DE102011078690A1 - Producing stone composite material comprising multilayered stone material layer and base layer adhering on it, comprises applying base layer on outer layer of stone material layer, dielectrically heating, and removing base and outer layer - Google Patents

Abstract

Producing stone composite material (1) comprising at least one multilayered stone material (6) layer and a base layer (2) adhering on it, comprises (a) applying the base layer on the outer layer of the multilayered stone material, (b) dielectrically heating at least in the region of the base layer to form an adhesive bond between the outer layer and the base layer, and (c) removing the base layer together with the outer layer of the stone material. An independent claim is also included for the stone composite material comprising the multilayered stone material layer and vapor permeable layer adhering on it.

Description

The present invention relates to a method for producing a stone composite material.

Materials such as slate, marble, granite and other types of bricks as well as various ceramic materials are commonly used to achieve a decorative appearance of floors, furniture surfaces and the like. Such materials are favorable in terms of their decorative appearance and wear resistance.

Despite these and other advantages, the commonly used stone materials are generally relatively brittle and have limited flexural strength. In addition, the materials mentioned are heavy and inflexible, which limits the possibilities of using such materials for various applications. The attachment of such materials, for example, on floors or walls is possible only with increased effort and with the aid of appropriate building materials such as mortar, cement or similar adhesive materials.

To solve the above-mentioned problems, a rigid, dimensionally stable base layer has hitherto been prepared for mounting or laying stone slabs and the like, which generally comprises a cement board over a subfloor of wood, bricks or any other building materials. Typically, a metal grid has been embedded in the cement to provide added strength to the plate. In some cases, more than one cement layer is required to achieve the required stiffness. The preparation of one or more such layers is tedious and time consuming. In addition, the requirements for special capabilities and / or additional costs may be associated with the manufacture of such a base layer. Further, in view of the weight of the cement base, for example, it may be necessary to additionally constructively reinforce a typical wooden floor, and consequently making a floor for laying stone materials may be labor intensive, time consuming and expensive.

Attempts have already been made to produce thin layers of stone material, such as granite, for various decorative purposes by cutting or splitting. The granite thin slices are typically bonded to a metallic substrate to provide a support for the stone layer. Other decorative stone materials include split, relatively thin slates. These types of stratified stone products may have a reduced weight, thereby avoiding some of the problems associated with the use of stone materials. However, these products are also difficult to produce and require a lot of time and work. Furthermore, layered stone products, such as slates, when made in the form of relatively thin slices, may be brittle and relatively brittle, and easily broken when split.

Furthermore, the use of stone materials for decorative surfaces in floors, furniture and the like may be limited due to the limited availability of certain types of stone. For example, various individual pieces of slate may have a unique, attractive and desirable appearance. However, such a single piece can only be used once for a particular application, such as part of a floor, thereby limiting the availability of such desirable, attractive pieces for multiple use.

The WO 2008/022812 A1 describes a flexible natural stone surface stone composite having a surface layer comprising at least one layer of a multi-layered stone material, a flexible, tensile reinforcing layer supporting the surface layer, and an adhesive layer for securing the stone composite material to a substrate.

The object of the invention is to provide an improved method for producing a stone composite material.

The object is achieved by a method having the features of claim 1 and by a stone composite material according to claim 9. Further advantageous embodiments are given in the dependent claims and the following description.

• – Aufbringen der Tragschicht auf eine äußere Schicht des mehrschichtigen Steinmaterials,
• – Dielektrisches Erwärmen wenigstens im Bereich der Tragschicht, um eine Haftverbindung zwischen der äußeren Schicht des mehrschichtigen Steinmaterials und der Tragschicht auszubilden,
• – Abziehen der Tragschicht zusammen mit zumindest einer äußeren Schicht des Steinmaterials.

It is a method for producing a stone composite material with at least one layer of a multilayered stone material and a supporting layer adhered thereto, comprising the following method steps:

• Applying the backing layer to an outer layer of the multilayered stone material,
• Dielectric heating at least in the region of the support layer in order to form an adhesive bond between the outer layer of the multilayer rock material and the support layer,
• - Removing the support layer together with at least one outer layer of the stone material.

Furthermore, a stone composite material comprising at least one layer of a multilayered stone material and a vapor-permeable support layer adhering thereto is proposed.

