Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02280470 1999-08-06
NOVEL DEMETALLIZING APPARATUS
The present invention is directed towards the
selective demetallization of etchable metal, particularly
supported on a web of microwave transparent material.
In U.S. Patent No. 4,398,994, assigned to the
assignee hereof
there is described a
contini:ous method of forming decorative patterns of
aluminized plastic film and the use of such patterned
film in packaging.
As described therein, a web of aluminized polymer
film is printed with a pattern of etchant-resistant
material, corresponding to -the pattern desired to be
retained on the aluminized surface. Aqueous sodium
hydroxide solution is appiied to the patterned film to
etch away the exposed aluminum while the aluminum covered
by etchant-resistant material is untouched.
In U.S. Patent No. 4,552,614, assigned to the
applicant hereof, there is described an improved
procedure to effect such selective demetallization by
employing spray application of the aqueous etchant to the
patterned aluminized surface.
More recently, in U.S. Patent No. 4,869,778, it has
been proposed to form a micropattern on the aluminized
surface by first contacting the patterned aluminized
polymeric film with a warm, essentially saturated caustic
solution followed by contact with an acidic solution and
washing.
The procedures described in the aforementioned prior
art are very effective in achieving selective
demetallization of relatively thin aluminum layers
(generally less than about 1000 A in thickness) supported
on a polymeric web to completely remove aluminum from
selected areas of the surface of the polymeric web for a
variety of purposes, such as in decorative packaging and
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2
in microwave susceptor applications. The procedures,
however, are less effective with relatively thick
aluminum layers supported on a polymeric material web or
unsupported because of rapid depletion of the etchant in
contact with the web by the etched material.
In accordance with one aspect of the present
invention, there is provided a method of effecting
selective demetallization of an etchable metal layer,
which may be supported on a microwave transparent
material substrate, generally a polymeric film substrate,
or unsupported, which comprises applying a pattern of
etchant-resistant material to the etchable metal layer
corresponding to a desired pattern of non-etched metal,
repeatedly contacting the etchable metal with an aqueous
etchant material for a time at least sufficient to effect
complete removal of the etchable metal from areas of the
etchable metal layer not covered and protected by the
pattern of etchant-resistant material, and washing spent
etchant solution from the resulting etched polymeric film
substrate.
By providing prolonged exposure of the etchable
metal layer to aqueous etchant by way of such repeatPd
contact, relatively thick layers of etchable metals, such
as aluminum, can be processed by the procedure of
CA 02280470 1999-08-06
3
the present invention to effect selective
demetallization.
The prolonged . exposure and repeated contact
preferably is carried out by immersing the patterned
metallized polymeric film substrate or patterned
unsupported metal layer in a bath of etchant and
maintaining it immersed until complete removal of
etchable metal from the non-protected areas is effected.
For reasons of economy, it is preferred to operate
the process in a continuous manner, with the layer of
etchable metal being processed continuously through the
steps of pattern application, demetallization and
washing.
The invention is particularly applicable to
etchable metal of a thickness of at least about 1
micron, preferably aluminum, although the method is
equally applicable to other etchable metals of differing
thicknesses.
Where the etchable metal layer is of self-
supporting thickness, the metal layer may be processed
unsupported, provided that the etched pattern desired
comprises a continuous metal layer with apertures, such
as elongate slots, therethrough. In such an operation,
the same pattern of etchant-resistant material is
required to be applied in register to both faces of the
etchable metal layer. Following selective
demetallization, the etched metal layer may be adhered,
such as by laminating adhesive, to a dielectric
substrate layer, such as a polymeric film layer or a
paperboard layer. Alternatively, etched metal layers
may be adhered, such as by laminating adhesive, to both
sides of a dielectric substrate. In a further
alternative, the etched metal layer may be sandwiched
between outer layers of dielectric material, with such
outer layers of the resulting laminate being the same or
different materials.
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The selectively demetallized self-supporting metal
layer resulting from such selective demetallization
constitutes one aspect of the present invention.
According to this aspect, there is provided a novel
element, comprising a self-supporting layer of flexible
etchable metal having a thickness of at least about 1
micron and having a plurality of apertures formed
therethrough, and a layer of etchant-resistant material
on each face of said layer of flexible etchable metal in
a pattern completely overlying the metal layer and
defining the periphery of the plurality of apertures.
