Encapsulation of electrically energized articles

Abstract

In one aspect the present invention relates to a method of making an encapsulated electrically energized device, the method comprising: providing a first layer and a second layer each independently comprising a copolyester, providing the electrically energized between the first and second layer, thermocompressively fusing the first layer and the second layer to encapsulate the electrically energized device by applying pressure at a temperature sufficient to form the article, wherein the temperature at an interface between the first and second layers is equal to or greater than Tg of the first layer and the second layer, and wherein the polyester layers have a flow during encapsulation less than the flow that induces fractures in the electrically energized device. In one aspect the present invention relates to a method of making an encapsulated electrically energized device, the method comprising: providing a first layer and a second layer each independently comprising a copolyester, a polycarbonate, a polyacrylate, polycarbonate/polyester miscible blends, or mixtures thereof, providing the electrically energized between the first and second layer, thermocompressively fusing the first layer and the second layer to encapsulate the electrically energized device by applying pressure at a temperature, sufficient to form the article, to a perimeter of the surface of the first and second layers, wherein the perimeter does not overlap the electrically energized device, wherein the temperature at the interface of the first and second layers is equal to or greater than Tg of the first layer and the second layer, and wherein the polyester layers have a flow during encapsulation less than the flow that induces fractures in the electrically energized device.

1 . A method of making an encapsulated electrically energized device, the method comprising:
 (a) providing a first layer and a second layer each independently comprising a copolyester,   (b) providing the electrically energized device having a surface area ranging from greater than 1 square foot (0.093 square meters) and less than 120 square feet (11.2 square meters) between the first and second layer   (c) thermocompressively fusing the first layer and the second layer to encapsulate the electrically energized device by applying pressure ranging from 5 psig to 350 psig at a temperature ranging from 180 F to 245 F for a period ranging from 5 minutes to 45 minutes to the surface of the first and second layers,   wherein the first and second layer each independently ranges from 15 mil to 375 mil in thickness,   wherein the temperature at an interface of the first and second layers is equal to or greater than Tg of the first layer and the second layer, and   wherein the first layer and the second layer increase in width and/or length less than 5% relative to the initial width or length of the first and second layer.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the polyester has diol residues comprising cycloaliphatic diols having 3 to 16 carbon atoms, aliphatic diols having 3 to 12 carbon atoms and mixtures thereof. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the diol residues comprise 1,2-propanediol, 1,3-propanediol, neopentyl glycol, 2-methyl-1,3-propanediol, 1,4-butanediol, 1,5-pentanediol, 1,6-hexanediol, 2,2,4,4-tetramethyl-1,3-cyclobutanediol (trans-, cis- or mixtures thereof), 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol (trans-, cis- or mixtures thereof), 1,3-cyclohexanedimethanol (trans-, cis- or mixtures thereof), p-xylylene glycol and mixtures thereof. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the polyester has an intrinsic viscosity about 0.5 to about 1.2 dL/g measured by dissolving about 0.50 g of the polyester in about 100 mL of a solvent consisting of 60% by weight phenol and 40% by weight tetrachloroethane at 25 C. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the polyester has an intrinsic viscosity about 0.5 to about 1.0 dL/g measured by dissolving about 0.50 g of the polyester in about 100 mL of a solvent consisting of 60% by weight phenol and 40% by weight tetrachloroethane at 25 C. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the polyester has an intrinsic viscosity about 0.6 to about 0.9 dL/g measured by dissolving about 0.50 g of the polyester in about 100 mL of a solvent consisting of 60% by weight phenol and 40% by weight tetrachloroethane at 25 C. 
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein diacid residues of the polyester comprise at least 80 mole percent of the diacid residues are terephthalic acid residues. 
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the less than 20 mole percent of the diacid residues of the polyester are derived from phthalic acid, isophthalic acid, 1,4-, 1,5-, 2,6- or 2,7-naphthalenedicarboxylic acid, 1,3- or 1,4-cyclohexanedicarboxylic acid (which may be cis, trans or a mixture thereof), cyclohexanediacetic acid, trans-4,4′-stilbenedicarboxylic acid, 4,4′-oxydibenzoic acid, 3,3′- and 4,4′-bi-phenyldicarboxylic acids and aliphatic dicarboxylic acids such as malonic, succinic, glutaric, adipic, pimelic, suberic, azelaic, sebacic, nonane, decane, dodecanedicarboxylic acids and mixtures thereof. 
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first layer and the second layers are the same or different polymers. 
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the electrically energized devices comprises a light emitting capacitor (LEC), light emitting diode (LED), printed “circuit board” that emit light when energized, electrochromic layer, photovoltaic, transmitter, receiver, antenna, electromagnet, electrode and smart sensor capable of detecting wind speed and direction, temperature, pressure, relative humidity, rainfall, motion, radiation, specific chemical species or combinations thereof 
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the electrically energized device comprises an LEC. 
   
