METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING POLYESTER FILM FOR EMBOSSING

Abstract

A method for manufacturing a polyester film for embossing that is made from a recycled polyester material. A part of the recycled polyester material is physically reproduced to obtain physically regenerated polyester chips. The physically regenerated polyester chips include physically regenerated regular polyester chips. Another part of the recycled polyester material is chemically reproduced to obtain chemically regenerated polyester chips. The chemically regenerated polyester chips include chemically regenerated regular polyester chips and chemically regenerated electrostatic pinning polyester chips. The physically regenerated polyester chips and the chemically regenerated polyester chips are mixed to form a base material. The base material is used to form a base layer that having a main component of regenerated polyethylene terephthalate. A surface coating layer is formed onto the base layer. A material of the surface coating layer includes a main resin, fillers, and melamine.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing a polyester film for embossing, comprising: providing a recycled polyester material; physically reproducing a part of the recycled polyester material to obtain physically regenerated polyester chips, the physically regenerated polyester chips including physically regenerated regular polyester chips; chemically reproducing another part of the recycled polyester material to obtain chemically regenerated polyester chips, the chemically regenerated polyester chips including chemically regenerated regular polyester chips and chemically regenerated electrostatic pinning polyester chips; mixing the physically regenerated polyester chips and the chemically regenerated polyester chips to form a base material; using the base material to form a base layer having a main component of regenerated polyethylene terephthalate; and forming a surface coating layer onto the base layer, a material of the surface coating layer including a main resin, fillers, and melamine, wherein, based on a total weight of the surface coating layer being 100 wt %, an existing amount of the main resin ranges from 45 wt % to 95 wt %, an existing amount of the fillers ranges from 0.1 wt % to 30 wt %, and an existing amount of the melamine ranges from 0.01 wt % to 25 wt %, so as to obtain the polyester film for embossing.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the main resin is an acrylic resin, a polyurethane resin, or a polyester resin, and the fillers include at least one of silicon dioxide, calcium carbonate, and aluminum oxide.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein, based on a total weight of the base layer being 100 wt %, a usage amount of the physically regenerated polyester chips ranges from 50 wt % to 95 wt %, a usage amount of the chemically regenerated polyester chips ranges from 1 wt % to 40 wt %, and a total usage amount of the physically regenerated polyester chips and the chemically regenerated polyester chips ranges from 50 wt % to 100 wt %.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the chemically regenerated polyester chips are prepared by steps of: depolymerizing the recycled polyester material to obtain an oligomer mixture; and repolymerizing the oligomer mixture to obtain the chemically regenerated polyester chips having a main component of regenerated polyethylene terephthalate.

5. The method according to claim 3, wherein the physically regenerated polyester chips are prepared by steps of: melting the recycled polyester material to obtain a melted mixture; and molding the melted mixture to obtain the physically regenerated polyester chips having a main component of regenerated polyethylene terephthalate.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein a total thickness of the polyester film for embossing ranges from 8 μm to 350 μm, the surface coating layer is coated on the base layer, and a thickness of the surface coating layer ranges from 0.05 μm to 24 μm.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein, based on a total weight of the polyester composition being 100 wt %, the polyester composition contains 0.5 wt % to 5 wt % of isophthalic acid.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein an average diameter of the fillers ranges from 10 nm to 8 μm.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] The described embodiments may be better understood by reference to the following description and the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0029] FIG. 1 is a side schematic view of a polyester film for embossing according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0030] FIG. 2 is a side schematic view showing a state of use of the polyester film for embossing according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0031] FIG. 3 is a side schematic view of a polyester film for embossing according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0032] FIG. 4 is a side schematic view of a polyester film for embossing according to a third embodiment of the present disclosure; and

[0033] FIG. 5 is a flowchart describing a method for manufacturing the polyester film for embossing of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

[0034] The present disclosure is more particularly described in the following examples that are intended as illustrative only since numerous modifications and variations therein will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Like numbers in the drawings indicate like components throughout the views. As used in the description herein and throughout the claims that follow, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise, the meaning of “a”, “an”, and “the” includes plural reference, and the meaning of “in” includes “in” and “on”. Titles or subtitles can be used herein for the convenience of a reader, which shall have no influence on the scope of the present disclosure.