The plurality of apertures in this novel element or
in the polymeric film supported structures described
below may be elongate and sized and arranged so as to
generate thermal energy from incident microwave radiation
when the element is employed in a food packaging
structure and located adjacent a foodstuff to be cooked
by microwave radiation, as described in U.S. Patent No.
5,117,078, assigned to the applicant hereof.
More usually, the etchable metal is supported on a
microwave transparent substrate, generally a polymeric
film substrate, either by direct engagement, such as is
achieved by vapor depositing the metal on the polymeric
substrate, or by adhesive bonding of the metal to the
polymeric film substrate. The latter structure is more
usual with the thicknesses of metal with which the
present invention is particularly concerned. However,
the present invention may be employed with metallized
polymeric films bearing metal in a thickness opaque to
light.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, there is
provided a continuous method of effecting selective
demetallization of a layer of aluminum having a
. _ _- ----- ~
CA 02280470 1999-08-06
thickness of at least about 1 micron supported on a web
of flexible polymeric material, which comprises
continuously applying a pattern of sodium hydroxide-
resistant material to the aluminum corresponding to a
5 desired pattern of non-etched aluminum, continuously
passing the patterned web in an immersed condition
through a bath of aqueous sodium hydroxide solution
having a temperature of about 100 to about 98 C and a
strength of about 0.1 to about 10 normal for a time of
at least 0.5 secs. per micron thickness of the aluminum
layer to effect complete removal of aluminum from areas
of the web not covered and protected by the pattern,
continuously washing the web free from spent sodium
hydroxide solution, and drying the washed web.
Following drying of the web, it is preferred to
apply a detackifying material to the exposed laminating
adhesive in the etched areas of the web to avoid
overlying layers of web adherinq to one another when the
web is reeled up. This preferred operation results in a
novel laminate structure, which constitutes a further
aspect of the invention. The detackifying material may
be provided by laminating the etched face of the
patterned metal layer to a layer of dielectric material,
such as a further polymeric film layer, a paperboard
layer or a paper layer.
In accordance with this aspect of the present
invention, there is provided a novel laminate structure
comprising a flexible polymeric substrate layer, a layer
of adhesive coextensive with the substrate, a layer of
an etchable metal having a thickness of at least about 1
micron overlying the substrate layer and adhered to the
adhesive layer in a pattern, a layer of etchant
resistant material overlying the etchable metal layer in
the same pattern, and a layer of detackifying material
overlying the adhesive layer at least in regions thereof
not overlied by the etchable metal layer.
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The present invention provides, in another aspect,
an apparatus for effecting the preferred method of the
present invention as described above, comprising an
elongate tank adapted to hold a bath of aqueous etchant
material and having an upstream end and a downstream end,
means enclosing the elongate tank to provide an enclosure
open only at the upstream end and downstream end to
permit the etchable metal.layer to enter and leave the
tank, and guide means located within the tank and
arranged to guide the web through the elongate tank from
the upstream end to the downstream end below the intended
level of the bath of etchant material. In one embodiment
of this aspect of the invention, the web is guided
horizontally through the bath while, in another
embodiment, the web is guided sinusoidally through the
bath. The guide means further are adapted to engage the
etchable metal layer in driving relation to drive the
etchable metal layer through the tank.
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6a
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Thus, in one embodiment, the present invention provides: An apparatus for
effecting
selective demetallization of a continuous web having a layer of etchable
metal, comprising:
an elongate tank adapted to hold a bath of aqueous etchant material and having
an
upstream end and a downstream end,
means enclosing the elongate tank to provide an enclosure open only at the
upstream end
and downstream end to permit the continuous web to enter and leave the tank,
and
guide means located within the tank and comprising a first lower set of guide
roller
elements and a second upper set of guide roller elements for receiving the
continuous web,
whereby the web is driven and guided in sinusoidal manner through the elongate
tank from the
upstream end to the downstream end below the intended level of the bath of
etchant material,
the first and second sets of guide roller elements being mounted on carriage
means
located in the elongate tank and the carriage means is mounted to guide rails
vertically extending
from the elongate tank to permit the carriage to ride upon the rails for
raising and lowering the
carriage out of and into the tank.
