AU779786B2 - Noctilucent or fluorescent artificial stone composition - Google Patents

Description

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT Applicants: DOPPEL CO., LTD Invention Title: NOCTILUCENT OR FLUORESCENT ARTIFICIAL STONE

COMPOSITION

The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us: La LUMINOUS OR FLUORESCENT ARTIFICIAL STONE

COMPOSITION

TECHNICAL

FIELD

The invention of the present application relates to a luminous or fluorescent artificial stone composition. More specifically, the invention of the present application relates to an artificial stone composition w.hich has a night decorat-iveness, a luminousness such as a luminescence and a light-eitting property accompanied by ultraviolet absorption and which is useful in a building material or a sight material as a direction indicator or a position quide using light in dark surroundings.

BACKGROUND

ART

An artificial stone obtained by pulverizing a natural stone and mixing the pulverizate with a resin or the like for solidification has been so far known. And regarding this artificial stone, various attempts have been made to provide a product having a design with a tone of a natural stone such as marble, granite or the like and being excellent in a hardness and a strength.

As an approach to improve properties and a parrormance of such an artificial stone, there has been also a proposal of imparting a light function using a luminous material such as a luminescent material or a fluorescent material such as an ultraviolet light-emitting material which emits light through ultraviolet absorption. This approach is conducted by mixing a fluorescent material with a resin component as a binder of an artificial stone for solidification or by mixing a luminescent fluorescent material such as strontium aluminate or the like or a ultraviolet fluorescent material with an unsaturated polyester, a methacrylic resin, a glass or the like for solidification, pulverizing the mixture, and using the resulting product as an aggregate to form an artificial stone.

However, in the case of the conventional luminous or fluorescent artificial stone, there were defects that in either of the above-mentioned methods, it is only in the position where the binder resin component or the aggregate exposed to the surface of the artificial stone is arranged that the luminescent material or the like acts and the luminescent material or the like contained in the artificial stone molded product does not act at all. A luminous material such as a luminescent material or the like is quite expensive, and even the addition of the same in a small amount increases the overall cost to from 3 to 10 times.

Accordingly, the ordinary artificial stone containing therein a luminous material free from this function was not practical in view of the cost. Further, light was emitted only in the surface layer of the artificial stone, so that light emitted does not have a thickness. Thus, there was a problem that the use thereof was quite limited because of such a high cost and the limited luminousness.

Meanwhile, when the amount thereof is controlled for decreasing the cost, there occurs such an inconvenience that the luminous or luminescent functional effect is scarcely provided.

Accordingly, the realization of a new artificial stone which is obtained with the use of a luminous or fluorescent material such as a luminescent material or the like in a lesser amount for decreasing the cost to improve a light function of an artificial stone, which is excellent in the functional effect, and which can fully provide a thickness of light emitted in not only the surface but also the whole of the artificial stone, has been in demand.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION According to the present invention, there is provided 3 a luminous or fluorescent artificial stone composition containing a fine powder component of an inorganic material having a size of from 5 to 70 mesh, a finely divided component of an inorganic material having a size of less than 100 mesh, a luminous or fluorescent component of less than 100 mesh having a luminescence or a luminousness accompanied by ultraviolet absorption, and a resin component, characterized in that the sum of the weights of the above-mentioned fine powder component of the inorganic material, finely divided component of the inorganic material and luminous or fluorescent component is 89% by weight or more based on the total artificial stone composition, the weight of the resin component is 11% by weight or less based on the total artificial stone composition, a ratio of from 30 to 100% of the weight (W 1 of the fine powder component of the inorganic material is a oooo fine powder component of a transparent inorganic material, 20 the ratio of the weight (W 1 of the fine powder *component of the transparent inorganic material to the sum

(W

2

W

3 of the weight (W 2 of the finely divided component of the inorganic material and the weight (W 3 of the luminous or fluorescent component is W 1

(W

2

+W

3 1:2 25 to 5:1, and S"the ratio of the weight (W 2 of the finely 000000 S°divided component of the inorganic material to the weight go

(W

3 of the luminous or fluorescent component is *W2 W3 1:2 to Preferably, the ratio of from 30 to 100% of the weight (W 2 of said finely divided component of the inorganic material is of a transparent inorganic material.

