AU2018247339B1

AU2018247339B1 - Method for the manufacture of a component with a polymer binder matrix

Info

Publication number: AU2018247339B1
Application number: AU2018247339A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Werner Fenzl; Rudolf Paternoster
Original assignee: Schock GmbH
Current assignee: Schock GmbH
Priority date: 2018-09-13
Filing date: 2018-10-15
Publication date: 2019-08-22
Anticipated expiration: 2038-10-15
Also published as: JP6652626B1; KR20200031494A; CN110893560B; KR102194204B1; DE102018122412B3; CN110893560A; JP2020041117A; DE102018122412B8

Abstract

Abstract A method for the manufacture of a component with a polymer binder matrix, wherein a sheet of a polymer binder matrix made from acrylic resin with at least one admixed particulate filler is machined flat on a surface through mechanical 5 processes, so that the surface is formed by the treated binder matrix and the flat-machined filler particles, wherein the sheet is subsequently heated above the softening temperature of the binder so that the binder matrix relaxes and the filler particles on the surface are tilted, which creates a textured surface, and the component is then cooled down below the softening temperature. Fig. 2

Description

ORIGINAL COMPLETE SPECIFICATION

STANDARD PATENT

Invention Title

Method for the manufacture of a component with a polymer binder matrix

The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us:C:\Interwoven\NRPortbl\DCC\KZl I\l 9112 78 7_ 1 .docx-29/07/2019

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- la Method for the manufacture of a component with a polymer binder matrix

Field of the Invention

The invention concerns a method for the manufacture of a component with a 5 polymer binder matrix.

Background of the Invention

In many private and public areas such as, for example, private and public swimming pools, kitchenettes and commercial kitchens, industrial premises or other areas that are frequented by people and where the walking surface is sometimes wet, 10 corresponding demands are made on high wear resistance as well as good slip resistance to prevent a person from slipping. To meet those demands, floor coverings are used that have a sufficiently stable material structure and a corresponding surface roughness or surface texture. An example would be ceramic tiles, where increased slip resistance is achieved through interspersing non-melting 15 grains of sand into the tile glazing, wherein the sand grains protrude from the smooth surface after glazing, but are still securely anchored in the glazing.

In the instance where high demands are made on aesthetics as well as ease of cleaning, floor areas with evenly ground and polished surfaces are preferred, which usually consist of mineral materials such as natural stone, fine stoneware or an 20 “engineered stone” material, which is artificial stone that consists mainly of quartz particles bound in an organic binder matrix. The slip resistance of polished surfaces is naturally very low.

Corresponding wear and slip resistance is not only demanded from floor coverings, but also in bathtubs or shower tubs or shower bases respectively, for example. 25 Besides embodiments made from ceramic, such tubs or bases are also made from enamelled steel sheet or deep-drawn acrylic sheets, which have, due to their production method, usually a smooth or shiny surface and therefore do not possess any great slip resistance.

An improved slip resistance of these kinds of materials is usually only achieved 30 through subsequently applied mats or adhesively attached, slip-resistant strips.

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-2Further popular solutions for the manufacture of shower tubs are machined from a single block of natural stone or engineered stone, ground and polished on the surface, which are high-value products and are thus also sold at a high price. Creating a surface on these products that is improved with regard to slip-resistance is achieved through subsequent mechanical machining of the component surface, for example through forming corresponding grooves or corrugations. Although said macroscopic, mechanically created recesses improve the slip resistance, they are disadvantageous if an increased demand is placed on the flatness of the component, for example in shower tubs or bathtubs, since dirt particles can be 10 deposited in the grooves or corrugations, reducing cleanability.

The invention therefore seeks to provide an improved method for the manufacture of a component with a polymer binder matrix.

Summary of the Invention

The present invention provides a method for the manufacture of a component with 15 a polymer binder matrix, which is characterised in that a sheet of a polymer binder matrix, made from acrylic resin with at least one admixed particulate filler is machined flat on a surface through mechanical processes, so that the surface is formed by the treated binder matrix and the flat-machined filler particles, wherein the sheet is subsequently heated above the softening temperature of the binder so 20 that the binder matrix relaxes and the filler particles on the surface are tilted, which creates a textured surface, and the component is then cooled down below the softening temperature.