   
       12 . An article comprising:
 a) a first layer and a second layer comprising a polyester, polycarbonate, polyacrylate or polycarbonate/polyester miscible blends;   b) an electrically energized device having a surface area ranging from greater than about 1 square foot (0.93 square meters) and less than about 120 square feet (11.2 square meters) encapsulated between the first and second layer;   wherein the first and second layer are the same or different,   wherein the first and second layers each independently have a thickness ranging from 15 mil to 375 mil, and   wherein the article remains moisture resistant after immersion in water at 25° C. for 500 hours while continuously energized.   
   
   
       13 . The article of  claim 12 , wherein the polyester has diol residues comprising cycloaliphatic diols having 3 to 16 carbon atoms, aliphatic diols having 3 to 12 carbon atoms and mixtures thereof. 
   
   
       14 . The article of  claim 12 , wherein the diol residues comprise 1,2-propanediol, 1,3-propanediol, neopentyl glycol, 2-methyl-1,3-propanediol, 1,4-butanediol, 1,5-pentanediol, 1,6-hexanediol, 2,2,4,4-tetramethyl-1,3-cyclobutanediol (trans-, cis- or mixtures thereof), 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol (trans-, cis- or mixtures thereof), 1,3-cyclohexanedimethanol (trans-, cis- or mixtures thereof), p-xylylene glycol and mixtures thereof. 
   
   
       15 . The article of  claim 12 , wherein the polyester has an intrinsic viscosity about 0.5 to about 1.2 dL/g measured by dissolving about 0.50 g of the polyester in about 100 mL of a solvent consisting of 60% by weight phenol and 40% by weight tetrachloroethane at 25 C. 
   
   
       16 . The article of  claim 12 , wherein the polyester has an intrinsic viscosity about 0.5 to about 1.0 dL/g measured by dissolving about 0.50 g of the polyester in about 100 mL of a solvent consisting of 60% by weight phenol and 40% by weight tetrachloroethane at 25 C. 
   
   
       17 . The article of  claim 12 , wherein the polyester has an intrinsic viscosity about 0.6 to about 0.9 dL/g measured by dissolving about 0.50 g of the polyester in about 100 mL of a solvent consisting of 60% by weight phenol and 40% by weight tetrachloroethane at 25 C. 
   
   
       18 . The article of  claim 12 , wherein diacid residues of the polyester comprise at least 80 mole percent of the diacid residues are terephthalic acid residues. 
   
   
       19 . The article of  claim 12 , wherein the less than 20 mole percent of the diacid residues of the polyester are derived from phthalic acid, isophthalic acid, 1,4-, 1,5-, 2,6- or 2,7-naphthalenedicarboxylic acid, 1,3- or 1,4-cyclohexanedicarboxylic acid (which may be cis, trans or a mixture thereof), cyclohexanediacetic acid, trans-4,4′-stilbenedicarboxylic acid, 4,4′-oxydibenzoic acid, 3,3′- and 4,4′-bi-phenyldicarboxylic acids and aliphatic dicarboxylic acids such as malonic, succinic, glutaric, adipic, pimelic, suberic, azelaic, sebacic, nonane, decane, dodecanedicarboxylic acids and mixtures thereof. 
   
   
       20 . The article of  claim 12 , wherein the first layer and the second layers are the same or different polymers. 
   
   
       21 . The article of  claim 12 , wherein the electrically energized devices comprises a light emitting capacitor (LEC), light emitting diode (LED), printed “circuit board” that emit light when energized, electrochromic layer, photovoltaic, transmitter, receiver, antenna, electromagnet, electrode and smart sensor capable of detecting wind speed and direction, temperature, pressure, relative humidity, rainfall, motion, radiation, specific chemical species or combinations thereof 
   
   
       22 . The article of  claim 12 , wherein the electrically energized device comprises an LEC. 
   