Preferably, the fine powder component of the transparent inorganic material and the finely divided component of the transparent inorganic material are at H:\Shery1M\Keep\Specl\P45727.doc 17/11/04 3a least one type selected from quartz, silica rock and a glass.

Preferably, the resin component is a methacrylic resin.

Preferably, the luminous or fluorescent component is a strontium aluminate luminescent material.

Preferably, the fine powder component of the inorganic material is all a fine powder component of a transparent inorganic material.

Preferably, the sum of the weights of the inorganic material components and the luminous or fluorescent component is between 89 and 95% by weight based on the total artificial stone composition, and the weight of the resin component is between 5 and 11% by weight based on the total artificial stone composition.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Preferred embodiments of the present invention are described in more detail below, by weight of example.

20 With respect to the composition of the artificial stone, a fine powder component of an inorganic H: \SherylM\Keep\Spec1\P45127.doc 17/11/04 4 material having a size of from 5 to 70 mesh is first contained as a basic component. This fine powder component may include a variety of natural or synthetic materials.

Examples thereof include minerals such as silica rock, chrysolite, feldspar, quartz, mica and the like, natural stones such as granite, metamorphite and the like, glasses, porcelain, metals and the like.

However, in the artificial stone composition of the present invention, it is indispensable that the ratio of from 30 to 100% of the weight of this fine powder component incorporated is a transparent inorganic material fine powder component.

The fine powder component of the transparent inorganic material refers to a component of an inorganic material having substantially a high light transmission.

The transparency thereof includes various degrees. A natural or synthetic inorganic material having a relatively high light transmission is to be used in the present invention. Consequently, the fine powder component of the transparent inorganic material may be colored or have a peculiar color.

Quartz, silica rock, a glass and the like are typically used in the present invention as the fine powder component of the transparent inorganic material. However, it is not limited thereto. A fine powder component of an inorganic material having an appropriate transparency, including but not limited to silica rock, quartz and a glass, is available.

Further, along with this fine powder component, a finely divided component of an inorganic material having a size of less than 100 mesh is used as a second component of the composition. As the finely divided component, various natural or synthetic finely divided components are mentioned. For example, powders of calcium carbonate, aluminum hydroxide and silica rock are easily obtainable finely divided components. And the use of the finely divided component of the inorganic material having a H:\SherylM\Keep\Speci\P45727.doc 17/11/04 relatively high light transmission like the fine powder component of the inorganic material is preferable to bring about a greater effect in preferred embodiments of the present invention.

Further, as a part of this finely divided component, a component such as manganese dioxide, titanium dioxide, zirconium silicate, iron oxide or the like to adjust a color tone, or a component such as antimony trioxide (pentoxide), a boron compound, a bromine compound or the like to impart a flame retardance and an incombustibility may be blended.

And the artificial stone of the present invention contains, as a third component, a luminous or fluorescent component of less than 100 mesh having a luminescence or a luminousness accompanied by ultraviolet absorption.

r Typical examples of such a component include a strontium aluminate luminescent material, zinc sulfide and the like.

These various materials are used in embodiments of the oeoo present invention.

20 The above-mentioned fine powder component plays a .roll as an aggregate of the resulting artificial stone, and acts as a main factor in the appearance and the physical properties.

~And with respect to this fine powder component, 25 30% or more of the amount has to be a transparent material.

oooo° The fine powder component of the inorganic material that plays a roll as an aggregate of the artificial stone has to have the size in the range of from 5 to 70 mesh as noted above. This is an indispensable requirement in the combination with the finely divided component of the inorganic material. Meanwhile, the size of the finely divided component is much smaller than the 100-mesh level in comparison to the fine powder component.