In the method for producing the stone composite material, the base layer is preferably applied to the multi-layered stone material such that the base layer runs approximately parallel to the layer course of the multi-layered stone material. This arrangement makes it easier to later remove the support layer.

In one embodiment, the base layer has a vapor-permeable and / or water-containing layer. Due to the dielectric heating, the water deposits in the base layer or in the multi-layer stone material are heated very quickly, which leads to vapor formation between the layers. By making the base layer vapor-permeable, the resulting vapor can be released more quickly via the base layer to the environment.

In a preferred embodiment, the adhesive bond between the backing layer and the outer layer of the multilayered stone material is caused by the use of an adhesive or an adhesive layer. However, the application of a separate adhesive layer between the base layer and the stone material is not absolutely necessary. It is also possible that the base layer itself has an adhesive property or an adhesive.

Advantageously, a support layer is used in the present invention, by which the properties of the stone composite material, in particular the strength, are improved. In this case, for example, the base layer has a higher tensile or compressive strength than the multilayered stone material. Furthermore, a greater durability of the stone composite material against environmental influences such as water and chemical substances can be achieved by the support layer.

Particularly advantageous is the use of a flexible, tensile base layer. As a result, a flexible stone composite material can be produced. After the flexible, tension-resistant support layer is applied to the outer layer of the multilayer stone material or bonded to the outer layer, the flexible support layer is peeled off from the multilayer stone material. Since the adhesion forces between the support layer and the stone material are stronger than the cohesive forces within the stone material, one or more layers of the stone material will be stripped off the stone material together with the support layer.

For the purposes of the invention, a dielectric heating is understood in particular to mean microwave heating. In a particularly preferred embodiment, it is provided that the composite of the multilayered stone material and the base layer - referred to below as Rohverbund - is introduced into a microwave oven and is at least partially heated there. The raw composite is preferably exposed to microwave radiation of about 7,000 watts to about 70,000 watts per square meter of stone composite surface. The heating of the Rohverbunds is not limited to the microwave heating. The raw composite can also be at least partially heated in a condenser field furnace.

The furnace used to make the stone composite may have a closed space. Furthermore, the oven can also be an open system without boundary walls. Preferably, however, the stone composite material is produced in a continuous device. For the dielectric heating of the raw composite is particularly preferably a continuous high-frequency dryer. When using a continuous high-frequency dryer, an output of for example 600 m ² / h can be achieved.

Multilayered stone material in the sense of the invention is stone material selected from a group comprising various natural stone materials which comprise a plurality of discrete layers. Particularly preferred are stone materials having substantially planar and parallel crystallographic orientation, which can be peeled off or split off from the natural stone material as thin layers or sheets. The natural stone material may be a sedimentary material or, preferably, a metamorphic natural stone material, as may be obtained by progressive metamorphism of sedimentary rock by the action of mechanical forces, such as shear and compression forces, and / or by recrystallization forces under the influence of pressure and temperature. Preferably, the natural stone material is relatively rigid and suitable for splitting into relatively rigid and brittle leaves or lamellae, as is the case, for example, with slate, quartzite and the like. On the other hand, the natural stone material may be a stratified rock consisting of relatively flexible layers that can be easily split into individual layers, as is the case with mica, for example. The layered natural stone materials include those derived from clay, calcareous, or quartzite sediments, and may include a variety of layering minerals, such as mica, silicates, fluorites, quartz, hematite, clay, and other materials. Examples of multilayer, multi-layered or layered Natural stone materials include, but are not limited to, shale, quartzite, mica, and the like. The natural stone material can, as described above, be a natural material or also comprise one of the known artificially produced stone materials.

Advantage of said method is that the removal of the at least one stone layer is facilitated. Due to the dielectric heating, the water resources between the individual layers of the stone material are heated very quickly, whereby it comes to vapor formation between the layers. The alternating dielectric field is used in particular for curing at least one layer of the stone composite material. In particular, it is provided that the alternating dielectric field is also used for loosening or separating layers of a multilayered stone material. Furthermore, the layer thickness to be removed can be adjusted with appropriate adjustment of the dielectric heating process, the penetration depth of the heating alternating field.

Advantageously, by adjusting the operating parameters of the dielectric heating, an approximate layer thickness of the stone material in the stone composite material can be preset. Another advantage of the dielectric heating is that with this heating, the adhesive bond between the outer layer of the stone material and the support layer formed quickly or the optional adhesive can be cured quickly. A much faster production cycle is thus possible.