In another embodiment, the invention provides a novel laminate structure,
comprising:
a flexible polymeric substrate layer resistant to aqueous sodium hydroxide
solution
etchant,
a layer of adhesive coextensive with the substrate resistant to aqueous sodium
hydroxide solution etchant,
a layer of an etchable metal comprising aluminum having a thickness of 1 to
15 microns overlying the adhesive layer in a pattern,
a layer of aqueous sodium hydroxide solution etchant-resistant material
overlying
the etchable metal layer in the same pattern as the etchable metal layer, and
a layer of detackifying material overlying the adhesive layer in regions
thereof not
overlied by the etchable metal layer.
In yet another embodiment, the invention provides a continuous method of
effecting
selective demetallization of a layer of aluminum having a thickness of at
least 1 micron
supported on a web of flexible polymeric material, which comprises:
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6b
continuously applying a pattern of sodium hydroxide-resistant material to the
aluminum
corresponding to a desired pattern of non-etched aluminum,
continuously passing the patterned web in an immersed condition through a bath
of
aqueous sodium hydroxide solution having a temperature of 10 to 98 C.
and a strength of 0.1 to 1 normal for a time of at least 0.5 secs. per micron
thickness of
the aluminum layer to effect complete removal of aluminum from areas of the
web not
covered and protected by the pattern,
continuously washing the web free from spent sodium hydroxide solution, and
drying the washed web.
In a further embodiment, the present invention, provides a continuous method
of
effecting selective demetallization of a layer of aluminum having a thickness
of 1 to 15 microns
supported on a microwave transparent web of flexible polymeric material, which
comprises:
providing the microwave transparent web as a continuous web and conveying the
continuous web from a reel thereof successively through an etchant solution-
applying zone, a
washing zone and a drying zone,
providing the microwave transparent web with a pattern of etchant-resistant
material on
the aluminum layer corresponding to a desired pattern of non-etched aluminum
prior to the
continuous web entering the etchant solution-applying zone,
continuously driving the microwave transparent web with the pattern of etchant-
resistant
material thereon in an immersed condition through a bath of aqueous etchant
material which
is aqueous sodium hydroxide having a temperature of 10 to 90 C. and a
strength of 0.1 to
10 normal and conveying the microwave transparent web through the etchant
solution-
applying zone for a period of time of at least 0.5 seconds per micron
thickness of the
aluminum layer and at least sufficient to effect complete removal of the
aluminum layer not
covered and protected by the pattern of etchant-resistant material,
wiping the aqueous etchant solution from the surfaces of the web before the
web leaves
the etchant solution-applying zone,
contacting the web with wash water in the washing zone to remove residual
etchant
solution therefrom,
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6c
wiping wash water from the surfaces of the web before the web leaves the
washing zone,
and
drying the web in the drying zone.
In yet a further embodiment, the invention provides a method of effecting
selective
demetallization of a self-supporting aluminum web having a thickness of 1 to
15 microns and
first and second sides to form an element having a plurality of apertures
through the aluminum,
which comprises:
applying a pattern of etchant-resistant material to both the first and second
sides of the
aluminum web in register and corresponding to a desired pattern of non-etched
aluminum in
the element and comprising a continuous aluminum web having a plurality of
apertures
therethrough,
repeatedly contacting the aluminum web with an aqueous etchant material
comprising an
aqueous solution of sodium hydroxide by immersing the aluminum web in and
passing the
aluminum web through a bath of the aqueous etchant material having a
temperature of 10 to
98 C. and a strength of sodium hydroxide of 0.1 to 10 normal for a period of
time of at least
0.5 seconds per micron thickness of the aluminum web and at least sufficient
to effect
complete removal of the aluminum from areas of the aluminum web not covered
and
protected by the pattern of etchant-resistant material and to form apertures
through the
aluminum web,
removing the aluminum web from the bath,
washing spent etchant solution from the removed aluminum web, and
drying the washed aluminum web to provide the element comprising a self-
supporting aluminum
having a plurality of apertures therethrough.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention is described further, by way of illustration, with reference to
the
accompanying drawings, in which:
Figure 1 is a schematic representation of one embodiment of apparatus which
may be
employed to effect the method of the invention; and
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6d
Figure 2 is a schematic representation of another embodiment of apparatus
which may be
employed to effect the method of the invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIlViENTS
Referring first to Figure 1 of the drawings, a selective demetallizing machine
10
comprises a plurality of stations to effect selective demetalliizing of
flexible polymeric film
bearing a metal layer thereon. A roll 12 of such film generally comprises
aluminum of thickness
of at least 1 micron, usually up to 15 microns, preferably 3 to 10 microns,
typically, aluminum
foil of thickness 7 to 8 microns, adhesively bonded to one face of the
polymeric film.
