Lightweight plastic laminate suitable for gas and moisture resistant environmental housings

Abstract

The instant invention relates to a housing structure for replacement of glass or metal housings currently in use in applications where high gas or water impermeability is desired. Herein is described a combination of structural polymers based on LCP with an additional layer or layers or barrier films of organic, inorganic or combinations thereof which enhance the barrier properties of the overall structure. These films may be located inside the structural polymeric substrate, outside of the structural polymeric substrate, or on both sides of the structural polymeric substrate. In an additional embodiment, an additional structural layer may also be present. In addition, various getter materials may also be used to further enhance the barrier properties.

1 . A laminate for use in structures such as housings comprising: 
 a. a substantially rigid polymeric base layer substrate, and    b. a film layer affixed to the base layer substrate, wherein at least one of the base and film layers are of liquid crystal polymer.    
   
   
       2 . The laminate of  claim 1 , wherein both layers are of liquid crystal polymer.  
   
   
       3 . The laminate of  claim 1 , wherein the film layer is biaxially oriented.  
   
   
       4 . The laminate of  claim 1 , wherein the base layer is a polymer material with fillers incorporated therein.  
   
   
       5 . The laminate of  claim 1 , wherein there is an intermediate layer of liquid crystal polymer between the base and film layers.  
   
   
       6 . The laminate of  claim 5 , wherein at least one of the intermediate and film layers is biaxially oriented.  
   
   
       7 . The laminate of  claim 1 , wherein the film layer is a single layer.  
   
   
       8 . The laminate of  claim 1 , wherein the film layer is characterized by being formed of an acrylate.  
   
   
       9 . The laminate of  claim 1 , wherein the film layer has an inorganic component.  
   
   
       10 . The laminate of  claim 1 , wherein the film layer has multiple layers.  
   
   
       11 . The laminate of  claim 10 , wherein the film layer is a laminate of polymer layers bonded to each other via a processing technique.  
   
   
       12 . The laminate of  claim 10 , wherein the film layer is a laminate of polymer layers bonded together using one or more adhesive layers.  
   
   
       13 . The laminate of  claim 1 , wherein the film layer is characterized by having an additional coating applied to it.  
   
   
       14 . The laminate of  claim 13 , wherein the coating is selected from the group consisting of ceramic compounds, other inorganic compounds, metals, and combinations thereof.  
   
   
       15 . The laminate of  claim 1 , wherein the substrate defines a structure with a defined interior region.  
   
   
       16 . The laminate of  claim 15 , wherein the structure is a housing.  
   
   
       17 . The laminate of  claim 16 , wherein an outlet port is incorporated into the housing structure.  
   
   
       18 . The laminate of  claim 16 , wherein an inlet port is incorporated into the housing structure.  
   
   
       19 . The laminate of  claim 16 , wherein both an inlet and out port are incorporated into the housing structure.  
   
   
       20 . The laminate of  claim 1 , wherein the film layer is affixed to the substrate in the region defined as inside a final structure.  
   
   
       21 . The laminate of  claim 1 , wherein the film layer is affixed to the region defined by the substrate as outside of a final structure.  
   
   
       22 . The laminate of  claim 1 , wherein there are two film layers, located on both the inside and outside regions of a final structure.  
   
   
       23 . The laminate of  claim 1 , wherein there further included a getter material incorporated into the housing structure.  
   
   
       24 . The laminate of  claim 1 , wherein the films located on the outside of the substrate are the same composition as those on the inside of the substrate.  
   
   
       25 . The laminate of  claim 1 , wherein the films located on the outside of the substrate are different in composition from those of the indise of the substrate.  
   
   
       26 . The laminate of  claim 1 , wherein there is an additional layer in the structure to supply rigidity to the laminate.  
   
   
       27 . The laminate of  claim 26 , wherein the additional layer is polymeric in nature.