Surprisingly, the method according to the invention makes it possible to produce a component that features a slip-resistant, relief-like textured surface, wherein said 25 textured surface was not manufactured through mechanical machining to form grooves or corrugations or such like, but through a mechanical treatment of the surface to flatten the same as well as a subsequent thermal treatment or tempering respectively.

The starting material for the method according to the invention is a sheet of a 30 polymer binder matrix made from an acrylic resin, that is, a resin matrix made for example from polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) or a blend of PMMA and methyl

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- 2a methacrylate (MMA). Filler particles are introduced into said resin matrix, which are to a large extent evenly distributed over the cross-section, that is, over the thickness of the sheet. Said sheet is now machined flat through mechanical means, that is, mechanical processes are used to make it as planar as possible.

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This may be achieved through grinding of the sheet surface with a very fine abrasive and if necessary through additional brushing or polishing. The resulting flat or plane surface respectively is formed by the flat-machined binder matrix as well as the filler particles that are exposed on the surface and which are also 5 machined flat or plane respectively. Thus optically the surface shows areas that are formed by the flat or plane machined binder as well as areas formed by the flat or plane machined filler particles that are enclosed by the binder matrix.

In a next step said flat-machined sheet is heated up above the softening temperature of the binder, that is, the thermoplastic binder that was already cured or polymerised respectively during the manufacture of the sheet is now softened up again. This causes the binder matrix to relax. It was a surprise to find that there was some intrinsic tension in the already polymerised binder matrix that resulted from the casting and polymerising process. As the sheet is heated up beyond the softening temperature, the binder matrix changes from a cured state into a slightly softened state and the tension inside the binder matrix is released. The binder relaxes or shrinks respectively, which causes the surface texture to change due to said release of tension or relaxation process respectively. The previously planar binder surface locally changes its planarity, that is, locally it sinks in slightly due to the released tension. In conjunction with the given softness of the binder matrix, this causes at the same time the planar filler particles on the surface to be partially drawn in by the relaxing or contracting binder matrix and are thereby slightly tilted from their plane, which means that the flat, planar filler particle surfaces no longer extend parallel to each other in a common plane but are tilted relative to each other and thus to the plane of the component surface. Due to the relaxation or sinking processes respectively within the binder matrix, in conjunction with the tilting of the filler particles, a textured surface forms, that is, the previously flat-machined surface becomes clearly noticeably three-dimensionally textured due to these processes.

After a corresponding dwell time, which is dependent on the actual temperature 30 of the sheet during the heating process, which is shorter the higher the actual temperature is, the sheet is cooled down below the softening temperature so that the binder matrix solidifies again and the surface texture and thus the tilted filler particles are fixed. The cooled-down component or sheet respectively is still

2018247339 15 Oct 2018 in the same, original shape unless it was three-dimensionally re-formed during the temperature treatment, which will be discussed below. In any case, the component has a corresponding relief-like or textured surface, which results solely from the relaxation process of the binder matrix and the consequential tilting of the filler particles without having to resort to mechanical processing to form grooves and similar to achieve the roughness.

Preferred is a sheet with a filler content of at least 65 wt% and at most 95%, preferably between 75 - 90 wt%. This means that correspondingly high filler content is used to ensure that sufficiently high particle content is present at the io surface to be processed.

It is, furthermore, preferred to use a sheet in which at least 10 wt%, preferably more than 30 wt% and in particular more than 50 wt% of filler particles have a particle size of > 0.4 mm. Preferred is the use of a preferably high proportion of larger filler particles, even particle sizes of up to one millimetre and larger may 15 be used.

The filler particles themselves should have a Mohs hardness of more than 5, preferably more than 6 and preferably approximately 7. Quartz sand is preferably used as filler, which is preferably used in a fine fraction with a particle size of less than 0.4 mm and a coarser fraction, the proportion of which is preferably higher than that of the fine fraction, with a particle size of, for example, 0.4 - 2.5 mm.