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A web 14 of the flexible polymeric film substrate
supporting the aluminum layer is drawn from the roll 12
and passed to a protective lacquer applying station 16,
wherein a pattern of etchant-resistant material is
applied to the aluminum layer by a first applicator 18
before the pattern is dried by a first drier 20. The
pattern of etchant-resistant material is applied to
areas of the aluminum surface which it is desired to
retain in the subsequent selective demetallization
procedure. In view of the prolonged exposure of the web
14 to the etchant, it is usually desirable to apply the
pattern of etchant-resistant material a second time to
ensure a sufficient thickness of lacquer on the aluminum
surface to resist the etchant. Accordingly, the web 14
passes, after the first drier 20, through a second
etchant-resistant material applicator 22 and a second
drier 24, before passing to an etching station 26.
The etching station 26 comprises an elongate
horizontal tank 28 through which the patterned web 14
passes from an upstream end 30 to a downstream end 32.
The tank 28 is provided with an upper closure 34 to
prevent significant evaporative losses from the tank 28
into the ambient atmosphere. The interior of the tank
28 may be maintained under a slightly subatmospheric
pressure to avoid loss of moisture through the end gaps
between the upper closure 34 and the tank end walls
through which the web is required to pass to enter and
exit the tank 28. For this purpose, a conduit 35 to
which a subatmospheric pressure is applied may
communicate with the atmosphere above the liquid level
in the tank, with an associated scrubber 37 to remove
moisture for return to the tank 28 through line 39.
The tank 28 holds a bath 36 of aqueous etchant
material, usually aqueous sodium hydroxide solution for
aluminum as the etchable metal. Although the
temperature of the aqueous sodium hydroxide solution may
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vary widely, from about 10 to about 98 C, the aqueous
sodium hydroxide solution generally is maintained hot to
enhance rapid etching of the exposed aluminum metal,
usually in the range of about 50 to about 900C,
preferably about 70 to about 75=C. The strength of the
sodium hydroxide solution may vary widely, usually from
about 0.1 to about 10 normal, with the stronger
solutions in the range of about 2 to about 3 normal,
being preferred to enhance rapid etching of the exposed
aluminum.
Three endless driven belts 38, 40 and 42 (only
parts of belts 40 and 42 are shown) are provided
immersed in the bath 36 of aqueous sodium hydroxide
solution and formed of a suitable etchant-resistant
material, for example, stainless steel mesh. The driven
belts 38, 40 and 42 each has a series of roller elements
44 located in close proximity to the upper surface of
the respective belt, so that the web 14 passing between
the roller elements 44 and the adjacent upper belt
surface is engaged by both, to ensure driven engagement
of the web 14 by the respective belt. Although three
endless belts 38, 40 and 42 are illustrated, any
convenient number of such belts may be provided. Any
other convenient drive mechanism may be employed to
drive the web 14 through the tank 28.
The web 14 enters the tank 28 at its upstream end
and is immersed in the bath 36 by passing over a
guide roller 46. The web 14 then passes in a generally
horizontal path through the tank 28 immersed in the bath
30 36 to a guide roller 48 and out of the tank 28 at the
downstream end 32. During passage through the tank 28,
the web 14 is driven by the conveyer belts 38, 40 and
42.
