Abstract: A method of making a microneedle array structure (20) comprising a plurality of simultaneously formed microneedles (24), each microneedle (24) having a protrusion (32) and a passageway (34) extending therethrough. The method comprises the steps of pressing an embossable sheet material between a complimentary tools and radiantly heating the sheet material using radiant energy from a radiant energy source. One tool is relatively-radiantly-transparent, and another tool and/or the sheet material is relatively-radiantly-absorptive.

Abstract: A microchamber structure (100) comprising a base layer (120), a lid layer (130), and at least one microchamber (140) having a cross-sectional shape with a depth (d) of less than 1000 microns and a width (w) of less than 1000 microns. The base layer (120) includes a depression (122) and the lid layer (104) includes a projection (132) positioned within the depression (122) to together define the cross-sectional shape of the microchamber (140).

Abstract: A method of embossing a sheet material includes: heating at least a portion of the sheet directly or indirectly with radiant energy from a radiant energy source; pressing a tool against the heated portion of the sheet, thereby patterning a surface of the sheet; and separating the sheet and the tool. The radiant energy may travel through a solid material that is relatively transparent to radiation, on its way to being absorbed by a relatively-absorptive material. The relatively-transparent material may be an unheated portion of the sheet, and the relatively-absorptive material may be either the tool or the heated portion of the sheet. Alternatively, the relatively-transparent material may be the tool, and the relatively-absorptive material may be all or part of the sheet. The method may be performed as one or more roll-to-roll operations.

Abstract: A method of embossing a sheet material includes: heating at least a portion of the sheet directly or indirectly with radiant energy from a radiant energy source; pressing a tool against the heated portion of the sheet, thereby patterning a surface of the sheet; and separating the sheet and the tool. The radiant energy may travel through a solid material that is relatively transparent to radiation, on its way to being absorbed by a relatively-absorptive material. The relatively-transparent material may be an unheated portion of the sheet, and the relatively-absorptive material may be either the tool or the heated portion of the sheet. Alternatively, the relatively-transparent material may be the tool, and the relatively-absorptive material may be all or part of the sheet. The method may be performed as one or more roll-to-roll operations.

Abstract: A substrate has embossed thereon a plurality of shaped recesses of a predetermined precise geometric profile, each recess having a flat bottom surface having a major dimension of about 1000 ?m or less, the substrate being capable of undergoing a thermal cycle of about one hour at about 150° C. while maintaining about ±10 ?m or less dimensional stability of the embossed shaped indentations, and wherein the substrate comprises an amorphous thermoplastic material. During the thermal cycle the substrate has an elastic modulus greater than about 1010 dynes/cm2 and a viscoelastic index of less than about 0.1.

Abstract: A method of making a microneedle array structure (20) comprising a plurality of simultaneously formed microneedles (24), each microneedle (24) having a protrusion (32) and a passageway (34) extending therethrough. The method comprises the steps of pressing an embossable sheet material between a complimentary tools and radiantly heating the sheet material using radiant energy from a radiant energy source. One tool is relatively-radiantly-transparent, and another tool and/or the sheet material is relatively-radiantly-absorptive.

Abstract: A method of embossing a sheet material includes: heating at least a portion of the sheet directly or indirectly with radiant energy from a radiant energy source; pressing a tool against the heated portion of the sheet, thereby patterning a surface of the sheet; and separating the sheet and the tool. The radiant energy may travel through a solid material that is relatively transparent to radiation, on its way to being absorbed by a relatively-absorptive material. The relatively-transparent material may be an unheated portion of the sheet, and the relatively-absorptive material may be either the tool or the heated portion of the sheet. Alternatively, the relatively-transparent material may be the tool, and the relatively-absorptive material may be all or part of the sheet. The method may be performed as one or more roll-to-roll operations.

Abstract: This invention relates to die-cuttable stretch oriented films wherein the tensile modulus of the film in the machine direction is greater than the tensile modulus in the cross direction and the tensile modulus in the cross direction is about 150,000 psi or less. The oriented films are useful in particular for preparing adhesive containing labelstock for use in adhesive labels.

Abstract: This invention relates to a die-cuttable, biaxially stretch-oriented monolayer film comprising a polyethylene having a density of about 0.940 g/cm3 or less, a propylene polymer or copolymer, or mixtures thereof, wherein the tensile modulus of the film in the machine direction is greater than the tensile modulus in the cross direction, the tensile modulus of the film in the cross direction is about 150,000 psi or less, and the film is free of copolymers of ethylene with an ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid or ester. Die-cuttable, stretch-oriented multilayer films also are described comprising the above films as a base layer, and a thermoplastic polymer skin layer bonded to the upper surface of the base layer. The biaxially oriented monolayer and multilayer films are useful in particular in preparing adhesive containing labelstock for use in adhesive labels.

Abstract: There is provided an adhesive article including (a) a radiation curable adhesive layer comprising an acrylic pressure sensitive adhesive and, optionally, an acrylated urethane polymer; and (b) a transparent carrier layer. The adhesive article may contain a radiation curable epoxy layer between the radiation curable adhesive layer and the transparent carrier layer. This adhesive article is particularly useful in preparing protective coatings on color filters for use in a liquid-crystal display panel structure. The radiation curable epoxy layer and radiation curable pressure sensitive adhesive are applied to the color filter and then exposed to UV radiation. The UV radiation exposure transforms the pressure sensitive adhesive from a removable adhesive to a permanent adhesive. The color filter with the UV cured adhesive layer is then baked to fully cure the adhesive layer and to transform the adhesive further into a near structural adhesive.