[0035] The terms used herein generally have their ordinary meanings in the art. In the case of conflict, the present document, including any definitions given herein, will prevail. The same thing can be expressed in more than one way. Alternative language and synonyms can be used for any term(s) discussed herein, and no special significance is to be placed upon whether a term is elaborated or discussed herein. A recital of one or more synonyms does not exclude the use of other synonyms. The use of examples anywhere in this specification including examples of any terms is illustrative only, and in no way limits the scope and meaning of the present disclosure or of any exemplified term. Likewise, the present disclosure is not limited to various embodiments given herein. Numbering terms such as “first”, “second” or “third” can be used to describe various components, signals or the like, which are for distinguishing one component/signal from another one only, and are not intended to, nor should be construed to impose any substantive limitations on the components, signals or the like.

First Embodiment

[0036] Referring to FIG. 1, a first embodiment of the present disclosure provides a polyester film for embossing 1. The polyester film for embossing 1 includes a base layer 11 and a surface coating layer 12.

[0037] The base layer 11 has a first surface 111 and a second surface 112 opposite to each other. The base layer 11 is flexible. The surface coating layer 12 is disposed on the first surface 111 of the base layer 11 by coating. In addition, the second surface 112 of the base layer 11 can undergo a corona treatment optionally. In the present embodiment, the surface coating layer 12 is coated on the base layer 11 by in-line coating, but it is not limited thereto. The surface coating layer 12 is an easy-to-press embossed pattern layer.

[0038] In the present embodiment, a thickness of the polyester film for embossing 1 ranges from 8 μm to 350 μm. A thickness of the surface coating layer 12 ranges from 0.05 μm to 24 μm.

[0039] Referring to FIG. 2, a three-dimensional embossed pattern P1 can be formed on a metal stamper M by laser engraving. Subsequently, the metal stamper M can be used to press against the surface coating layer 12 of the polyester film for embossing 1. If necessary, the metal stamper M can be heated to a predetermined temperature (such as 200° C.), so that the surface coating layer 12 has another three-dimensional embossed pattern P2 that is inverse to the three-dimensional embossed pattern P1 in unevenness. However, these details are provided for exemplary purposes only and are not meant to limit the scope of the present disclosure.

[0040] The base layer 11 is formed from a polyester composition having a main component of regenerated polyethylene terephthalate. The polyester composition includes a physically regenerated polyester resin and a chemically regenerated polyester resin. A main component of each of the physically regenerated polyester resin and the chemically regenerated polyester resin is regenerated polyethylene terephthalate.

[0041] As for the polyester composition forming the base layer 11, based on a total weight of the polyester composition being 100 wt %, the polyester composition includes 50 wt % to 95 wt % of physically regenerated polyester resin, and 1 wt % to 40 wt % of chemically regenerated polyester resin. A total amount of the physically regenerated polyester resin and the chemically regenerated polyester resin ranges from 50 wt % to 100 wt %.

[0042] A material forming the surface coating layer 12 includes a main resin, fillers, and melamine. The main resin is acrylic resin, a polyurethane resin, or a polyester resin. The fillers include at least one of silicon dioxide, calcium carbonate, and aluminum oxide. A diameter of the fillers ranges from 10 nm to 8 μm.

[0043] Specifically, based on a total weight of the surface coating layer 12 being 100 wt %, an existing amount of the main resin ranges from 45 wt % to 95 wt %, an existing amount of the fillers ranges from 0.1 wt % to 30 wt %, and an existing amount of the melamine ranges from 0.01 wt % to 25 wt %.

[0044] In the present disclosure, the polyester composition forming the base layer 11 contains both of the physically regenerated polyester resin and the chemically regenerated polyester resin. By using both of the physically regenerated polyester resin and the chemically regenerated polyester resin, a proportion of the recycled polyester material used in the base layer 11 can be increased. In addition, even without being added with the virgin polyester chips, the polyester composition of the present disclosure will not have a problem of high impurity resulting from use of the physically regenerated polyester resin only.

[0045] Further, the aforementioned physically regenerated polyester resin is formed from one or many kinds of physically regenerated polyester chips. A main component of the physically regenerated polyester chips is regenerated polyethylene terephthalate. The aforementioned chemically regenerated polyester resin is formed from one or many kinds of chemically regenerated polyester chips. A main component of the chemically regenerated polyester chips is regenerated polyethylene terephthalate. The specific preparations of the physically regenerated polyester chips and the chemically regenerated polyester chips are illustrated later.

[0046] Referring to FIG. 5, a method for manufacturing the polyester film for embossing includes the following steps. A recycled polyester material is provided (step S1). A part of the recycled polyester material is physically reproduced to obtain physically regenerated polyester chips having a main component of regenerated polyethylene terephthalate (step S2). Another part of the recycled polyester material is chemically reproduced to obtain chemically regenerated polyester chips having a main component of regenerated polyethylene terephthalate (step S3). The physically regenerated polyester chips and the chemically regenerated polyester chips are mixed to form a base material (step S4). The base material is used to form a base layer having a main component of regenerated polyethylene terephthalate (step S5). A surface coating layer is formed onto the base layer to obtain the polyester film for embossing (step S6).

