CZ27841U1 - PVC-free floor covering of optimized structure - Google Patents

Description

Technical field

The technical solution relates to a PVC-free flooring optimized structure with improved mechanical properties and improved cohesion of the individual layers.

Background Art

Today, polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is the most widely used material for flexible floor coverings. However, the latest trend is to replace this material with other materials that are "greener" - they do not contain chlorine and especially phthalate plasticizers.

Alternative materials for PVC floorings are polyolefin-based floorings. The new group of polyolefin polymers based on metallocene catalysts enables increased variability of properties and applications for various applications, including flooring production. An important property of metallocene polyolefins is the good incorporation with various comonomers. Copolymerization of ethylene and a maximum of 20% higher α-olefin results in the formation of plastomers (Polyolefin Plastomer - POP) with better properties than conventional polyolefins at lower densities. Copolymers containing more than 20% higher α-olefin are polyolefin elastomers (POEs) with elastomeric properties.

The flooring structure is characterized by a homogeneous or heterogeneous composition. The basic heterogeneous structure of PVC-free polyolefin flooring is as follows: a decorative (inverted print) and a transparent film - a "top" layer that are bonded to the bottom of the flooring.

In the production of polyolefin-free PVC-free PVCs, LDPE, LLDPE, HDPE and / or PP and inorganic fillers are the most widely used, especially highly filled systems of metallocene copolymers of ethylene and octene, hexene, pentene and butene. For the transparent topsheet, the composition of the ionomer (ethylene-acrylic / methacrylic acid copolymer) is given.

The multi-layered PVC-free, plasticizer and heavy metal-stabilizer flooring is proposed by U.S. Pat. No. 5,910,358. More foil topsheet is bonded to a latex / polyolefin polymer foam as the bottom of the flooring. The transparent topsheet comprises at least one polyolefin in the form of a melt or one polyolefin in the form of a dispersion. As the backsheet material HDPE, LDPE and LLDPE are mentioned.

The halogen-free flooring material of U.S. Pat. No. 5,824,727 comprises a polypropylene homopolymer and copolymer, cross-linked polyethylene, organic and inorganic filler, flame retardant and antistatic agents.

The PVC-free flooring topcoat proposed in German Patent Application Publication No. 4,427,085 contains an ionomer of the following composition: 98-85% ethylene / propylene and 2-15% acrylic / methacrylic acid neutralized 5-60% Li, Na, K, Zn, Mg or Ca. The lower layer is lightweight, without plasticizer, especially based on a mixture of PE, EVA or PP, blowing agents, fillers, or. and other additives.

PCT International Patent Application WO 0119912 describes polyolefin compositions suitable for use in floorings: 70 to 98 wt. % of a copolymer of ethylene and a C 4-8 olefin and from 2 to 30 wt. % of a polymer containing at least one polar group (from unsaturated carbonyl, ether and hydroxyl groups).

However, the constant problem of PVC-free flooring is the optimization of the layer structure in terms of thicknesses and materials in order to improve the mechanical properties and cohesion of the layers.

The essence of the technical solution

To solve this problem, a PVC-free, optimized structure with improved mechanical properties and improved cohesion of the individual layers according to the present invention also contributes to this problem. The essence of the present invention is that the floor covering is a 2 to 3-mm-thick, thermoplastic polyolefin-based backing layer, to which a 50 to 300 micron-based polypropylene-based intermediate adhesive layer is bonded through an adhesive intermediate layer and an adhesive interlayer. an upper transparent layer of 20 to 160 µm thick ionomer based.

The bottom layer of the flooring preferably comprises 20 to 60 wt. % of a thermoplastic polyolefin, 20 to 70 wt. % polypropylene, 5 to 45 wt. % fillers and 5 to 45 wt. flame retardant. In particular, calcium carbonate is used as the filler, the flame retardant being in particular magnesium hydroxide or aluminum hydroxide.

The transparent surface layer is preferably a copolymer of ethylene and methacrylic acid in which the ionomer is neutralized with Zn, Na, Li and other salts to form polymer matrix ion clusters (e.g., because of its excellent properties it is used as a surface layer in golf balls) . A 0.65 mm thick copolymer layer provides the same durability as 2x thicker PVC layers without the addition of plasticizer.

The ethylene-methacrylic acid copolymer may also optionally be used in combination with an ethylene-octene copolymer.

The adhesive interlayers are preferably hot melt adhesive layer products based on elastomeric reactive systems.

