Manufacturing procedure for a decorative foil

Abstract

This invention refers to a manufacturing process for a high-performance resin-saturated decorative foil, designed for surface lining, both outdoors and indoors. The decorative foil can be used as a decorative lining for HPL-High-Pressure Laminate-panels and CPL-Continuous-Pressure Laminate-panels, as well as to be adhered to any flat or curved 2D surface.

1 . A manufacturing procedure for a decorative foil, comprising the execution of:
 a first step of providing a substrate;   a second step of sealing one of the sides of the substrate with a first resin;   a third step of drying and/or curing the sealed side with the first resin;   a fourth step of impregnating the substrate with a waterless resin containing radiation-curable functional groups on the side of the substrate opposite to the side sealed with the first resin;   a fifth step of curing the by-product resulting from the previous steps;   a sixth step of applying one or several layers of a resin or resins to one of the two sides of the by-product resulting from the previous steps, with at least one resin containing radiation-curable functional groups; and   a seventh step of drying and/or curing the foil resulting from all the above steps.   
     
     
         2 . The procedure according to  claim 1 , wherein the substrate consists of:
 a cellulose-based paper with a weight comprised between 25 g/m 2  and 200 g/m 2 , preferably between 50 g/m 2  and 140 g/m 2 , and more preferably between 60 g/m 2  and 120 g/m 2 ; or   a non-woven textile with a weight comprised between 5 g/m 2  and 100 g/m 2 , preferably between 10 g/m 2  and 60 g/m 2 , and more preferably between 15 g/m 2  and 50 g/m 2 .   
     
     
         3 . The procedure according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first resin is of a type selected between: physical drying, radiation-curable, thermal initiator-induced polymerization, crosslinking between hydroxylated groups and free and/or blocked isocyanates, or a combination of any of the above;   and where the first resin, moreover:   in case of being configured to promote adhesion, has a weight comprised between 1 g/m 2  and 30 g/m 2 , preferably between 2 g/m 2  and 25 g/m 2 , and more preferably between 5 g/m 2  and 20 g/m 2 ; or   in case of being configured to act as an adhesive, has a weight comprised between 1 g/m 2  and 80 g/m 2 , preferably comprised between 20 g/m 2  and 60 g/m 2 , more preferably between 25 g/m 2  and 55 g/m 2 ; with an amount of resin penetrating the substrate between 1 and 30 g/m 2 , preferably between 1 and 25 g/m 2 , and more preferably between 1 and 15 g/m 2 .   
     
     
         4 . The procedure, according to  claim 1 , wherein during the third step a drying and/or curing process is carried out, by means of at least one process selected among: ultraviolet radiation curing, radiation by electron beam, physical drying. 
     
     
         5 . The procedure, according to  claim 1 , wherein during the fourth step, radiation-curing functional groups go together with thermal initiators, and/or hydroxylated groups and free and/or blocked isocyanates. 
     
     
         6 . The procedure according to  claim 1 , wherein the resin from the fourth step contains at least 50% of monomers with unsaturated acrylate and/or methacrylate groups, preferably over 75%, and more preferably over 85%. 
     
     
         7 . The procedure according to  claim 1 , wherein in the fifth step curing is performed by an electron beam, with a dose between 1 and 90 kGy, preferably between 10 and 80 kGy, more preferably between 20 and 60 kGy, with a voltage comprised between 80 and 300 kV, preferably between 100 and 300 kV, more preferably between 120 and 250 kV, with oxygen content that can range from minimum values, obtained through the physical inertization technique, to concentrations like oxygen natural content in the air. 
     
     
         8 . The procedure according to  claim 7 , wherein curing is performed in a partially oxygen-enriched inert atmosphere or it can even be done without inerting, with oxygen partially or totally inhibiting surface curing on at least one of the two sides of the foil. 
     
     
         9 . The procedure according to  claim 1 , comprising an optional step, involving printing decorative designs on either side, executable after the fifth step of curing and before the sixth step of applying one or several layers of a radiation-curable resin or resins. 
     
     
         10 . The procedure according to  claim 9 , wherein a digital printer is used, and ink is partially cured, by means of ultraviolet radiation and/or electron beam; and where, when partially curing, the image is fixed upon the decorative foil, but at the same time, keeping active at least a part of surface reactive groups configured so that they can establish covalent bonds with the subsequent layer in the sixth step. 
     
