US Patent 7651648 Methods of forming an article comprising melt-processable thermoplastic compositions

Methods of making articles are described comprising the steps of applying a capstock material over a layer of a substrate material and then calendaring said capstock material and said substrate material with calendaring rolls to form an article, wherein said capstock material contacts said calendar rolls for a shorter period of time than said substrate material. The capstock material comprises a melt-processable thermoplastic composition comprising a) 50-99.5 wt. % of a melt-processable thermoplastic polymer and b) 0.5-50 wt. % of a particulate polymer comprising the residues of a monomer mixture comprising 50-100 wt. % of MMA, at least 0-50 % of an ethylenically unsaturated comonomer comprising at least one alkyl acrylate or methacrylate and 0-10 wt. % of a copolymerisable cross-linking monomer said particles having a maximum dimension of 5 mm.