[0047] In step S1, the recycled polyester material is recycled bottle chips. A main material of the recycled bottle chips is polyester. Generally, polyester is formed by a polycondensation of diol units and diacid units. For recycled bottle chips, the diol units can be ethylene glycol derived from petrochemical sources or ethylene glycol derived from biomass. As for the polyester composition forming the base layer 11, based on the total weight of the polyester composition being 100 wt %, the polyester composition includes 1 wt % to 25 wt % of a biomass-derived material. In other words, a content of C14 among total carbon atoms in the polyester composition ranges from 0.2 wt % to 5 wt %.

[0048] The recycled polyester material can include isophthalic acid. Therefore, the polyester composition forming the base layer 11 may also contain isophthalic acid. Based on the total weight of the polyester composition being 100 wt %, the polyester composition contains 0.5 wt % to 5 wt % of isophthalic acid.

[0049] The recycled polyester material can include a metal catalyst. Therefore, the polyester composition forming the base layer 11 may also contain the metal catalyst. Based on the total weight of the polyester composition being 100 wt %, the polyester composition contains 0.0003 wt % to 0.04 wt % of the metal catalyst. The metal catalyst is selected from the group consisting of antimony, germanium, titanium, and any combination thereof.

[0050] In step S2, a physical reproduction process includes the following steps. The recycled polyester material (such as bottle chips) is cut into pieces, and then melted to form a melted mixture. The melted mixture is extruded by a single-screw extruder or a twin-screw extruder, and then granulated to obtain the physically regenerated polyester chips.

[0051] In the present embodiment, the physically regenerated polyester chips include physically regenerated regular polyester chips. The physically regenerated regular polyester chips are polyester chips prepared through the physical reproduction process, and no functional additive is added during the physical reproduction process. In the present embodiment, a main component forming the physically regenerated regular polyester chips is regenerated polyethylene terephthalate.

[0052] In addition, in the physical reproduction process, functional additives (such as a slipping agent, a coloring agent, or a matting agent) can be added in the melted mixture, so that physically regenerated slipping polyester chips, physically regenerated color polyester chips, and physically regenerated matting polyester chips can be obtained. It should be noted that, a main component of each of the physically regenerated slipping polyester chips, the physically regenerated color polyester chips, and the physically regenerated matting polyester chips is regenerated polyethylene terephathalate.

[0053] In step S3, a chemical reproduction process includes the following steps. The recycled polyester material (such as bottle chips) is cut into pieces and then put in a chemical depolymerization solution, so that molecules of polyester will be broken into polyester monomer (such as diol unit and diacid unit) and oligomers (such as cyclic oligomer), and then an oligomer mixture is formed. Subsequently, the oligomer mixture is isolated, purified, repolymerized, and then granulated to obtain the chemically regenerated polyester chips. In the present embodiment, a main component forming the chemically regenerated polyester chips is regenerated polyethylene terephthalate.

[0054] In the present embodiment, the chemical depolymerization solution can be water, methanol, ethanol, ethylene glycol, diethylene glycol or any combination thereof. However, the present embodiment is not limited thereto. For example, water is used for hydrolysis, and methanol, ethanol, ethylene glycol, diethylene glycol are used for alcoholysis. In a preferable embodiment, the chemical depolymerization solution includes ethylene glycol.

[0055] In the present embodiment, the chemically regenerated polyester chips include the chemically regenerated regular polyester chips and the chemically regenerated electrostatic pinning polyester chips. The term “chemically regenerated regular polyester chips” refers to polyester chips prepared by direct repolymerization, reproduction process and no functional additive is added in the oligomer mixture during the chemical reproduction process. In the present embodiment, a component forming the chemically regenerated regular polyester chips is regenerated polyethylene terephthalate. The term “chemically regenerated electrostatic pinning polyester chips” refers to those prepared by having electrostatic pinning additives added into the oligomer mixture and then repolymerized. In the present embodiment, the chemically regenerated electrostatic pinning polyester chips include regenerated polyethylene terephthalate and the electrostatic pinning additives.

[0056] It should be noted that, the term “electrostatic pinning” refers to a use of materials that increase electrical conductivity or decrease electrical resistivity. The term “electrostatic pinning additives” in the present disclosure refers to materials that increase electrical conductivity or decrease electrical resistivity.

