Barrier tape for seaming and repair of barrier sheets

Abstract

A barrier tape comprises a barrier section comprising one or more barrier layers and one or more adhesive layers adhered to a face of the barrier section. The barrier tape can be used to join together adjacent barrier sheets or to patch a breach in a barrier sheet to form a barrier assembly.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 providing or receiving a first barrier sheet; and   affixing one or more pieces of barrier tape to the first barrier sheet, each piece of the barrier tape comprising:
 a barrier section comprising one or more polar barrier layers and one or more non-polar barrier layers; and 
 one or more adhesive layers adhered to a face of the barrier section. 
   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 providing or receiving a second barrier sheet; and   overlapping the second barrier sheet at least partially over the first barrier sheet along a seam;   wherein the affixing of the one or more pieces of barrier tape comprises affixing the second barrier sheet to the first barrier sheet along the seam.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the seam is a lateral seam, wherein the overlapping of the second barrier sheet over the first barrier sheet is along the lateral seam, and wherein the affixing of the one or more pieces of barrier tape joins the first and second barrier sheets along the lateral seam. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the first barrier sheet comprises a breach therethrough and the second barrier sheet comprises a barrier sheet patch, wherein the overlapping of the second barrier sheet over the first barrier sheet comprises covering the breach such that the seam substantially surrounds the breach, and wherein the affixing of the one or more pieces of barrier tape joins the barrier sheet patch to the first barrier sheet around the seam. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the second barrier sheet provides a barrier to water vapor and at least one of methane, radon, and volatile organic compounds. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the second barrier sheet comprises one or more polar sheet layers and one or more non-polar sheet layers. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein each of the one or more non-polar sheet layers comprises a polyolefin and each of the one or more polar sheet layers comprises ethylene vinyl alcohol. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the second barrier sheet comprises:
 one or more inner polar sheet layers each formed predominantly from ethylene vinyl alcohol;   a pair of outer non-polar sheet layers each formed predominantly from polyethylene, wherein a first of the pair of outer non-polar sheet layers is positioned on a first side of the one or more inner polar sheet layers and a second of the pair of outer non-polar sheet layers is positioned on a second side of the one or more inner polar sheet layers; and   a pair of film tie layers each formed predominantly from polyethylene grafted with maleic anhydride, each of the pair of film tie layers being positioned between the one or more inner polar sheet layers and a corresponding one of the pair of outer non-polar sheet layers.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first barrier sheet comprises a breach therethrough, and wherein the affixing of the one or more pieces of barrier tape comprises covering the breach with the one or more pieces of barrier tape to patch the breach. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the barrier section of each of the one or more pieces of barrier tape and the first barrier sheet provides a barrier to water vapor and at least one of methane, radon, and volatile organic compounds. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein each of the one or more non-polar barrier layers comprises a polyolefin and each of the one or more polar barrier layers comprises ethylene vinyl alcohol. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more polar barrier layers comprise one or more inner polar tape layers each formed predominantly from ethylene vinyl alcohol;
 wherein the one or more non-polar barrier layers comprise a pair of outer non-polar tape layers each formed predominantly from polyethylene, wherein a first of the pair of outer non-polar tape layers is positioned on a first side of the one or more inner polar tape layers and a second of the pair of outer non-polar tape layers is positioned on a second side of the one or more inner polar tape layers; and   wherein each piece of barrier tape further comprises a pair of tie layers each formed predominantly from polyethylene grafted with maleic anhydride, each of the pair of tape tie layers being positioned between the one or more inner polar tape layers and a corresponding one of the pair of outer non-polar tape layers.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first barrier sheet comprises one or more polar sheet layers and one or more non-polar sheet layers. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein each of the one or more non-polar sheet layers comprises a polyolefin and each of the one or more polar sheet layers comprises ethylene vinyl alcohol. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first barrier sheet comprises:
 one or more inner polar sheet layers each formed predominantly from ethylene vinyl alcohol;   a pair of outer non-polar sheet layers each formed predominantly from polyethylene, wherein a first of the pair of outer non-polar sheet layers is positioned on a first side of the one or more inner polar sheet layers and a second of the pair of outer non-polar sheet layers is positioned on a second side of the one or more inner polar sheet layers; and   a pair of film tie layers each formed predominantly from polyethylene grafted with maleic anhydride, each of the pair of film tie layers being positioned between the one or more inner polar sheet layers and a corresponding one of the pair of outer non-polar sheet layers.