The finely divided component enters between the individual particles of the fine powder component and is arranged to fill the space between the particles, contributing toward H:\SherylM\Keep\Speci\P45727.doc 11/11/04 6 providing properties such as a hardness and a pliability of the resulting artificial stone.

And the above-mentioned luminous or fluorescent component plays the same roll as the finely divided component, and a light function such as a luminousness or a fluorescence is imparted to the artificial stone. In a preferred embodiment, the luminous or fluorescent component has, like the finely divided component, a size of less than 100 mesh.

And with respect to the above-mentioned inorganic material components, the mixing ratio is, along with the size, an important requirement.

That is, in the artificial stone composition of the present invention, it is indispensable that the relationship of the weight (W 1 of the above-mentioned fine powder component of the inorganic material, the weight (W 2 Soof the finely divided component of the inorganic material S. and the weight (W 3 of the luminous or fluorescent o :component is as follows.

20 W (W 2

W

3 1:2 to 5:1 W2 W3 1:2 to 10:1 With respect to W 1

(W

2

W

3 it is preferably o:o between 1:1 and 4:1. With respect to W 2

W

3 it is o preferably between 1:1 and 5:1.

25 And in the fine powder component of the inorganic S•material, as mentioned above, it is advisable that the S•ratio of the fine powder component of the transparent inorganic material therein has preferably the following relationship (0.3 to 1.0)W 1 The above-mentioned facts help to realize desired physical properties for an artificial stone, such as a strength, a hardness, a density and the like, and a light function such as a luminousness or a fluorescence.

Specifically, the size of each component is selected, as required, depending on a size and a mixing ratio of each component H:\SherylM\Keep\Speci\P45727.doc 17/11/04 7 used in combination. Generally, it is preferable that the size of the finely divided component and the luminous or fluorescent component is between 100 and 250 mesh.

Further, in the present invention, the resin component is indispensable as a component, and this can be selected from a wide variety of thermosetting materials.

For example, an acrylic resin, a methacrylic resin and an unsaturated polyester resin are mentioned. Of these, the methacrylic resin is preferable in view of a transparency, a hardness, a strength and the like. The mixing ratio of the resin component in a preferred embodiment of the artificial stone composition is 10% by weight or less based on the total composition. This resin component contributes toward covering the fine powder component and the finely divided component which are components forming the above-mentioned structure to bind the whole body, and functions to impart a resilience or a tensile strength to a product when an artificial stone is completed. The ratio of the aggregate of the inorganic material comprising the fine powder component, the finely divided component and the like is limited by corresponding to the mixing ratio of this resin component. That is, it has to be between 89 and 95% in terms of the weight ratio. When it exceeds 95%, the product becomes brittle and is hard to use.

Further, when it is less than 89%, the product becomes too soft to give qualities as a stone. Thus, the product is used in the same range as a resin plate.

From the standpoint of the resin component, when the amount of the resin component exceeds 11%, the product is like plastics, and it is only seemingly an artificial stone.

Further, when the amount of resin component is excessively decreased, a product comes to have an appearance close to a natural color, but it becomes brittle and is unsuitable for actual use. From this standpoint, the amount of the resin component is more preferably H dI.eaore s P. ?Y ci:. 26,04,02 8 between 5 and 11% by weight.

In practicing the present invention, the ratios of these components are important. In preferred embodiments, one of the characteristic features is that a high-density product having a dense texture can be provided. The high density here referred to means that the fine powder component and the finely divided component contained in the artificial stone product are present in a high density. For example, this density is 2.2 g/cm 3 or more which exceeds the range in the conventional artificial stone.