In the prior art of U.S. Patent No. 4,552,614
referred to above, the web is driven through the
apparatus by a drive roller located at the downstream
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9
end of the demetallizinq tank. However, the additional
dwell time required for the generally thicker aluminum
layers with which the present invention is concerned
necessitates that the web be positively driven through
the tank 28 rather than drawn, to avoid inordinate
stretching and distoi-tion of the web.
As the web 14 passes through the tank, the hot
aqueous alkali etches the exposed aluminum and removes
it from areas of the web not protected by the etchant-
resistant material. Since the web 14 remains submerged
during its passaqe through the tank 28, the web is
continuously in contact with fresh hot sodium hydroxide
solution, which enhances the etching of the exposed
aluminum.
The speed of movement of the web 14 through the
tank 28, the length of tank 28 and the temperature and
strength of the aqueous sodium hydroxide solution are
coordinated to provide a dwell time of the web 14 in
contact with the hot aqueous sodium hydroxide solution
of at least about 0.5 secs. per micron of thickness of
metal layer, preferably in the ranqe of about 5 to about
50 sacs per micron of thickness of metal, so as to
ensure that the metal is completely etched from the
exposed areas of the web not protected by the pattern of
etchant-resistant material.
The rate of movement of the web 14 through the tank
may vary widely, but generally higher speed operations
are preferred in the interests of economy, generally up
to about 350 meters/min, preferably about 150 to about
250 meters/min, although lower speeds down to 10
meters/min may be employed.
As etching of the web 14 continues in the tank 28,
etched aluminum becomes dissolved in the aqueous sodium
hydroxide solution and tends to build up in the
solution. The bath may be intermittently, or more
preferably, continuously rejuvenated by appropriate
10
processing of the solution to remove the dissolved
aluminum and regenerate t'.ze alkali. The process may be
operated with a dissolved aluminum concentration in the
bath 36 which rnay vary widely, generally from about 5 to
about 95% of the saturatiori value ', preferably
towards the lower end of this range, from about 15 to
about 30%.
The dissolved aluminum may be removed from the
aqueous etchar.Lt solution and the alkali regenerated in
any convenient manner to maintain a closed-loop for the
alkali, with make-up quantities of sodium hydroxide being
required only on a periodic basis. One particular
procedure which can be adopted involves removal of
dissolved alLUninum by crystallization of aluminum
trihydrate, described in more detail below with respect
to the embodiment of Figure 2. During reaction in the
tank 28, the caustic soda combines with etched aluminum
and forms sod'Lum aluminate, which then is converted to
aluminum hydroxide and sodium hydroxide by hydrolysis in
a regeneration operation outside the tank 28. This
procedure is described in an article by Dejat entitled
"Aluminum Anodizer Regenerates Caustic Etch Solution"
published in F'lating and Surface Finishing, April 1984.
After the etched web leaves the bath 36 at the
downstream end of the tank 28 but before the web leaves
the tank 28, t:he web 14 engages a first doctor blade 50
and then a second doctor blade 52 to wipe off liquid
etchant from the surfaces of the web, and retain such
liquid in the tank 28, before passing between rollers 54.
The demetallized web then passes to a washing and
drying station 56. The demetallized web has wash water
sprayed on by firut wash water sprayers 58 followed by
wiping of the washed surface by a first wiper blade 60,
_,.. ...._ . ...~.._.w._. _ _
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11
and then has wash water sprayed on again by second wash
water sprayers 62 followed by wiping of the washed
surface by a second wiper blade 64. The washed
demetallized web is passed between a pair of rolls 66,
which comprise a rubber pinch roll to squeeze the web
into engagement with a metal surfaced drive roll to
ensure a positive pulling drive is effected on the web
14 throuqh the washing operation. The pair of rollers
66 also serve to remove surface water from the web.
Spent wash water from the washing operations may be
recycled to the tank 28 to make up for evaporative
losses, as required. Following washing of the etched
web in this way, the washed, clean patterned web is
dried by passing through a drier 68, which removes
residual surface moisture from the web. The washing and
drying operations effected in the washing and drying
station 56 also may be effected in the manner described
below with respect to such operations in the embodiment
of Figure 2.
