbonate, polyester, acrylic acid, polystyrene, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), and methyl methacrylate ABS (mABS). The adhesive formulation comprises: Functionalized polyolefins, wherein the functionalization includes adding polar side chains to the polyolefin backbone, and Solvent or solvent mixture.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the molecular weight of the polyolefin backbone of the functionalized polyolefin is in the range of 60,000 Da to 90,000 Da.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the solvent or solvent mixture in the adhesive formulation is present in the range of 52 wt% to 82 wt%.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein up to 35% of the polyolefin backbone of the functionalized polyolefin is functionalized.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the solvent comprises cyclohexanone, methylcyclohexanone, butyl acetate, cyclopentanone, or a combination thereof.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the polar side chain is selected from the group consisting of chlorinated groups, maleic anhydride, acrylic acid, and combinations thereof.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein the polar side chain comprises a chlorinated group, and the solvent comprises butyl acetate and methylcyclohexanone.

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