Preferred is the use of a sheet in which the polymer binder matrix is made from a blend of methyl methacrylate (MMA) and polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA). Thus a monomer and a polymer are used to make the matrix blend. The ratio of 25 the weight proportions of the polymer, that is, the PMMA to the monomer, i.e.

the MMA, should be between 1:1.75 and 1:6, in particular between 1:2 and 1:5 and preferably at approximately 1:4. This means that there is an excess of monomer.

The proportion of polymerizable bulk consisting of monomer and polymer, that is, methyl methacrylate and polymethyl methacrylate, to the total bulk of the binder

2018247339 15 Oct 2018 matrix should be between 10-40 wt%, in particular between 15-30 wt%, and preferably at approximately 20 wt%.

Besides the polymer components the binder matrix contains the usually added and necessary aggregates such as a curing agent, one or more possible additives or initiators/peroxide.

It is also conceivable that a sheet is used that has colour pigments imbedded in the binder matrix. That means that a coloured sheet is used, resulting in the finished component having a corresponding coloured surface.

As described, the surface of the sheet is preferably mechanically processed by grinding or brushing to make it planar, where in the grinding or brushing process an extremely fine abrasive or brushing means was used to make the surface as planar as possible. It is also conceivable to polish the surface subsequently with an even finer medium to make it as planar as possible.

As already described above, it is conceivable to just heat up the sheet that forms the starting material and to subsequently cool it down again, which means that the shape of the sheet does not change. However, a particularly advantageous development of the invention provides for the mechanical reshaping during the heating process to form a three-dimensional component. Provision is thus made for the sheet, after heating it above the softening temperature, to also re-shape it mechanically by means of a forming tool such as a moulding die or similar so as to re-shape the practically two-dimensional sheet into a three-dimensional component. The sheet is preferably re-shaped so as to form a tub, in particular a shower tub.

Besides the method itself, the invention concerns, moreover, a component made from a polymer binder matrix that consists of acrylic resin comprising at least one admixed particulate filler that is made according to the abovedescribed method.

The component itself is to have a filler content of at least 65 wt% and at most 95 wt%, preferably between 75 - 90 wt%. At least 10 wt%, preferably more than 30 wt% and in particular more than 50 wt% of the filler particles are to have a

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-tiparticle size of > 0.4 mm, and preferably also a Mohs hardness of more than 5, preferably of more than 6, and particularly preferably approximately 7.

The polymer binder matrix is preferably made from a blend of methyl methacrylate (MMA) and polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), preferably with a proportion between 10-40 wt%, in particular between 15-30 wt% and preferably of approximately 20 wt% of PMMA. The ratio of the weight proportions of polymer to monomer, that is, of PMMA to MMA, should lie between 1:1.75 and 1:6, in particular between 1:2 and 1:5 and preferably at approximately 1:4.

In addition to any already coloured filler particles, additional colour pigments may be added to the binder matrix. This makes it possible to provide the component with the desired colouration.

The component itself may be a sheet, for example a wall or floor sheet. Alternatively, the component may be a tub, preferably a shower tub or shower base.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Further advantages and details of the invention become apparent from the following description of the exemplary embodiments as well as the drawings:

Fig. 1 shows a schematic diagram of a cross-section through a sheet prior to heat treatment according to the invention for creating the textured 20 surface,

Fig. 2 shows the schematic diagram of the sheet from Fig. 1 after carrying out the heat treatment and cooling-down process according to the invention, and

Fig. 3 shows a schematic diagram to explain the method according to the invention.

Detailed Description of the Invention

Fig. 1 depicts a cross-sectional view through a sheet 1, which serves as raw material for the manufacture of a component 2 according to the invention, as shown in Fig.