   
       23 . A method of making an encapsulated electrically energized device, the method comprising:
 (a) providing a first layer and a second layer each independently comprising a copolyester,   (b) providing the electrically energized device having a surface area ranging from greater than 1 square foot (0.93 square meters) and less than 120 square feet (11.2 square meters) between the first and second layer   (c) thermocompressively fusing the first layer and the second layer to encapsulate the electrically energized device by applying pressure ranging from 5 psig to 350 psig at a temperature ranging from 180 F to 245 F for a period ranging from 5 minutes to 45 minutes to the surface of the first and second layers,   wherein the first and second layer each independently ranges from 15 mil to 375 mil in thickness,   wherein the temperature at an interface of the first and second layers is equal to or greater than Tg of the first layer and the second layer, and   wherein the polyester layers have a flow during encapsulation less than the flow that induces fractures in the electrically energized device.   
   
   
       24 . A method of making an encapsulated electrically energized device, the method comprising:
 (a) providing a first layer and a second layer each independently comprising a copolyester,   (b) providing the electrically energized device having a surface area ranging from greater than 1 square foot (0.93 square meters) and less than 120 square feet (11.2 square meters) between the first and second layer   (c) thermocompressively fusing the first layer and the second layer to encapsulate the electrically energized device by applying pressure ranging from 5 psig to 350 psig at a temperature ranging from 180 F to 245 F for a period ranging from 5 minutes to 45 minutes to the surface of the first and second layers,   wherein the first and second layer each independently ranges from 15 mil to 375 mil in thickness,   wherein the temperature at an interface of the first and second layers is equal to or greater than Tg of the first layer and the second layer, and   wherein the polyester layers have a flow during encapsulation less than the flow that induces burn-through in the electrically energized device.   
   
   
       25 . A method of making an encapsulated electrically energized device, the method comprising:
 (a) providing a first layer and a second layer each independently comprising a polyester, a polycarbonate, a polyacrylate, or a polycarbonate/polyester miscible blend,   (b) providing the electrically energized device having a surface area ranging from greater than 1 square foot (0.93 square meters) and less than 120 square feet (11.2 square meters) between the first and second layer   (c) thermocompressively fusing the first layer and the second layer to encapsulate the electrically energized device by applying pressure ranging from 5 psig to 750 psig at a temperature ranging from 180 F to 425 F for a period ranging from 5 minutes to 45 minutes to a perimeter of the surface of the first and second layers, wherein the perimeter does not overlap the electrically energized device,   wherein the first and second layer each independently ranges from 15 mil to 375 mil in thickness,   wherein the temperature an interface of the first and second layers is equal to or greater than Tg of the first layer and the second layer, and   wherein the first layer and the second layer increase in width and/or length less than 5% relative to the initial width or length of the first and second layer.   
   
   
       26 . A method of making a laminated article comprising:
 (a) providing a first layer and a second layer, each layer independently comprising a copolyester layer, wherein at least one layer further comprises a branching agent,   (b) providing an electrically energized device between the first and second layer, and   (c) applying pressure ranging from about 20 to about 400 psig at a temperature ranging from about 20° C. to about 80° C. above the glass transition (Tg) of at least one layer of the copolyester for a period of time ranging from about 0.5 minutes to about 120 minutes to form the laminated article,   wherein the temperature at an interface of the first layer and the second layer is equal to or greater than the Tg of at least one of the first layer and the second layer, and wherein the copolyester has an inherent viscosity (IV) ranging from about 0.5 to about 1.2 dL/g, when measured at 25° C. using 0.50 grams of polymer per 100 mL of a solvent consisting of 60 weight percent phenol and 40 weight percent tetrachloroethane.   
   
   
       27 . A laminated article comprising:
 (a) a first layer and a second layer, each layer independently comprising a copolyester layer, wherein at least one layer further comprises a branching agent, and   (b) an electrically energized device between the first and second layer,   wherein the copolyester has an inherent viscosity (IV) ranging from about 0.5 to about 1.2 dL/g, when measured at 25° C. using 0.50 grams of polymer per 100 mL of a solvent consisting of 60 weight percent phenol and 40 weight percent tetrachloroethane and wherein the article is prepared by applying pressure ranging from about 20 to about 400 psig at a temperature ranging from about 20° C. to about 80° C. above the glass transition (Tg) of at least one layer of the copolyester for a period of time ranging from about 0.5 minutes to about 120 minutes to form the laminated article, wherein the temperature at an interface of the first layer and the second layer is equal to or greater than the Tg of at least one of the first layer and the second layer.