Methods of Making Polymeric Articles and Polymeric Articles Formed Thereby

Abstract

Methods of making molded articles and the articles formed by the method, particularly viscoelastic gel articles.

1 . A self-adhesive shoe insert, comprising:
 a thermoplastic elastomeric (TPE) barrier layer;   a fluid-permeable layer; and   a first polymerized gel layer disposed between and enclosed by the barrier layer and the fluid-permeable layer, wherein at least a portion of the first polymerized gel layer extends at least partially through the fluid-permeable layer.   
     
     
         2 . The shoe insert of  claim 1 , further comprising a second layer of polymerized gel, wherein the first and second polymerized gel layers are at least partially interconnected through the fluid-permeable layer. 
     
     
         3 . The shoe insert of  claim 1 , wherein the first fluid-permeable layer is selected from the group consisting of synthetic and non-synthetic paper, knit fabrics, woven fabrics, non-woven fabrics, films, composites and/or combinations comprising at least one of the foregoing. 
     
     
         4 . The shoe insert of  claim 1 , wherein the barrier layer comprises a support layer, and the TPE is disposed on the support layer, adjacent to the polymerized gel. 
     
     
         5 . The shoe insert of  claim 1 , further comprising a manually releasable stabilizing layer disposed adjacent to the fluid-permeable layer, opposite the polymerized gel layer. 
     
     
         6 . The shoe insert of  claim 2 , further comprising a release agent disposed between the second polymerized gel layer and the stabilizing layer. 
     
     
         7 . The shoe insert of  claim 1 , wherein the TPE is selected from the group consisting of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), silicone, and combinations comprising at least one of the foregoing. 
     
     
         8 . The shoe insert of  claim 1 , wherein the gel comprises an active agent disposed in the barrier layer, and the active agent is selected from the group consisting of silver, tolnaftate, undecenoic acid, allylamines, chlorine, copper, baking soda, sodium omadine, zinc omadine, azoles, and combinations comprising at least one of the foregoing. 
     
     
         9 . The shoe insert of  claim 1 , wherein the polymerized gel layer comprises an adhesive strength sufficient to adhere to the inner surface of a shoe. 
     
     
         10 . The shoe insert of  claim 1 , wherein the polymerized gel layer comprises a thermoplastic polyurethane. 
     
     
         11 . The shoe insert of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second polymerized gel layers each comprise a hardness ranging from about 30 Shore 000 to about 75 Shore 00. 
     
     
         12 . The shoe insert of  claim 1 , wherein the polymerized gel is transparent and the fluid-permeable layer comprises color, text, graphics, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         13 . A method of molding an article, comprising:
 selecting a first mold section comprising an upper surface, the upper surface comprising a recessed region, and the recessed region comprising a plurality of mold units disposed therein;   disposing a barrier layer onto the upper surface of the first mold section, the barrier layer comprising a thermoplastic elastomeric (TPE) material;   dispensing a first portion of a gel precursor onto the barrier layer;   disposing a fluid-permeable material layer over the gel precursor;   disposing a stabilizing layer over the fluid-permeable material layer and forming an interface between the gel precursor and the fluid-permeable material layer;   advancing the interface while applying pressure to the stabilizing layer adjacent to the interface, until the gel precursor is covered by the fluid-permeable material layer;   closing the mold;   allowing the gel precursor to cure; and   removing a sheet comprising a plurality of molded articles interconnected by a layer of polymerized gel.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , comprising releasing the molded articles from the sheet. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the gel precursor is allowed to flow through the fluid-permeable layer. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , comprising:
 disposing a fluid-permeable layer onto the first portion of the gel precursor before disposing the stabilizing layer; and   disposing a second portion of the gel precursor onto the fluid-permeable layer before disposing the stabilizing layer.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13 , comprising disposing an adhesive material onto the stabilization layer and/or the fluid-permeable layer. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the polymerized layer and the stabilizing layer each comprise an adhesive strength, and the adhesive strength of the stabilizing layer is less than the adhesive strength of the polymerized layer. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the barrier layer comprises a support layer, and comprising disposing the barrier layer on the mold with the support layer adjacent to the upper surface of the mold. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the barrier layer and/or the stabilizing layer comprise opposing surfaces, and a release agent is disposed on one or both of the opposing surfaces. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 13 , comprising disposing the release agent on a surface of the barrier and/or stabilizing layers adjacent to the gel precursor. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the TPE comprises an active agent selected from the group consisting of silver, tolnaftate, undecenoic acid, allylamines, chlorine, copper, baking soda, sodium omadine, zinc omadine, azoles, and combinations comprising at least one of the foregoing. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the TPE is selected from the group comprising thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), silicone, and combinations comprising at least one of the foregoing. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the polymerized gel layer comprises a hardness ranging from about 30 Shore 000 to about 75 Shore 00. 
     
     
         25 . An article formed by the method of  claim 13 . 
     
     
         26 . A method of using the article of  claim 25 , comprising manually removing the stabilizing film from the article and adhering the gel to a surface.