2. Sheet 1 comprises a polymer binder matrix 3 made from an acrylic resin, wherein preferably a blend of an acrylic monomer, that is, methyl

2018247339 15 Oct 2018 methacrylate (MMA), and an acrylic polymer, that is, polymethyl acrylate (PMMA), is used. Besides the commonly used curing agents, additives as well as initiators or peroxides respectively, and perhaps colouring pigments, sheet 1 contains filler particles 4 embedded in the binder matrix 3, which may, for example, be quartz sand particles of varying sizes. The granulation may consist of smaller grain fractions of < 0.4 mm and a coarser grain fraction of > 0.4 mm up to particle sizes of 2 mm or more. The filler content of filler particles 4 should be at least 65 wt%, at most 95 wt%, preferably within the range of 75 - 90 wt%.

The use of quartz sand mentioned as filler is an example only. Other filler particles may be used that have a sufficiently high Mohs value of greater than 5, preferably greater than 6, for example corundum or similar.

Sheet 1 is cured, which means that the binder matrix 3 is fully polymerised and the filler particles 4 are solidly embedded in the binder matrix.

The one surface 5, which is the visible side of sheet 1 or that of the subsequently manufactured component 2, has in this depiction already been mechanically treated, preferably ground, for which a suitable tool and an as fine as possible abrasive was used. This causes the surface 5 to be flat or planar respectively apart from very small microstructures that are caused by the treatment. Surface 5 may also be polished so that it becomes even more flat and planar than it is after grinding, for example.

Surface 5 is thus defined by planar sections or surfaces 6 that are formed by the binder or binder matrix 3 respectively, as well as through filler particle sections or surfaces 7 located at the surface, which are also planar as described. Overall this results in a sufficiently large sheet plane or sheet surface respectively, which is formed by the binder surfaces 6 as well as the filler particle surfaces 7.

Further filler particles 4 are embedded inside the binder matrix 3 which, based upon the schematic representation according to Fig. 1, are located at a corresponding distance “a” to the filler particles 4 at the surface.

According to the invention, said planar-machined sheet 1 is at least heated up for the purpose of manufacturing the component, which will be described later.

The temperature of said sheet is raised above a softening temperature Tg of the

2018247339 15 Oct 2018 binder, which means that the binder matrix 3 becomes soft due to the heating process. Due to the manufacturing process of sheet 1, in which a polymerizable compound consisting of the binder with the mixed-in filler particles, colour pigments etc. is poured into a mould and polymerised or cured, intrinsic stresses are present in sheet 1 according to Fig. 1. When heated up, the cured binder matrix 3 it relaxes, which means that the intrinsic stresses subside. As is apparent from Fig. 3, this causes the binder surfaces 6 to lose their flat, planar form; said areas collapse to a greater or lesser degree, that is, they take on a corrugated, relief-like texture. As a result of the subsiding and relaxation or slight shrinking, the filler particles 4 that are close to the surface and form the surface also tilt, as clearly depicted in Fig. 2. In accordance with this the planar, flat filler particle surfaces 7 tilt, which means that they are tilted out of their previously horizontal or surface-parallel position respectively, so that the filler particle surfaces are then placed at an angle a due to tilting, wherein said angle a varies, of course, from filler particle 4 to filler particle 4, depending on the amount of tilting compared to the previously flat plane. Since after the heating process and the subsiding of stresses or relaxation respectively, and waiting for a sufficiently long dwell time at the raised temperature, the sheet 1 or the almost complete component 2 respectively is again cooled down to a temperature below the softening temperature Tg, usually to room temperature, the tilted filler particles 4 are again solidly embedded in the cured binder matrix 3, just like the relief-like, roughened structure of the binder surfaces 6 are quasi frozen.

This causes a three-dimensional, roughened surface structure, as shown in Fig. 2, due on the one hand to the relief-like, sunken or roughened or structured binder surfaces 6, and on the other hand due to the tilted and thus obliquely disposed filler particle surfaces 7. Said surface texture is haptically noticeable.

Fig. 3 depicts a diagram that shows the process of the method according to the invention. In step a) a sheet 1 to be processed is chosen, the surface of which is then mechanically treated in step b) with a suitable tool 8, wherein different tools 8 may be used, for example a grinding tool and subsequently a polishing tool. The surface 5 of sheet 1 is mechanically levelled in step b) so that it is as planar as possible and exhibits only the slightest micro structure.

