12.1: New Durable, Soil Resistant Optical Film for Front Surface Protection of Flat-Panel Displays

We describe a new protective laminating film for optical display applications. This film, based on UV-curable acrylate chemistry, is prepared by combining abrasion-resistant hardcoat technology with low-surface-energy fluorochemical coatings. The resulting construction shows excellent optical properties, and the fluorochemical surface allows oily contaminants such as inks and fingerprints to be easily removed simply by dry wiping. The film's chemistry and characterization are discussed, along with data on optical properties and environmental stability.