In an advantageous variant, it is provided that the stone material is treated with water and / or water vapor before the described production process. This is especially provided when the stone material has little water between the layers.

By means of the proposed method, a stone composite material is provided which comprises at least one visible layer of a stone material which has been detached from a multi-layered stone material, such as, for example, slate, quartzite or the like. The stone composite material further comprises a support layer, which is preferably flexible and is adhesively bonded or glued to the outer layer of the stone material. The base layer preferably serves as a carrier for the stone material and gives the composite the total required tensile strength.

Normally, the at least one layer of the multilayered stone material of the stone composite material - for example a slate layer - is extremely thin. In particular, it is less than about 5 mm thick and not a self-supporting layer. The support layer of the stone composite material is preferably formed by a flexible, zugfähiges, load-bearing, reinforced material. Thus, the support layer forms a support for the at least one layer of the multilayered stone material and imparts flexibility to the stone composite material so that the stone composite material can withstand significant bending and / or tensile forces, preferably, if at all, with minimal breakage of the stone material.

Insofar as the term "about" is used in the present invention, it indicates a tolerance range that the person skilled in the art will consider commonplace. In particular, the term "about" is to be understood as meaning a tolerance range of up to +/- 20%, preferably up to +/- 10%.

With respect to the specific angle at which the backing layer is peeled off, no critical conditions are assumed as long as the angle with respect to the outer layer of the stone material is not so great as to provide clearly visible cracks and breaks in the peeled or peeled thin layer of the stone material of the stone composite material of the invention you can see. Preferably, the angle with respect to the outer layer of the stone material is less than about 90 °. However, the angle may be varied in detail depending on various factors, for example, depending on the peeling speed, the applied tensile forces and the like.

The support layer or the adhesive layer preferably comprise an adhesive synthetic resin, which is glued to the surface of the stone material. Depending on the type of adhesive used, the backing layer can be removed substantially immediately after the dielectric heating or dielectric curing of the adhesive. In one embodiment, complete curing of the adhesive prior to peeling is not necessary. In the case of some engineering resins of high strength, the strength of the resin is sufficient to give the base layer the desired tensile strength.

In a further advantageous embodiment, it is provided that the support layer at least partially comprises a braid, a knitted fabric, a fabric, a film and / or a membrane. Particularly preferably, the support layer has animal skin, in particular leather. Furthermore, the support layer may also comprise cotton, glass fiber, aramids, polyolefins and / or boron fibers. In a further variant, it is provided that the support layer has a crosslinking material. In a further embodiment it is provided that the Supporting layer has fibers, for example as a nonwoven or in the form of loose fibers. A fleece may be, for example, a random fiber fleece or a fiber-oriented fleece.

The number of stone layers that adhere to the base layer after peeling may vary. The number of layers removed depends on various factors, for example the nature of the stone material, the adhesion between the individual layers in the stone material, the adhesion forces between the base layer and the stone material or the adhesion forces between the adhesive layer, the base layer and the stone material, the depth of penetration of the adhesive into the stone material, and / or the energy introduced into the stone material by the dielectric heating. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that various types of multilayered stone materials may have at their surface a greater or lesser degree of irregularity and / or different degrees of adhesion between adjacent layers, such that only a single layer or layers may be used Peel force can be solved. As stated above, the finally obtained stone composite material may have a variable thickness and, for example, have areas where it does not have stone material, areas where it has only one layer of stone material, and areas where it has multiple layers of stone material. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the thickness of the stone composite material can be made so thin that the stone composite material has a translucent property.

The extent of penetration of the adhesive into the stone material and / or the size of the adhesion of the adhesive may be determined by the choice of adhesive bond, adhesive composition, temperatures, time for which the adhesive is applied, and the like. For example, to limit the amount of penetration, a thermosetting resin can be used which can be crosslinked and cured before significant penetration of the resin into the surface of the stone material. Alternatively, deeper penetration may be allowed if a thicker stone component is desired.