The light function of the artificial stone is further described. With respect to the artificial stone of the preferred embodiment, the light function of the luminous or fluorescent artificial stone is realized in such a manner that 99*9 1) from 30 to 100% by weight of the fine powder .0% component of the inorganic material is a fine powder of a S9 transparent inorganic material, and likewise from 30 to goes 100% by weight of the finely divided component of the inorganic material is a finely divided component of a 9 transparent inorganic material, and a luminous or fluorescent component of less *so: than 100 mesh is mixed at the above-mentioned specific 9 25 ratio. And the characteristic feature in this case is that light can be emitted as light having a thickness. It is *.99.9 not that light is emitted in the surface layer alone as in :the prior art, but that light is emitted in the overall thickness of an artificial stone. Thus, the product is excellent in the luminousness and the economics in view of the use of an expensive luminous or fluorescent component.

The reason is as follows. The use of the fine powder component of the transparent inorganic material as a transparent aggregate permeates light emitted from outside into the inside of the artificial stone to efficiently absorb the light energy in the luminous or fluorescent component, and the fluorescent layer having 7 27.doc 17/11/04 9 dispersed therein the luminous or fluorescent component formed of the luminescent material or the like is secured as a great thickness including the inside of the artificial stone, so that a high luminosity can be maintained for a long period of time. In the light emission, the fine powder component of the transparent inorganic material comes to have a high luminosity because it is good in a light transmission.

The ratio of the transparent component occupied in the overall fine powder component is, as mentioned above, between 30 and 100% by weight. Naturally, in some physical properties of an artificial stone, such as a strength and the like and some external design, a ratio of 100% is preferable from the standpoint of a light function. Of course, this is not critical. However, when it is less than 30% by weight, a desired light function is S• hardly provided.

By the way, in producing the artificial stone of the present invention, a part of the above-mentioned obe.

20 transparent fine powder component may be baked with a

S

luminous or fluorescent component or coated therewith at room temperature.

With respect to the coating of the fine powder component provided by the baking, a coating having a 25 thickness of from several micrometers to several tens of S• micrometers, for example, from 5 to 50 pm, preferably from to 40 pm is applied to the surface of the particle in the transparent fine powder component. More specifically, *o S S•the coating is applied by the baking at a high temperature of from 120 to 1,200 0

C.

The fluorescent material to be baked can include the above-mentioned various fluorescent materials which have a luminescence or which emit light through ultraviolet-light irradiation, such as strontium aluminate, zinc sulfide and the like.

The baking is conducted not by various known methods, but H: \SheryM\Keep\Spec \P45727. doc 17/11/04 by mixing the aggregate of the transparent inorganic material, for example, the above-mentioned fine powder component with a dispersion or a paste having dispersed therein a fine powder of a luminescent material such as strontium aluminate or the like and drying the mixture.

Further, the coating provided by the coating at room temperature can also be formed using a transparent sticky material (binder) in the above-mentioned dispersion or paste.

Incidentally, what is important in the high-density artificial stone of preferred embodiments that the inorganic material component is prQferably dispersed uniformly in any portions of the product except in special cases.

And it is advisable that the outer surface of the product is polished or roughened- In practice, it is preferable that the broken fine powder component is exposed.

The polishing is a practically convenient method for exposing the dense texture condition inherent in the high-density artificial stone having a deep atmosphere.

It is, of course, possible that a part of a surface of a product is polished to expose the fine powder component and a difference with another portion in the same surface is used as a pattern.

Further, when an artificial stone is obtained, it is an important problem what a desired color or design is. Granite or marble is one goal because a product formed of a natural stone is hardly obtained and a color and a glaze thereof are beautiful.

In preferred embodiment, the transparent component is used as the fine powder component, making it possible to obtain a product having a glaze of granite, marble or the like. This is because a fine powder obtained by pulverizing a quartz-type natural stone is used as the fine powder component.

The fine powder obtained by pulverizing the quartz-type natural stone is colorless and transparent in many cases. In a non-transparent powder, a transparent often remains slightly.

It is also possible to provide a uniform color and a deep, glazed peculiar tone of color by adding an inorganic pigment, an organic pigment such as an azo pigment or a phthalocyanine pigment, or various dyes.