Where the web 14 comprises an aluminum layer
adhesively bonded to the polymeric film layer, the
selective demetallization exposes the adhesive in the
regions of the web which are demetallized. This
adhesive tends to be somewhat tacky and hence the dried
demetallized web next is passed to a detackifying
station 70, where the web first is contacted with a
detackifier of suitable composition by an applicator 72
and then is dried by passing through a drier 74. In
place of or in addition to applying a liquid
detackifying material to the web, a further web of
dielectric material, such as a polymeric film web, may
be laminated to the etched face of the web.
Optionally, prior to winding up the web into a
reel 76, the web may be passed through an in-line print
station 78, where one or more colors, for example, three
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12
as illustrated, may be applied to the web in a desired
pattern, such as a decorative pattern.
The reel 76 of processed web is formed on a wind-up
roll which is drivinqly rotated to draw the web throuqh
the dryinq, detackifyinq and optional coloring
operations. Other drive procedures may be adapted.
Turninq now to Figure 2, there is illustrated
schematically therein a further embodiment of selective
demetallizinq machine 110, which operates similarly. to
the demetallizinq machine 10 described above, and
represents the current best mode of putting the
invention into effect known to the applicant. A roll
112 of flexible polymeric film bearing a metal layer
thereon, generally comprises aluminum of thickness of at
least about 1 micron, usually up to about 15 microns,
preferably about 3 to about 10 microns, typically
aluminum foil of thickness about 7 to 8 microns,
adhesively bonded to one face of the polymeric film.
A web 114 of the flexible polymeric film substrate
supportinq the aluminum layer, which is drawn from the
roll 112, has a pattern of etchant-resistant material
pre-applied to the aluminum layer in areas of the
aluminum surface which it is desired to retain such
metal in the subsequent demetallization operation.
The web 114 passes to an etchinq station 116 which
comprises a tank 118 throuqh which the patterned web 114
passes from an upstream end 120 to a downstream end 122.
The tank 118 is provided with an upper closure (not
shown) to prevent significant evaporative losses from
the tank 118 into the ambient atmosphere. The interior
of the tank 118 may be maintained under a sliqht
subatmospheric pressure to avoid loss of moisture
throuqh the end qaps between the upper closure and the
tank end walls throuqh which the web is required to pass
to enter and exit the tank 118. As illustrated in
Fiqure 1, a conduit, or series of conduits, may be
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13
employed to apply the subatmospheric pressure to the
interior of the tank, with an associated scrubber to
remove moisture for return to the tank 118.
In contrast to the structure shown in Figure 1, the
tank 118 is relatively deep and the web 114 is guided
throuqh the tank in a sinusoidal path by sets of upper
rollers 124 and lover rollers 126. This arrangement
permits efficient demetallizinq to be effected in the
tank 118, while siqnificantly simplifying the structure
and significantly decreasinq the physical length of the
tank 118.
The upper and lower sets of rollers 124, 126 are
mounted to a carriaqe structure 128, which itself is
mounted by rollers 129 to vertical rails 130 of a frame
structure 132, which permits the carriage 128 to be
raised from the tank 118 and lowered into the tank 118.
This arrangement is particularly beneficial in
permittinq threading or rethreading of the web without
having to empty the tank 118 of aqueous etchant
material.
The tank 118 holds a bath 134 of aqueous etchant
material, usually aqueous sodium hydroxide solution for
aluminum as the etchable metal. The aqueous sodium
hydroxide solution generally is maintained hot to
enhance rapid etching of the exposed aluminum metal,
usually in the ranqe of about 50 to about 90 C,
preferably about 70 to about 75 C. The strength of
the sodium hydroxide solution may vary widely, usually
from about 0.1 to about 10 normal, with the stronger
solutions in the range of about 2 to about 3 normal,
being preferred to enhance rapid etching of the exposed
aluminum.
The web 114 enters the tank at the upstream end 120
with the assistance of a quide roller 136 and passes
alternatively about one of the lower and upper sets of
rollers 124, 126-is ersed in the bath 134 of aqueous
CA 02280470 1999-08-06
14
etchant material. As the web 114 passes through the
tank 118, the hot aqueous alkali etches the exposed
aluminum and removes.it from areas of the web 114 not
protected by the etchant-resistant material. Since the
web 114 remains submerqed during its passaqe throuqh the
tank 118, the web is continuously in contact with fresh
hot sodium hydroxide solution, which enhances etching of
the.exposed aluminum.
