High rigidity interlayers and light weight laminated multiple layer panels

Abstract

This disclosure is related to the field of polymer interlayers for multiple layer panels and multiple layer panels having at least one polymer interlayer sheet. Specifically, this disclosure is related to the field of high rigidity interlayers and light weight laminated multiple layer panels incorporating high rigidity interlayers.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A multilayer interlayer comprising:
 a first plasticized polymer layer, wherein said first plasticized polymer layer has a glass transition temperature of at least 33° C.; and   a second plasticized polymer layer, wherein said second plasticized polymer layer has a glass transition temperature less than 10° C. and a thickness of 5 mils or less,   wherein said interlayer has an equivalent glass transition temperature of at least 28.3° C.   
     
     
         2 . The interlayer of  claim 1 , wherein said second plasticized polymer layer has a glass transition temperature of less than 9° C. 
     
     
         3 . The interlayer of  claim 1 , wherein said first plasticized polymer layer has a thickness of 9 mils or greater. 
     
     
         4 . The interlayer of  claim 1 , wherein said first and said second plasticized polymer layers respectively include first and second poly(vinyl butyral) resins, wherein said first poly(vinyl butyral) resin has a residual hydroxyl content that is at least 6 percent different than the residual hydroxyl content of said second poly(vinyl butyral) resin. 
     
     
         5 . The interlayer of  claim 1 , wherein said first plasticized polymer layer has a glass transition temperature that is at least 10° C. different than the glass transition temperature of said second plasticized polymer layer. 
     
     
         6 . The interlayer of  claim 1 , wherein said first plasticized polymer layer comprises at least one plasticizer, wherein said plasticizer is present in said first plasticized polymer layer in an amount of less than 35 phr. 
     
     
         7 . The interlayer of  claim 1 , further comprising a third plasticized polymer layer, wherein said second plasticized polymer layer is disposed between and in contact with each of said first and said third polymer layers, wherein said third plasticized polymer layer has a glass transition temperature of at least 33° C. 
     
     
         8 . The interlayer of  claim 7 , wherein said first and said third plasticized polymer layers have a combined thickness of at least 20 mils. 
     
     
         9 . The interlayer of  claim 7 , wherein the ratio of the combined thickness of said first plasticized polymer layer and said third plasticized polymer layer to the thickness of said second plasticized polymer layer is at least 3:1. 
     
     
         10 . The interlayer of  claim 1 , wherein said interlayer comprises at least one tapered zone having a minimum wedge angle of at least 0.10 mrad. 
     
     
         11 . A multiple layer interlayer comprising:
 a first polymer layer comprising a first poly(vinyl butyral) resin and at least a first plasticizer; and   a second polymer layer comprising a second poly(vinyl butyral) resin and at least a second plasticizer, wherein said second polymer layer is disposed adjacent to and in contact with said first polymer layer, and   wherein said second polymer layer has a glass transition temperature of less than or equal to 20° C. and wherein said first polymer layer has a glass transition temperature that is at least 15° C. higher than said glass transition temperature of said second polymer layer,   wherein said first and second poly(vinyl butyral) resins have respective first and second residual hydroxyl contents, wherein the difference between said first residual hydroxyl content and said second residual hydroxyl content is at least 3 weight percent, and   wherein said first polymer layer has a thickness of 13 mils or more and/or wherein second polymer layer has a thickness of 5 mils or less.   
     
     
         12 . The interlayer of  claim 11 , wherein said interlayer has an overall thickness of at least 31 mils. 
     
     
         13 . The interlayer of  claim 11 , wherein said interlayer has an equivalent glass transition temperature of at least 28.5° C. 
     
     
         14 . The interlayer of  claim 11 , wherein said first and second poly(vinyl butyral) resins comprise respective first and second poly(vinyl butyral) resins, wherein said first poly(vinyl butyral) resin has a residual hydroxyl content greater than 19 weight percent and/or wherein said second poly(vinyl butyral) resin has a residual hydroxyl content less than or equal to 16 weight percent. 
     
     
         15 . The interlayer of  claim 11 , wherein said first polymer layer comprises said first plasticizer in an amount that is at least 13 phr greater than the amount of said second plasticizer present in said second polymer layer. 
     
     
         16 . The interlayer of  claim 11 , wherein said interlayer comprises at least one tapered zone having a minimum wedge angle of at least 0.10 mrad. 
     
     
         17 . A multiple layer glass panel comprising:
 a pair of rigid substrates; and   a multiple layer interlayer disposed between said rigid substrates, said interlayer comprising—
 a first polymer layer comprising a first poly(vinyl butyral) resin having a residual hydroxyl content greater than 19 weight percent and at least a first plasticizer, wherein said first polymer layer has a glass transition temperature of at least 33° C.; and 
 a second polymer layer comprising a second poly(vinyl butyral) resin and at least a second plasticizer, wherein said second polymer layer has a glass transition temperature less than or equal to 20° C., 
 a third polymer layer comprising a third poly(vinyl butyral) resin and at least a third plasticizer, wherein said second polymer layer is positioned between and in contact with each of said first and said third polymer layers, wherein each of said first and said third polymer layers are in contact with one of said rigid substrates, 
   wherein said rigid substrates have a combined thickness of less than or equal to 4.0 mm.   
     
     
         18 . The panel of  claim 17 , wherein said residual hydroxyl content of said first poly(vinyl butyral) resin is at least 6 weight percent different than said residual hydroxyl content of said second poly(vinyl butyral) resin. 
     
     
         19 . The panel of  claim 17 , wherein said second polymer layer has a glass transition temperature of less than 9° C. and/or a minimum thickness of not more than 9 mils. 
     
     
         20 . The panel of  claim 19 , wherein said interlayer has a sound transmission loss, measured at the coincident frequency according to ASTM E-90 (05) at a temperature of 20° C. and when laminated between two sheets of glass having dimensions of 80 cm by 50 cm and a thickness of 2.3 mm, of at least 35 dB. 
     
     
         21 . The panel of  claim 17 , wherein said interlayer has an equivalent glass transition temperature of at least 28° C. 
     
     
         22 . The panel of  claim 17 , wherein said first plasticizer is present in said first polymer layer in an amount of less than 35 phr. 
     
     
         23 . The panel of  claim 17 , wherein said third poly(vinyl butyral) resin has a residual hydroxyl content of greater than 19 weight percent and, wherein said third polymer layer has a glass transition temperature of at least 33° C. 
     
     
         24 . The panel of  claim 23 , wherein said first and said third polymer layers have a combined thickness of at least 20 mils. 
     
     
         25 . The panel of  claim 17 , wherein said panel has an asymmetric configuration such that the thickness of one of said rigid substrates is at least 0.1 mm greater than the thickness of the other of said rigid substrates.