In preferred embodiments of the artificial stone composition, the product may also be colored by using colored particles having the same size as the fine powder component, as a color component.

In any case, the color reproducibility can be secured quite easily in comparison to the conventional artificial stone, and a product which is excellent in a dept and a glaze without discoloration can be obtained.

The high-density artificial stone having usually excellent color tone characteristics along with a luminescence, an ultraviolet light-emitting property and the like can have any form, examples of the form being a plate, a bar, a cylinder and the like.

A molding method for this is variously selected. For example, injection molding and compression molding are considered as required.

In the compression molding method, a material (mixed material) obtained by previously mixing the fine powder component, the finely divided component and the resin component in amounts required in the composition after the completion of the molding and kneading them is charged in a female mold as a horizontal mold, a male mold is joined therewith, and these are pressed at a surface pressure of from 5 to 100 kgf/cn 2 to conduct the compression molding- And in this molding, the heating is conducted at a temperature of from approximately 90 to 140 0 C for from 5 to minutes in the compression.

Further, in this compression molding with the heating, vibration is applied to the mold along with the pressure, making it Possible to improve a fluidity of the above -men ti oned midxed material in the mold.

This process using such a compression molding exhivbits a mass -production effect as a process for producing a product with a relatively simple shape, such as a f lat molded product, and there is almost no loss of a material, so that this process is economically excellent too.

And in preferred embodiments, the surface of the molded product af ter the mnolding may be roughened to expose the finely divided component to the surface portion.

To this and, a method off selectively removing the resin component is employed. That is, it is effective, for example, that after the product is removed from the mold, high-pressure, water is jetted on the surface of the molded product to conduct the texcture treatment.

Since this treatme~nt varies depending on various conditions such as a thickness, a- distance f rom a nozzle, a treatment mode and the like, it is not limitative. However, usually, in the case of a thickness of from 2 to 20 am, a water pressure of from to 1,400 kg/cmh 2 can be applied from a height of a nozzle of from 2 to 50 cm. This water pressure is far lower than when a natural stone is used.

That is, this is because the high-quality treatment can be conducted more easily by the presence of a resin comp~onent.

A nozzle for jetting high-pressure water or its system is not particularly limited. Various types are employable.

The surface is flattened or roughened using the water jet in the texture treatment to produce an artificial stone having a deep quality.

The presence of the resin component does not make the surface cloudy, and makes easy the treatment of a waste water in comparison to an etching method using chemicals.

Naturally, the surface can be treated with an organic solvent as required to soften or melt the resin component and partially remove the same.

In this case, the organic solvent corresponding to the resin component may be selected. Examples thereof include halogenated hydrocarbons such as methylene chloride and chloroform, carboxylic acids and esters thereof such as acetic anhydride, ethyl acetate and butyl acetate, acetone, tetrahydrofuran,

DMF

and DMSO.

The molded product is dipped in these organic solvents or these organic solvents are sprayed thereon or caused to flow down thereon to remove the resin component softened or melted from the surface whereby the uneven surface can be formed.

Alternatively, the uneven surface may be formed by scratching the resin component having a low hardness from the surface with a wire brush, a cutting means or the like.

The surface is roughened by the above-mentioned various means, the texture is treated, and the surface is then polished as mentioned above, whereby the coating layer of the fine powder component on the surface is partially broken and this coating layer and the particles of the fine powder component are exposed to the surface of the product as sections. Consequently, the peculiar deep, glazed surface qualities are realized. This is attributed to the peculiar reflection phenomenon of light as noted above.

A means for surface polishing is not particularly limited.

It can be conducted using a tool such as a grindstone, a polishing cloth, a polishing belt or the like, or a polishing agent such as a buff polishing agent, a rubbing compound or the like.