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In step c) the processed sheet 1 is then placed into a heating facility 9, for example a convection oven or an infrared heating facility. In this facility sheet 1 is heated up above the softening temperature Tg of binder matrix 3, which means that T is greater than Tg. Since the binder matrix 3 consists of an acrylic resin, preferably a blend of MMA and PMMA, the softening temperature is approximately 100°C, which means that the sheet is heated up to a temperature of more than 100°C. The heating temperature may preferably be in the range between 120°C - 170°C. However, the higher the heating temperature the quicker the stresses subside and the three-dimensional, textured surface 5 io forms.

Only the heating up of sheet 1 takes place in step c), which means that sheet 1 retains the form of a sheet and is not reshaped. After the dwell time the heated sheet 1 is removed from the heating facility 9 in step d). The temperature is reduced to below the softening temperature Tg, that is, the sheet 1 is eventually 15 cooled down to room temperature. As is indicated schematically in step d), sheet 1 now has a relief-like, three-dimensionally textured surface 5, which exhibits a corresponding roughness and is thus slip resistant.

Nevertheless, step c) indicates in a dashed line the optional possibility to reshape sheet 1 mechanically during the heating process, for example to 20 produce a shower tub or shower base. To this end sheet 1 is mechanically reshaped, for example deep-drawn over a corresponding mould or similar, which is possible since the binder matrix 3 has been softened. After said mechanical reshaping and the expiry of the dwell time to allow the stresses to subside and to form the three-dimensionally textured surface 5, the reshaped 25 component 2 is removed from the heating facility 9. The temperature is also in this instance reduced to a temperature T below the softening temperature Tg, preferably of course to room temperature, so that the finished component 2 in form of a shower tub is provided with a relief-like, slip-resistant surface 5.

As evidence of the formation of a rough, sufficiently slip-resistant surface, three 30 different sheets were manufactured, which vary with respect to the amount of binder used and the amount and size of filler particles used. The compositions were as follows:

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-10Examples

Example 1:

MMA13.6

PMMA3.4

Curing agent0.35

Additives0.3

Initiators I Peroxide0.35

Colour pigments2

Quartz powder < 0.05 mm12

Quartz sand fine < 0.4 mm20

Quartz sand coarse 0.4 -1.2 mm48

Total (grav.)100

Example 2:

MMA19.25

PMMA4.8

Curing agent0.3

Additive0.3

Initiators I Peroxide0.35

Colour pigments2

Quartz powder < 0.05 mm11

Quartz sand fine < 0.4 mm30

Quartz sand coarse 0.4 - 0.6 mm32

Total (grav.)100

Example 3:

MMA13.25

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PMMA3.2

Curing agent0.3

Additives0.3

Initiators / Peroxide0.35

Colour pigments2

Quartz powder9

Quartz sand fine < 0.4 mm20

Quartz sand coarse 0.4 - 2.5 mm51.6

Total (grav.)100

All quantities are stated in gram, which means that a gravimetric quantity measurement is used.

A corresponding polymerizable compound was produced by mixing the corresponding additives, each of which was used to cast a sheet of

500 x 1000 mm in size and 8 mm thick in a corresponding mould. The three different test sheets were mechanically processed by grinding and subsequent polishing to provide each sheet with a planar surface.

Each mechanically processed sheet was then analysed with regard to different roughness parameters, that is, the surface profiles of each sheet were measured prior to the temperature treatment according to the invention. The surface profiles were recorded with a measuring instrument of the type HOMMEL Etamic W5, each over a test path of 1.5 cm.

Each was measured concerning Rmax[my], Rt[my], Rz[my] as well as the slip resistance angle [°].

Rmax is, according to DIN 4768, the maximum height difference between a peak and an adjacent valley.

Rt is, according to DIN 4762/1, the height difference between the lowest valley and the highest peak in the reference path.

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Rz is the arithmetic mean of the individual peak-to-valley heights Rzi of successive individual measuring paths according to DIN EN ISO 4287.

To determine the slip resistance or the slip resistance angle respectively, the tests were carried out according to DIN 51097. According to said standard, water is applied to an incline, the angle of which to the horizontal is adjustable.