The speed of movement of the web 114 through the
tank 118, the lenqth of tank 118 and the temperature and
strenqth of the aqueous sodium hydroxide solution are
coordinated to provide a dwell time of the web 114 in
contact with the hot aqueous sodium hydroxide solution
of at least about 0.5 secs. per micron of thickness of
metal layer, preferably in the range of about 5 to about
50 secs per micron of thickness of metal layer, so as to
ensure that the metal is completely etched from the
exposed areas of the web not protected by the pattern of
etchant-resistant material.
The rate of movement of the web 114 throuqh the
tank may vary widely, but generally hiqher speed
operations are preferred in the interests of economy,
generally up to about 350 meters/min, preferably about
150 to about 250 meters/min, althouqh lower speeds down
to 10 meters/min may be used. The web 114 is driven
throuqh the tank 134 by providing driven power to at
least some of the lower and upper sets of rollers 124,
126.
As etching of the web 114 continues in the tank
118 etched aluminum becomes dissolved in the aqueous
sodium hydroxide solution and tends to build up in the
solution. The bath may be intermittently, or more
preferably, continuously rejuvenated by appropriate
processinq of the solution to remove the dissolved
aluminum and reqenerate the alkali, as described in more
detail below. The process may be operated with a
CA 02280470 2000-11-10
dissolved aluminum concentration in the bath 134 which
may vary widely, generally from about 5 to about 95% of
the saturation value; ., preferably towards the
lower end of this range, from about 15 to about 30%.
5 As the etched web leaves the bath 134 at the
downstream end 122 of the tank 118, the web 114 is
engaged by a first doctor blade 137 as it wraps around a
guide roller 138, in order to wipe liquid etchant from
one surface of the web 114. The guide roller 138 has a
10 doctor blade 140 associated with its surface to remove
liquid etchant transferred thereto by engagement with
the guide roller 138. The etched web 114 then is
engaged by a second doctor blade 141 as it wraps around
roller 128 in order to wipe liquid etchant from the
15 opposite side, of the wet, 114.
The demetallized web 114 then passes in a
sinusoidal path through a wash tank 142 having a bath
144 of wash water therein, which serves to wash both
faces of the web free from residual etchant material.
The web 114 is guided in its passage through the wash
tank 142 by sets of upper rollers 146 and lower rollers
148, at least some of which may be driven. The web 114
.passes through the nip between a pair of rollers 150
before exiting the wash tank 142, which serves to remove
moisture from the surface of the web. The web 114 next
passes between a pair of doctor blades 151 which serve
to remove further moistiire from the washed web surfaces.
The washed demetallized web 114 next passes to a
drying station 152 to remove residual moisture from the
web. The web is subjected to jets of hot air against
the same from nozzles 153 to dry the same as it is
trained through the drying station.
Where the web 114 comprises an aluminum layer
adhesively bonded to the polymeric film layer, the
selective de.metallization exposes the adhesive in the
regions of the web which are demetallized. This
_....._..._....,_ .~._ ~._...,_.~.____. _ ..._ _
CA 02280470 1999-08-06
= 16
adhesive tends to be somewhat tacky and the dry web 114
is passed in contact with a bath 154 of detackifying
material of suitable composition. The detackifying
material then is dried by jets of hot air from nozzles
155.
A web of dielectric material, such as polymeric
film or paperboard, may be adhered to the web to overlie
the exposed adhesive by a suitable laminating operation
which is employed as an alternative to or in combination
with the application of a liquid detackifying material.
A roll 156 of processed web is formed on a wind up
reel which is drivingly rotated to draw the web 114
through the drying and detackifying operations.
Additional drives may be provided to the drying station
and the detackifying station, if required. Optionally,
prior to winding the web 114 onto the roll 156, the web
114 may be passed through an in-line print station,
where one or more colors may be applied to the web 114
in a desired pattern, such as a decorative pattern.