As the polishing agent, diamond, boron carbide, corundum, alumina and zirconia which have mainly a polishing action, and tripoli, dromite, alumina, chromium oxide and cerium oxide which 14 hav.e mainly~ a scratchinlg action are used as required- Of course, after such a polishing is conducted, the surface may further be roughened to form raisings and depressions.

However, in this case as well, the sections of at least a part of the particles of the fine powder component and the coating layer are exposed as ment-ioned earlier.

in this manner too, an artificial stone having excellent light-emitting properties, an excellent texture and excellent qualities is produced.

The present invention is illustrated by referring to the following Examqples. Naturally, the present invention is not limited to the following Examples.

Example 1 The following components were uniformly mixed to form a mortar.- (by weight) Transparent natural silica rock to 10 mash) Alumuinum' oxide (average particle diameter 220 mesh) Transparent silica rock powder (average particle diameter 200 mesh) Strontiumi alurninate luminescent material (average particle diameter 200 mesh) Methyl methacrylate (MtA) (containing a 0.15% peroxide MMtA curing agent) The resulting mixture was charged into a mold, and molded into a plate having a thickness of 11 mmi.

Subsequently, the surface of the molded product w.as polished to a thickness of 10 mmu~ using a diamond grindstone and a silicon carbide magnesia grindstone.

The resulting artificial stone exhibited a light-emitting property such as a luminousness in the overall thickness d~irection, had a deep milk-white color and a glaze of marble even in the daytime, and was free from bubbles in the inside or the surface.

Thus, the comiposition was uniform.

In a test according to JIS K-7 112, the specific gravity was 2.30. Further, the water absorption was 0.12%_ The other properties are as shown in Table 1 below.

I tem Bending strength ConipreBsiof strength imnpact Strangth Hardness Table 1 Resul tS Test conditions 31.23 kgf/c~m according to JIS A5209 1256 kgf/1mL Crosshead speed 0. 5 nm/mi; Load cell 2 tons T 57 Pendulum impact test S998 kgf/xrr ikeshrdesacodn to Linear axpansiofl coefficient Abrasion jis Z-.2244 TM@k (30 to 100 0

C)

0.170 (x 10-'K) JIS A-5209 sand dropping- type abrasion test 0.02 g Further, no abnormality was observed even in tests for an acid resiztance and an alkali resistancQ by the dipping in a 3% hydrochloric acid aqueous solution for 8 hours and the dipping in a 3% sodium hydroxide aqueous solution for 8 hours.

When the resulting product was used as a wall plate of a building, a wall having a deep, beautiful tone of color of marble could be obtained. Further, light stored from the sun in the 16 daytime in fine weather maintained its effect with the high luminosity at night for a long period of -time. A good quality was provided owing to the light-ernitting portions having a thickness.

Example 2 The components in Examrple 1 were uniformly mixed by changing the ratio of the silica rock powder to 20%, the ratio of the strontium aluminate luminescent material to 10%, the ratio of natural silica lock to 62% and the ratio of methyl methacrylate (Mt4A) to The mixture was pressure-molded by heating to form a plate having a thickness of 21 mm.

subsequently, the surface was polished using a diamond grindstone and a silicon carbide magnesia grindstone. Further, only the resin portion of the surface was removed at a water jet pressure of 1, 100 kg/c7R 2 (nozzle diameter 0.-75 mim, a jet distance mmn).

The resulting artificial stone had a depth and a non-slip property in the daytime, and could be seen in the overall thickness direction at night for a long period of time because of the luminescence.

It could be used as a luminous guide mark building material in urgent power failure and thus as an offractive artif ici1al stone.

Example 3 In the same manner as in Example 1, a plate having a thickness of 12 mmf was formed using the following components, by weight) Transparent natural silica rock to 70 mash) Glass powder to 30 mesh) 17 Black pigment coating transparent natural 17 silica rock to 70 mesh) 7 Aluminum hydroxide (average particle diameter 250 mesh) Strontium aluminate luminescent material (average particle diameter 200 mesh) 18 Methyl methacrylate (MMA) (containing a 0.1% MMA curing agent) 8 and polished. A design having a deep tone of marble was obtained.