Abstract: This invention is directed to optical adhesives useful in light transmitting devices, and more particularly to fluorosubstituted monoacrylate based adhesives having low refractive index. The optical adhesive of the present invention is soluble in organic solvents, and in particular, in non-fluorinated organic solvents. The polymer of the optical adhesive of the present invention has a low glass transition temperature and has the ability to bond well with substrates, including glass substrates and polyethylene terephthalate polyester film substrates typically used in optical devices. The invention is further directed to transfer tapes comprised of at least one layer of a fluorosubstituted monoacrylate based adhesive.

Abstract: A transparent and low refractive index optical coating for use in light transmitting electronic devices is disclosed. The optical coating comprises a hydrogel having a refractive index of less than 1.40.

Abstract: A multilayer film facestock for labels is described which comprises a base layer having an upper surface and a lower surface, and at least a first skin layer bonded to the upper surface of the base layer by a tie layer wherein the base layer comprises a propylene homopolymer or copolymer, or a blend of a propylene homopolymer and at least one propylene copolymer, and the first skin layer consists essentially of at least one polyethylene having a density of about 0.940 g/cm3 or less, wherein the multilayer facestock is not oriented. Adhesive containing multilayer labelstocks for use in adhesive labels also are described which comprise the multilayer film facestock described above and an adhesive layer adhesively joined to the lower surface of the base layer. Labels prepared from the facestock and the labelstock also are described.

Abstract: A microchamber structure (100) comprising a base layer (120), a lid layer (130), and at least one microchamber (140) having a cross-sectional shape with a depth (d) of less than 1000 microns and a width (w) of less than 1000 microns. The base layer (120) includes a depression (122) and the lid layer (104) includes a projection (132) positioned within the depression (122) to together define the cross-sectional shape of the microchamber (140).

Abstract: This invention relates to a die-cuttable, biaxially stretch-oriented monolayer film comprising a polyethylene having a density of about 0.940 g/cm3 or less, a propylene polymer or copolymer, or mixtures thereof, wherein the tensile modulus of the film in the machine direction is greater than the tensile modulus in the cross direction, the tensile modulus of the film in the cross direction is about 150,000 psi or less, and the film is free of copolymers of ethylene with an ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid or ester. Die-cuttable, stretch-oriented multilayer films also are described comprising the above films as a base layer, and a thermoplastic polymer skin layer bonded to the upper surface of the base layer. The biaxially oriented monolayer and multilayer films are useful in particular in preparing adhesive containing labelstock for use in adhesive labels.

Abstract: This invention is directed to optical adhesives useful in light transmitting devices, and more particularly to fluorosubstituted monoacrylate based adhesives having low refractive index. The optical adhesive of the present invention is soluble in organic solvents, and in particular, in non-fluorinated organic solvents. The polymer of the optical adhesive of the present invention has a low glass transition temperature and has the ability to bond well with substrates, including glass substrates and polyethylene terephthalate polyester film substrates typically used in optical devices. The invention is further directed to transfer tapes comprised of at least one layer of a fluorosubstituted monoacrylate based adhesive.

Abstract: A transparent and low refractive index optical coating for use in light transmitting electronic devices is disclosed. The optical coating comprises a hydrogel having a refractive index of less than 1.40.

Abstract: One embodiment of this invention is a die-cuttable, biaxially stretch-oriented monolayer film comprising a polyethylene having a density of about 0.940 g/cm3 or less, a propylene polymer or copolymer, or mixtures thereof, wherein the tensile modulus of the film in the machine direction is greater than the tensile modulus in the cross direction, the tensile modulus of the film in the cross direction is about 150,000 psi or less, and the film is free of copolymers of ethylene with an ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid or ester. In one embodiment, the biaxially oriented monolayer films have been biaxially stretch-oriented and heat set.

Abstract: A multilayer film facestock for labels is described which comprises a base layer having an upper surface and a lower surface, and at least a first skin layer bonded to the upper surface of the base layer by a tie layer wherein the base layer comprises a propylene homopolymer or copolymer, or a blend of a propylene homopolymer and at least one propylene copolymer, and the first skin layer consists essentially of at least one polyethylene having a density of about 0.940 g/cm3 or less, wherein the multilayer facestock is not oriented. Adhesive containing multilayer labelstocks for use in adhesive labels also are described which comprise the multilayer film facestock described above and an adhesive layer adhesively joined to the lower surface of the base layer. Labels prepared from the facestock and the labelstock also are described.

Abstract: A multilayer film facestock for labels is described which comprises a base layer having an upper surface and a lower surface, and at least a first skin layer bonded to the upper surface of the base layer by a tie layer wherein the base layer comprises a propylene homopolymer or copolymer, or a blend of a propylene homopolymer and at least one propylene copolymer, and the first skin layer consists essentially of at least one polyethylene having a density of about 0.940 g/cm3 or less. In one preferred embodiment, at least the base layer is machine direction oriented. In another embodiment, the base layer comprises a polyethylene having a density above 0.940 g/cm3 (high density) and the polyethylene is ultimately oriented in the machine direction. Adhesive containing multilayer labelstocks for use in adhesive labels also are described which comprise the multilayer film facestock described above and an adhesive layer adhesively joined to the lower surface of the base layer.