     
         11 . The procedure according to  claim 1 , comprising an optional step, involving applying one or several layers of adhesion-promoting and/or adhesive resin or resins, before or after the sixth step; and where such layer or layers of adhesion-promoting and/or adhesive resin or resins are applied on the opposite side to the side where the sixth step was or will be executed; subsequently, if necessary, a drying and/or curing step may be applied. 
     
     
         12 . The procedure according to  claim 11 , wherein:
 the adhesion-promoting and/or adhesive layer or layers are of a type selected between physical drying, radiation-curing, thermal initiator-induced polymerization, crosslinking between hydroxylated groups and free blocked isocyanates, or a combination of any of the types above;   wherein, if such resin or resins are configured so as to promote adhesion, they have a weight comprised between 1 g/m 2  and 30 g/m 2 , preferably between 2 g/m 2  and 25 g/m 2 , and more preferably between 2 g/m 2  and 10 g/m 2 ; or   wherein, if such resin or resins are configured so as to act as an adhesive, they have a weight comprised between 10 g/m 2  and 80 g/m 2 , preferably between 20 g/m 2  and 60 g/m 2 , and more preferably between 25 g/m 2  and 55 g/m 2 .   
     
     
         13 . The procedure according to  claim 1 , wherein in the seventh step curing is performed by an electron beam, with a dose between 1 and 90 kGy, preferably comprised between 10 kGy and 80 kGy, and more preferably between 20 and 60 kGy, at a voltage between 80 kV and 300 kV, preferably comprised between 100 kV and 300 kV, and more preferably between 150 kV and 250 kV. This is done in conditions of physical inertization, or else an inert atmosphere with oxygen content below 1000 ppm, preferably below 500 ppm, and more preferably below 200 ppm. 
     
     
         14 . The procedure according to  claim 1 , wherein radiation-curable components have been selected from the unsaturated acrylate and methacrylate group. 
     
     
         15 . The procedure according to  claim 1 , wherein radiation-curable components in the sixth step are formed by an epoxy acrylate oligomer, preferably an polyester acrylate oligomer, and particularly an urethane acrylate oligomer or the corresponding methacrylate oligomers, such as polymers capable of radiation polymerization, and if appropriate, diluted with mono- and/or polyfunctional acrylate monomers and/or their corresponding methacrylates. 
     
     
         16 . The procedure according to  claim 1 , wherein the prepolymer in the sixth step is an aliphatic urethane acrylate oligomer, that has been duly diluted with a diacrylate or triacrylate monomer. 
     
     
         17 . Use of the decorative foil resulting from the procedure in  claim 1  on a panel selected among: HPL panel, CPL panel or 2D flat or curved element lined with Finish-Foil. 
     
     
         18 . The procedure according to  claim 2 , wherein:
 the first resin is of a type selected between: physical drying, radiation-curable, thermal initiator-induced polymerization, crosslinking between hydroxylated groups and free and/or blocked isocyanates, or a combination of any of the above;   and where the first resin, moreover:   in case of being configured to promote adhesion, has a weight comprised between 1 g/m 2  and 30 g/m 2 , preferably between 2 g/m 2  and 25 g/m 2 , and more preferably between 5 g/m 2  and 20 g/m 2 ; or   in case of being configured to act as an adhesive, has a weight comprised between 1 g/m 2  and 80 g/m 2 , preferably comprised between 20 g/m 2  and 60 g/m 2 , more preferably between 25 g/m 2  and 55 g/m 2 ; with an amount of resin penetrating the substrate between 1 and 30 g/m 2 , preferably between 1 and 25 g/m 2 , and more preferably between 1 and 15 g/m 2 .   
     
     
         19 . The procedure, according to  claim 2 , wherein during the third step a drying and/or curing process is carried out, by means of at least one process selected among: ultraviolet radiation curing, radiation by electron beam, physical drying. 
     
     
         20 . The procedure, according to  claim 3 , wherein during the third step a drying and/or curing process is carried out, by means of at least one process selected among: ultraviolet radiation curing, radiation by electron beam, physical drying.