The thus-obtained plate had a high light-emitting performance for a long period of time throughout the thickness direction by the light emission with the luminescent material even in dark surroundings.

It could be used as a luminous building material.

For clarity it is stated that where a component is described as having a size of less than 100 mesh, or of 0 being less than 100 mesh, this is intended to mean that the particle size of the component is smaller than the 100 o• 20 mesh level.

oeeo oAs stated above, at least preferred embodiments of the present invention provide a high-density stone which was excellent in light properties such as a luminousness and the like, which had a deep, glazed, r oo 25 excellent tone of color and good characteristics. Besides, ooo* the production of such an excellent product is realized at far lower costs than the ordinary products.

Throughout this specification and the claims, the words "comprise", "comprises" and "comprising" are used in a non-exclusive sense, except where the context requires S"otherwise.

It is to be understood that, if any prior art publication is referred to herein, such reference does not constitute an admission that the publication forms a part of the common general knowledge in the art, in Australia or in any other country.

Modifications and improvements may be incorporated without departing from the scope of the present invention.

H:\SherylH\Keep\Specl\P4572 .doc 17/11/04

Claims (8)

1. A luminous or fluorescent artificial stone composition containing a fine powder component of an inorganic material having a size of from 5 to 70 mesh, a finely divided component of an inorganic material having a size of less than 100 mesh, a luminous or fluorescent component of less than 100 mesh having a luminescence or a luminousness accompanied by ultraviolet absorption, and a resin component, characterised in that the sum of the weights of said fine powder component of the inorganic material, finely divided component of the inorganic material and luminous or fluorescent component is 89% by weight or more based on the total artificial stone composition, the weight of said resin component is 11% by weight or less based on the total artificial stone composition, "the ratio of from 30 to 100% of the weight (W 1 ":of said fine powder component of the inorganic material is °oo a fine powder component of a transparent inorganic 20 material, the ratio of the weight (W 1 of said fine powder component of the inorganic material to the sum (W 2 W 3 of the weight (W 2 of said finely divided component of the o••o :inorganic material and the weight (W 3 of said luminous or °ooo 25 fluorescent component is W 1 (W 2 W 3 1:2 to 5:1, and :the ratio of the weight (W 2 of said finely divided component of the inorganic material to the weight (W 3 of said luminous or fluorescent component is W2 W3 1:2 to 10:1.

2. The artificial stone composition of claim i, wherein the ratio of from 30 to 100% of the weight (W 2 of said finely divided component of the inorganic material is of a transparent inorganic material.

3. The artificial stone composition of claim 2, wherein the fine powder component of the transparent inorganic material and the finely divided component of the transparent inorganic material are at least one type H:\SherylM\Keep\Speci\P45727.doc 17/11/04 19 selected from quartz, silica rock and a glass.

4. The artificial stone composition of any of the preceding claims, wherein the resin component is a methacrylic resin.

5. The artificial stone composition of any of the preceding claims, wherein the luminous or fluorescent component is a strontium aluminate luminescent material.

6. The artificial stone composition of any of the preceding claims, wherein the fine powder component of the inorganic material is all a fine powder component of a transparent inorganic material.

7. The artificial stone composition of any of the preceding claims, wherein the sum of the weights of the inorganic material components and the luminous or fluorescent component is between 89 and 95% by weight based on the total artificial stone composition, and the weight of the resin component is between 5 and 11% by weight based on the total artificial stone composition.

8. An artificial stone composition as 20 substantially hereinbefore disclosed with reference to the Examples. Dated this 2 2 nd day of November 2004 DOPPEL CO., LTD 25 By their Patent Attorneys GRIFFITH HACK \\192.168.7.11\hoe$\SherylM\Keep\Speci\P45727.doc 22/11/04