Said incline is formed by the surface of the sheet to be tested. A test person then steps onto the incline barefoot and the angle at which the test person can still stand safely is determined. Thus high values of slip resistance angle correspond to a high slip resistance.

io Each sheet was then subjected to a temperature treatment.

The sheet according to example 1 was heated to a temperature of 160°C and kept at this temperature for 30 minutes.

The sheet according to example 2 was heated to a temperature of 160°C and also kept at this temperature for 30 minutes.

In the same way, the sheet according to example 3 was heated to a temperature of 160°C and kept at this temperature for 30 minutes.

After expiry of a dwell time the sheets, which were placed into a convection oven for heating, were removed from the oven and cooled down to room temperature.

Each sheet was then measured concerning the above-described parameters using the HOMMEL measuring instrument and the slip resistance angle test was carried out.

The results of the individual measurements are stated in the following three tables. Apart from the stated parameters there is data pertaining to a visual 25 check and a haptic test. Stated are the measuring values of each sheet without tempering according to the invention (column “w/o temperature”) and after the tempering process according to the invention (column “°C/min”).

Example 1:

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Test
	w/o temperature	160°C/30 min
Haptic / visual	smooth / shiny	rough, sparkling
Rmax [my]	8.14	12.0
Rt [my]	8.4	13.12
Rz [my]	4.35	9.19
Slip resistance angle [degree angle]	11.7	13.6

Example 2:

Test	Sample
	w/o temperature	160°C/30 min
Haptic / visual	smooth / shiny	a little rough, matt
Rmax [my]	4.3	14.5
Rt [my]	4.56	15.3
Rz[my]	3.55	10.2
Slip resistance angle [degree angle]	11.1	13.7

Example 3:

Test	Sample
	w/o temperature	160°C/30 min
Haptic / visual	smooth / shiny	very rough, sparkling
Rmax [my]	8.48	16.53
Rt [my]	8.5	17.9

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Rz[my]	4.75	12.2
Slip resistance angle [degree angle]	13.5	16.2

The sheet according the Example 1 with a proportion of coarser quartz sand of 0.4 - 1.2 mm of 48 wt% shows a shiny, smooth surface after grinding in the visual/haptic test. Due to the planar grinding and polishing it has relatively low roughness parameters. Without prior temperature treatment it has also only a small slip resistance angle of 11.7.

However, after carrying out the thermal treatment, that is, tempering at 160°C for 30 minutes, the parameters change significantly. The haptic/visual test shows that a rough, that is, a haptically noticeable, surface texture is present, io and the ground filler particle surfaces that form the surface give it a sparkling appearance.

As far as Rmax, Rt and Rz are concerned, the roughness parameters have increased significantly.

However, of particular significance is the slip resistance angle, which has increased to 13.6° in the example shown.

The result of the sheet according to Example 2 is similar. A significantly smaller amount of coarser quartz sand with a grain size from 0.4 - 0.6 mm was added, that is 32 wt%, whereas the fine quartz sand fraction with a grain size of 0.4 mm at 30 wt% was comparably large.

A visual check of the ground but untempered sheet shows that this sheet is shiny and the haptic test results in a very smooth surface. The roughness parameters are slightly lower than for the sheet according to Example 1, which is caused by the significantly smaller quartz particles. The slip resistance angle is in this instance also 11.1°.

The sheet was also in this instance tempered at a temperature of 160°C for 30 minutes.

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The visual or haptic test respectively shows that the sheet has a matt appearance and a haptically perceivable roughness is again noted. The corresponding parameters Rmax, Rt and Rz are also increasing. The slip resistance angle also increases to 13.7°.

This means that also in this instance a corresponding three-dimensional textures and rough surface can be generated, despite the significantly finer quartz sand admixture, with an approximately identically pronounced roughness as per the sheet in Example 1.

The situation is somewhat different with the sheet in Example 3. A high io proportion, that is 51.6 wt%, of coarse quartz sand with a grain size of 0.4 - 2.5 mm was added, which is a quantity that is comparable to that of Example 1, but with significantly coarser quartz sand.

