Argotec Inc., one of the world’s largest producers of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) film and sheet, earlier this year introduced their new ArgoEdgeSealPLUS, a patent-pending, TPU-Foil-TPU construction used to protect the edges of both TPU- and PVB-interlayered laminated glass composites. The company today announced it has completed rigorous testing that demonstrates a significant advantage over other edge seal products in protecting the polycarbonate component in autoclave-laminated security glazing composites. (PVB edge seal products are typically not used in these applications because polyvinyl butyral is incompatible with polycarbonate).
Bullet- and blast-resistant composites are normally constructed of layers of glass and polycarbonate that are bonded together with an aliphatic polyurethane optical interlayer film. Argotec utilized the ISO 22088-3 bent-strip method to test ArgoEdgeSealPLUS and its predecessor, BOC-9450 Edge Seal™, exposing both to MEK (methyl ethyl ketone), a solvent found in many window caulks and sealants. (BOC-9450 Edge Seal, a highly successful, dual-layer TPU product, was developed by Argotec in 1995 and is now the standard edge seal design utilized by 90 percent of all glass laminators using polyurethane interlayers).
The impermeable foil layer sandwiched between two layers of TPU in ArgoEdgeSealPLUS provides superior chemical resistance and protection for laminated security glass composites containing a polycarbonate layer when compared with standard TPU-TPU edge seal constructions.
ArgoEdgeSealPLUS can be used to protect any laminated glass composite produced by an autoclave process: glass-to-glass; glass-to-polycarbonate; glass-to-acrylic; and glass-to-other optical substrates. Whether for security glazing or architectural applications, it provides not only a highly impermeable chemical barrier but also serves as a 50-mil “bumper” that reduces the potential for mechanical damage during handling and installation. The diamond pattern imparted by the clear carrier to the outer layer of the edge seal also creates an aesthetically pleasing appearance on the composite edge.