Adhesive-backed articles

Abstract

Methods of preparing adhesive-backed articles and methods of applying adhesives backed articles are described. The adhesive-backed articles include a compliant film and a pressure-sensitive adhesive having a microstructured surface opposite the compliant film.

1 . An adhesive-backed article, comprising: 
 a compliant polymeric film having an upper surface and a lower surface, said compliant film having an inelastic deformation of at least 5 percent after being stretched once to 115 percent of its original length; and    a pressure sensitive adhesive permanently bonded to the lower surface of said compliant polymeric film, said pressure sensitive adhesive having a microstructured surface that can be bonded to a substrate, opposite said film, with a pattern of channels being formed in said surface that define a volume of at least 1×10 3  μm 3  per any 500 μm diameter circular area of said pattern so that, after final application of said article onto the substrate, the upper surface of said compliant film has an appearance with substantially no periodicity and substantially no surface roughness beyond the surface roughness of the film by itself in accordance with the surface roughness test procedure,    wherein said channels define exit pathways that provide a fluid egress from behind said article when said article is applied to the substrate.    
   
   
       2 . The article according to  claim 1 , wherein after final application of said article onto the substrate, the pattern of said channels is prevented from appearing on the surface of said compliant film.  
   
   
       3 . The article according to  claim 1 , wherein said compliant film has a thickness of 300 μm or less.  
   
   
       4 . The article according to  claim 1 , wherein said compliant film has a thickness of about 25 μm to about 100 μm.  
   
   
       5 . The article according to  claim 1 , wherein said compliant film comprises at least one of the plastic materials from the group consisting of vinyl, polyvinyl chloride, plasticized polyvinyl chloride, polyurethane, polyethylene, polypropylene, fluororesin or the like.  
   
   
       6 . The article according to  claim 1 , wherein the average distance between adjacent channels in said pattern is up to 400 μm.  
   
   
       7 . The article according to  claim 1 , wherein said channels have an aspect ratio in the range of about 0.1 to about 20.  
   
   
       8 . The article according to  claim 1 , wherein said adhesive-backed article is sealable as indicated by an initial wet out test result of at least 85%.  
   
   
       9 . The article according to  claim 1 , wherein said channels define exit pathways that provide a fluid egress to a periphery of said article, when said article is applied to the substrate.  
   
   
       10 . The article according to  claim 1 , wherein the article is a decorative article.  
   
   
       11 . The article according to  claim 1  in combination with a motor vehicle.  
   
   
       12 . A method of preparing an adhesive-backed article, said method comprising: 
 providing a microstructured release surface and a pressure-sensitive adhesive;    using the microstructured release surface to form a microstructured surface in the pressure-sensitive adhesive, where the microstructured surface can be bonded to a substrate and a pattern of channels is formed in the microstructured surface that define a volume of at least 1×10 3  μm 3  per any 500 μm diameter circular area of the pattern; and    permanently bonding a compliant film to a surface of the pressure-sensitive adhesive that is opposite the microstructured surface,    wherein channels formed in the microstructured surface of the pressure sensitive adhesive define exit pathways providing fluid egress from behind the article.    
   
   
       13 . The method according to  claim 12 , wherein said using the microstructured release surface comprises forming the microstructured surface into a layer of the pressure sensitive adhesive, and said permanently bonding comprises bonding the compliant film to a surface of the layer that is opposite the microstructured surface.  
   
   
       14 . The method according to  claim 12 , wherein the microstructured surface of the pressure-sensitive adhesive is formed by (a) coating the pressure-sensitive adhesive onto the microstructured release surface or (b) embossing the pattern into the pressure-sensitive adhesive with the microstructured release surface.  
   
   
       15 . The method according to  claim 12 , wherein the channels that define exit pathways provide fluid egress to a periphery of the article.  
   
   
       16 . The method according to  claim 12 , wherein the article is a decorative article.  
   
   
       17 . A method of applying an adhesive-backed article to a substrate, said method comprising: 
 providing an adhesive-backed article comprising a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer having a microstructured surface and an opposite surface bonded to a compliant film, the microstructured surface having channels that define exit pathways providing a continuous fluid egress from behind the microstructured surface, with the channels having a volume of at least 1×10 3  μm 3  per any 500 μm diameter circular area of the microstructured surface and having an aspect ratio of about 0.1 to about 20;    adhering the microstructured surface of the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer to the surface of a substrate,    wherein after final application of said article onto the substrate, the upper surface of the compliant film has an appearance with substantially no periodicity and substantially no surface roughness beyond the surface roughness of the film by itself in accordance with the surface roughness test procedure    
   
   
       18 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein the pressure-sensitive adhesive has an initial wet out test result of at least 85 percent, after said adhering.  
   
   
       19 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein the substrate is part of a motor vehicle  7   
   
   
       20 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein the article is a decorative article.