To regenerate the etchant solution in bath 134,
etchant is continuously removed from tank 120 by line
158 and passed to a series of parallel-fed tanks 160,
162 and 164. The hot sodium hydroxide in pipe 158 is
cooled during its passage to the tanks, such as by a
cooling jacket 166, to induce formation of crystallize
aluminum trihydrate (aluminum hydroxide), which serves
to remove aluminum from the sodium hydroxide solution.
The tanks 160, 162 and 164 are filled successively, with
one tank being f i l led before a next one. In the tanks,
the liquid is stirred qently to promote the qrowth of
crystals of aluminum trihydrate in the liquid therein.
When the liquid has been held for the desired
period of time, generally long enough for a second tank
to fill up, the liquid is discharged from the first tank
filled to the inlet 167 of a precipitating tank 168
through which the liquor passes in a sinusoidal path
CA 02280470 1999-08-06
= 17
below and over batfles 169 to an outlet 170. This
sinusoidal, passage of liquid encouraqes settlement of
the aluminum trihydrate crystals in the precipitation
tank 168, so that a successively lesser concentration of
crystals is present in the sodium hydroxide solution as
it passes through tt-e precipitation tank 168.
The aluminum trihydrate crystals settle from the
aqueous phase into sumps 172 in the precipitation tank
168 and form a sludqe-like mass in the sumps 172. From
time to time, as required, the sludge may be discharqed
from the sumps 172 by line 174 to filtration
separation.
The sodium hydroxide solution exiting the
precipitation tank 168 by outlet 170 is passed by pipe
176 to the etch tank 134. The sodium hydroxide solution
is heated during its return from the precipitation tank
168 to the etching tank 120, such as by heating jacket
178, to redissolve aluminum trihydrate crystals in the
sodium hydroxide solution for the etching process.
Make-up quantities of sodium hydroxide may be added from
time to time, as required.
The demetallizing machines 10 and 110 may be used
to effect selective demetallization of aluminum and
other etchable metals generally in relatively thick
layers supported by the polymeric web over a wide range
of speeds of operation, as mentioned above.
The embodiments of Fiqures 1 and 2 have described
the selected demetallization of an aluminum layer
supported in adhered relationship to the polymeric
material web. The procedures also may be employed with
aetallized (by vapor deposition or otherwise) polymeric
material web bearing a metal layer of opaque thickness,
except that in this case, no detackifier application
step is required. In addition, the procedures may be
employed with an unsupported metal layer, which is of a
thickness which permits it to be processed by the
CA 02280470 1999-08-06
18
equipment, in which case the pattern of etchant-resistant
material is applied, in register, to both faces of the
metal layer.
The demetallizing machines 10 and 110 may be used to
effect selective demetallization of an etchable metal
layer for a variety of purposes. For example, the
demetallizing operation may be effected to produce
materials useful in microwave packaging applications,
such as described in the aforementioned U.S. Patent No.
5, 11-7, 078 .
As described therein, the provision of a plurality
of elongate slots formed through a flexible
electroconductive metal layer normally opaque to
microwave radiation enable thermal energy to be generated
from such microwave radiation when said metal layer is
incorporated into packaging material and located adjacent
a foodstuff to be cooked by microwave radiation. The
demetallizing machines 10 and 110 also may be employed to
form other selectively demetallized elements comprising
a pattern of electroconductive material adhered to a
polymeric material layer, such as circuit boards and
elements useful as carpet heaters or other heating
applications.
The demetallizing operation carried out in the tank
28 or 118 employs continuous immersion of the patterned
web to effect complete removal of aluminum or other
etchable metal from the unprotected portions of the web
surface. Any other equivalent procedure may be adopted,
however, to ensure that there is repeated contact of
etchant with the web for at least 0.5 secs. per micron of
metal layer thickness on the web. For example, there may
be employed a series of longitudinally-spaced spray
applicators each successively applying etchant solution
to the web to effect partial etching until the web has
CA 02280470 1999-08-06
19
been completely demetallized in the desired locations of
the web.
In summary of this disclosure, the present invention
provides a novel selective demetallization procedure
particularly suited for relatively thick films of
etchable metals by employing a relatively long contact
time between the etchant and metal. Modifications are
possible within the scope of this invention.