Drawing overview

To illustrate the nature of the technical solution in greater detail, the accompanying drawing, in which FIG.

Examples of technical solutions

Example 1

The PVC-free flooring in the exemplary embodiment (see FIG. 1) consists of:

a backsheet 1 having a thickness of 2 mm and made of a polymer composition comprising 20 wt. % of a thermoplastic polyolefin (POE), 20 wt. % polypropylene, 5 wt. % of magnesium hydroxide-based flame retardant and 5 wt. fillers - calcium carbonate

- a first adhesive between the layer 2, which is a product based on elastomeric reactive systems

- a decorative middle layer 3 based on polypropylene of 50 µm thickness

a second adhesive interlayer 4, which is a product based on elastomeric reactive systems

a transparent topsheet 5 having a thickness of 20 µm based on an ethylene-methacrylic acid ionomer copolymer in which the ionomer is neutralized with Zn, Na, Li salts.

Example 2

The PVC-free flooring in the exemplary embodiment (see FIG. 1) consists of:

a backsheet 3 having a thickness of 3 mm and made of a polymer composition containing 60 wt. % of a thermoplastic polyolefin (POE), 70 wt. % polypropylene, 45 wt. % of aluminum hydroxide flame retardant and 45 wt. fillers - calcium carbonate

- a first adhesive interlayer 2 which is a product based on elastomeric reactive systems

- a decorative intermediate layer 3 based on polypropylene of 300 µm thickness

a second adhesive interlayer 4, which is a product based on elastomeric reactive systems

a transparent topsheet 5 having a thickness of 160 µm based on an ethylene-methacrylic acid ionomer copolymer in which the ionomer is neutralized with Zn, Na, Li salts.

-2CZ 27841 Ul

Example 3

The PVC-free flooring in the exemplary embodiment (see FIG. 1) consists of:

a transparent topsheet 5 having a thickness of 20 µm based on an ethylene-methacrylic acid ionomer copolymer in which the ionomer is neutralized with Zn, Na, Li salts, in combination with an ethylene-octene copolymer (plastomer); the ratio of the two copolymers is 2: 1

- the other layers have thicknesses and compositions identical to Example 1

Example 4

The PVC-free flooring in the exemplary embodiment (see FIG. 1) consists of:

a 160 µm transparent topsheet 5 based on an ethylene-methacrylic acid ionomer copolymer in which the ionomer is neutralized with Zn, Na, Li salts in combination with an ethylene-octene copolymer (plastomer); the ratio of the two copolymers is 2: 1

the other layers have thicknesses and compositions identical to Example 2

Industrial usability

The limited range of PVC-free floor coverings and the ever-growing interest of customers in "green materials" justify the development of flooring that meets the demands for environmentally friendly and healthy living. The method of bonding the individual foils of the flooring and the use of thin adhesive layers leads to an improvement in their cohesion and an improvement in the mechanical properties of the entire structure.

Claims (7)

PROTECTION REQUIREMENTS PVC-free flooring of an optimized structure with improved mechanical properties and improved cohesiveness of individual layers, characterized in that it consists of a bottom layer (1) with a thickness of 2 to 3 mm based on a filled thermoplastic polyolefin, a decorative middle layer (3) having a thickness of 50 to 300 µm based on polypropylene, and through a second adhesive intermediate layer (4) attached by a transparent top layer (5) having a thickness of 20 to 160 µm based on an ionomer. PVC-free flooring according to claim 1, characterized in that its lower layer (1) contains 20 to 60 wt. % thermoplastic polyolefin, 20 to 70 wt. % polypropylene, 5 to 45 wt. % filler and 5 to 45 wt. flame retardant. PVC-free flooring according to claim 2, characterized in that the filler of its lower layer (1) is calcium carbonate. PVC-free flooring according to claim 2, characterized in that the flame retardant of its lower layer (1) is magnesium hydroxide or aluminum hydroxide. PVC-free flooring according to claim 1, characterized in that the ionomer of its upper layer (5) comprises a copolymer of ethylene and methacrylic acid. PVC-free flooring according to claim 5, characterized in that the ionomer of its upper layer (5) comprises an ethylene-methiacylic acid copolymer in combination with an ethylene-octene copolymer. PVC-free flooring according to claim 1, characterized in that the adhesive intermediate layers (2, 4) are hot-melt adhesive layer products based on elastomeric reactive systems.