Structured release liners with improved adhesion to adhesive articles

Abstract

A release liner includes a surface with an arrangement of structures thereon, wherein the structures extend upward from a plane of the surface, and wherein the structures have at least one sidewall that makes an angle with respect to the plane of the surface of greater than 0° and less than 90° selected to enhance adhesion to a tape.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method of enhancing the adhesive contact area on a surface of a release liner, comprising providing on the release liner an arrangement of structures extending upward from a plane of the surface, wherein the structures have at least one sidewall that makes an angle of less than about 50° with respect to the plane of the surface.  
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the structures are ridges, and wherein the ridges form a substantially continuous and substantially regular pattern on the surface, and wherein the ridges have a substantially trapezoidal cross-sectional shape with a substantially flat top.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the tops of the ridges occupy about 2% to about 12% of the total area of the surface.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the ridges have a pitch of greater than about 250 micrometers.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the sidewalls make an angle of about 30° to about 50° with respect to the plane of the surface.  
     
     
         6 . A method of transferring an adhesive backed article with a release liner and an adhesive layer on the release liner, comprising attaching a tape to the release liner, wherein the release liner comprises an arrangement of structures extending upward from a plane of a surface of the liner, wherein the structures have at least one sidewall that makes an angle of less than about 50° with respect to the plane of the surface.  
     
     
         7 . A method of transferring a graphic article comprising: 
 (a) providing a graphic article comprising: 
 a film with a first surface and a second surface, wherein an image occupies at least a portion of the first surface;  
 an adhesive layer on the second surface of the film; and  
 a release liner on the adhesive layer, wherein the release liner comprises a surface with an arrangement of structures thereon, wherein the structures extend upward from a plane of the surface, and wherein the structures have at least one sidewall that makes an angle with respect to the plane of the surface of greater than 0° and less than 90° selected to enhance adhesion to a tape;  
   (b) removing the film and the adhesive layer under portions of the first surface not occupied by the image such that at least a portion of the surface of the release liner is exposed;    (c) attaching a handling film to the image and the exposed portion of the release liner; and    (d) transferring the article into registration with a substrate.    
     
     
         8 . he method of  claim 7 , wherein the structures have at least one sidewall that makes an angle of less than about 50° with respect to the plane of the surface.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the handling film is selected from a pre-mask film, a pre-space film and a splicing film.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the structures are ridges forming a substantially continuous and substantially regular pattern on the surface, and wherein the ridges have a substantially trapezoidal cross-sectional shape with a substantially flat top.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the sidewalls make an angle of about 30° to about 50° with respect to the plane of the surface.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising the step of removing the handling film from the substrate and the graphic article.