[0057] The electrostatic pinning additives are metal salts. The metal salts can be sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, or metal salts containing aliphatic carboxylic acid. In the metal salts containing aliphatic carboxylic acid, a carbon number of the aliphatic carboxylic acid ranges from 2 to 30. For instance, the aliphatic carboxylic acid (in the form of metal salts) contains monocarboxylic acid and dicarboxylic acid, such as acetic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, oleic acid or sebacic acid. In the present embodiment, the aliphatic carboxylic acid is preferably acetic acid. Further, a metal component of the metal salts can be, for example, alkali metal or alkaline earth metal. In other words, the metal salts can be, for example, lithium salts, sodium salts, potassium salts, manganese salts, zinc salts, calcium salts, magnesium salts, or aluminum salts. In the present embodiment, the metal salts are preferably manganese salts or lithium salts. The manganese salts can be magnesium acetate (Mg(CH.sub.3COOH).sub.2), and the lithium salts can be lithium acetate (CH.sub.3COOLi). However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0058] In addition, in the chemical reproduction process, the functional additives mentioned above (such as slipping agent, coloring agent, and matting agent) can be added into the oligomer mixture. Accordingly, after repolymerizing the oligomer mixture, chemically regenerated slipping polyester chips, chemically regenerated color polyester chips, and chemically regenerated matting polyester chips can be prepared sequentially. It should be noted that, a main component of each of the chemically regenerated slipping polyester chips, the chemically regenerated color polyester chips, and the chemically regenerated matting polyester chips is regenerated polyethylene terephthalate.

[0059] In step S5, the base layer 11 is extruded and formed via an extruder.

[0060] In step S6, the surface coating layer 12 is formed from a surface coating paste. The surface coating paste includes the main resin, the fillers, and the melamine mentioned previously. The surface coating paste is disposed onto the base layer 11 by in-line coating so as to form the surface coating layer 12 onto the base layer 11. However, the way to form the surface coating layer 12 is not limited thereto.

Second Embodiment

[0061] Referring to FIG. 3, a second embodiment of the present disclosure provides a polyester film for embossing 1a. The polyester film for embossing 1a includes a base layer 11, a surface coating layer 12, and another surface coating layer 13. The base layer 11 has a first surface 111 and a second surface 112 opposite to each other. The surface coating layer 12 is coated and formed on the first surface 111 of the base layer 11. The surface coating layer 13 is coated and formed on the second surface 112 of the base layer 11. The surface coating layer 12 and the surface coating layer 13 are each an easy-to-press embossed pattern layer. A three-dimensional embossed pattern (not shown in the figure) can be formed onto each of the surface coating layer 12 and the surface coating layer 13. The three-dimensional embossed pattern formed onto the surface coating layer 12 can be the same or different from the three-dimensional embossed pattern formed onto the surface coating layer 13.

[0062] A material of the base layer 11 and a material of the surface coating layer 12 in the second embodiment is similar to the material of the base layer 11 and the material of the surface coating layer 12 in the first embodiment. Therefore, the specific content is not repeated herein.

Third Embodiment

[0063] Referring to FIG. 4, a third embodiment of the present disclosure provides a polyester film for embossing 1b. The polyester film for embossing 1b in the third embodiment is similar to the polyester film for embossing 1a in the second embodiment. The difference is that the base layer 11 in the third embodiment includes a first base layer 11a and a second base layer 11b stacked upon each other. A composition of the first base layer 11a can be the same or different from a composition of the second base layer 11b. For example, the first base layer 11a and the second base layer 11b can be formed from different polyesters, or the functional additives added in the first base layer 11a can be different from the functional additives added in the second base layer 11b.

Beneficial Effects of the Embodiments

[0064] In conclusion, in the polyester film for embossing 1 and the method for manufacturing the same provided in the present disclosure, by virtue of “a main component formed the base layer 11 being regenerated polyethylene terephthalate” and “the surface coating layer 12 being disposed on the base layer 11 and a material forming the surface coating layer 12 including a main resin, fillers, and melamine”, an amount of the recycled polyester material in the polyester film for embossing 1 can be increased.

[0065] The foregoing description of the exemplary embodiments of the disclosure has been presented only for the purposes of illustration and description and is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure to the precise forms disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching.

[0066] The embodiments were chosen and described in order to explain the principles of the disclosure and their practical application so as to enable others skilled in the art to utilize the disclosure and various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. Alternative embodiments will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which the present disclosure pertains without departing from its spirit and scope.