The visual or haptic test respectively shows that the ground but not tempered sheet has a shiny appearance and the surface feels very smooth. The roughness parameters correspond largely to those in Example 1. However, the slip resistance angle is in this instance already 13.5°.

Said sheet 1 from sample recipe 3 was then tempered at 160°C for 30 minutes, which leads also in this example to a significant change in the visual or haptic assessment respectively as well as in the measured parameters.

The sheet exhibits a sparkling exterior but feels very rough in the haptic assessment.

This is also reflected in the corresponding measured values. Said measured values Rmax, Rt and Rz are higher than the values according to Example 1 concerning Rmax, Rt and Rz.

Particularly remarkable is the increase in slip resistance angle, which is in this instance 16.2 °.

This means that the sheet according to Example 3 exhibits a greater roughness or slip resistance respectively after carrying out the tempering treatment according to the invention, starting from a ground and polished raw sheet. This is the result of using a sufficiently high quantity of coarse-grained quartz sand.

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The exemplary embodiments described contained quartz sand as filler. It is of course conceivable to admix other mineral fillers such as, for example, silicon carbide, aluminium carbide (corundum) or similar.

In summary it should be noted that through the method according to the invention, that is the flat-machining and subsequent tempering, synthetic moulded items or synthetic components can be produced which, besides their component-specific high strength, also exhibit excellent slip resistance characteristics, wherein the slip resistance increases with an increasing proportion of coarse-grained filler.

io Throughout this specification and the claims which follow, unless the context requires otherwise, the word comprise, and variations such as comprises and comprising, will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or step or group of integers or steps but not the exclusion of any other integer or step or group of integers or steps.

The reference in this specification to any prior publication (or information derived from it), or to any matter which is known, is not, and should not be taken as an acknowledgment or admission or any form of suggestion that that prior publication (or information derived from it) or known matter forms part ofthe common general knowledge in the field of endeavor to which this specification relates.

The reference numerals in the following claims do not in any way limit the scope of the respective claims.

Claims

1. A method for the manufacture of a component with a polymer binder matrix, wherein a sheet of a polymer binder matrix made from acrylic resin with at least one admixed, particulate filler is machined flat on one surface through mechanical processes, so that the surface is formed by the treated binder matrix and the flat-machined filler particles, and wherein the sheet is subsequently heated above the softening temperature of the binder so that the binder matrix relaxes and the filler particles on the surface are tilted, which creates a textured surface, and the component is then cooled down below the softening temperature.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein a sheet with a filler content of at least 65 wt% and at most 95% is used.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a sheet in which at least 10 wt%of filler particles have a particle size of > 0.4 mm is used.

4. The method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a sheet is used with filler particles that have a Mohs hardness of more than 5.

5. The method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a sheet is used in which the polymer binder matrix is made from a blend of methyl methacrylate and polymethyl methacrylate.

6. The method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a sheet is used that has colour pigments imbedded in the binder matrix.

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7. The method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the surface of the sheet is mechanically processed by grinding or brushing or polishing.

8. The method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the sheet is mechanically re-shaped during the heating process to form a threedimensional component.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the sheet is re-shaped so as to form a tub.

10. A component comprised of a polymer binder matrix made from acrylic resin with at least one admixed particulate filler, manufactured using the method according to one of the preceding claims.

11 .The component according to claim 10, wherein it has a filler content of at least 65 wt% and at most 95%.

12. The component according to claim 10 or 11, wherein at least 10 wt% of filler particles have a particle size of > 0.4 mm.

13. The component according to one of claims 10 to 12, wherein the filler particles have a Mohs hardness of more than 5.

14. The component according to one of claims 10 to 13, wherein the polymer binder matrix is made from a blend of methyl methacrylate and polymethyl methacrylate.

15. The component according to one of claims 10 to 14, wherein colour pigments are imbedded in the binder matrix.

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16. The component according to one of claims 10 to 15, wherein it is a sheet.

17. The component according to claim 16, wherein the sheet is a wall or floor panel.

18. The component according to one of claims 10 to 14, wherein it is a tub.

19. The component according to claim 18, wherein the tub is a shower tub.