In a variant, it is provided that the base layer and / or the adhesive or the adhesive layer comprises a polymer. Particularly preferably, it is provided that the adhesive is curable by means of dielectric heating. In one embodiment, it is provided that the base layer and / or the adhesive comprises a synthetic resin, preferably a thermoplastic and / or thermosetting synthetic resin. The polymer can be used or dyed with its natural color. The adhesive or support layer in one embodiment comprises a polymer selected from a group including at least saturated polyolefins, unsaturated polyolefins such as polyethylene and polypropylene, vinyl polymers, vinyl copolymers such as polyvinyl chloride - PVC, polystyrene and the like, acrylate polymers such as for example, polymers and copolymers of acrylic and methacrylic acid and their amides, esters, salts and corresponding nitriles, polyamides, polyesters, epoxy resins, polyurethanes, mixtures and copolymers thereof and / or other thermoplastic and thermosetting polymers, such as acrylonitrile butadiene styrene - ABS. Particularly preferably, the adhesive layer or the support layer comprises a polyvinyl acetate. In addition, the adhesive may also have a mineral component.

The adhesive is selected such that in the manufacture of the stone composite material the backing layer adheres to the outer side of the multi-layered stone material to such an extent that at least one stone layer is readily peeled off the stone material and then forms the surface layer of the final stone composite material ,

In one embodiment, it is provided that a material is applied to the produced stone composite material, with which the stone composite material can be adhered to a substrate. Preferably, at least on portions of the side of the support layer which faces away from the stone material, an adhesive layer is applied. Suitable examples are acrylate adhesives or butyl rubber. Acrylate adhesive has a high bond strength and a very good peel strength. Depending on the amount of acrylate adhesive, the stone composite material is also suitable for vertical application because it is held securely due to the high holding power of the adhesive. Butyl rubber also has a high bond strength and is very soft, which is why this adhesive is particularly suitable for slightly uneven surfaces. Depending on the application, it may be useful to reinforce the adhesive layer of butyl rubber with a grid, preferably a fiberglass grid. Butyl rubber is particularly suitable for outdoor use.

The adhesive layer may be covered with a suitable film or similar covering as covering material, so that the stone composite material can be easily packed, stored and transported. On site, the film or covering is peeled off and the stone composite material adhered directly to the substrate. As a result, high costs for the attachment of the stone composite material on the substrate are avoided by the usual methods, also is Attaching the stone composite material very quickly and easily feasible.

Also suitable are adhesives that develop their adhesive power only under the application of pressure, but otherwise do not stick substantially. The choice of a suitable adhesive depends on the individual conditions on site and / or the use of the stone composite material. But it is also possible that the base layer itself already has a tacky material, so that an additional adhesive layer is not needed and the stone composite material can be glued directly to its base layer on a substrate.

In one embodiment, it is provided that a protective layer is applied to the surface of the stone composite material. Preferably, a substantially transparent or translucent protective layer is applied to the outer surface of the rock layer opposite the support layer. A protective layer may be applied to the surface of the stone composite material using any of the conventional methods of applying a protective layer of polymeric material or other material to the surface of a material. These methods include, for example, spraying a solution or dispersion of a polymer or prepolymer onto the surface of the material, applying a polymer or prepolymer to the surface of the material by conventional coating means such as an opposed coating roll, doctor blade, or the like. Preferably, the polymer of the protective layer can penetrate at least into a part of the rock material and / or impregnate it. Polymers suitable for the formation of such protective layers are preferably weather-resistant polymers selected to form a layer which does not significantly delaminate or crack when exposed to environmental conditions for the intended use of the product, for which the decorative stone-stone composite material is made.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, it is provided that a film is applied at least on the outer stone layer of the stone composite material. The film is preferably removable and can protect the stone composite material during transport or storage from external influences.

The stone composite material produced according to the method of the invention can be used for various purposes. The stone composite material may be used, for example, as a surface coating material to impart a decorative surface to various substrates. It can be applied to a relatively flat support surface or an uneven surface. As examples, building surfaces, floors, floor coverings, tiles, fields on the outer surface of furniture, outdoor fields of walls and doors and the like should be indicated. The stone composite material is particularly suitable for use with tiles, tiles, concrete, artificial stone or stoneware. For example, cost-effective stone, concrete or ceramic materials can be covered or glued over the entire area with the stone composite material. These materials are dimensionally stable and therefore particularly well suited. According to the invention, it is also possible to stick only areas of high quality materials with the stone composite material. Thus, high quality, visually appealing tiles or tiles can be created with deposits of the stone composite material according to the invention. Overall, the tiles are not only visually appealing, but also lighter by using the stone composite material. By making the stone composite so thin that it has a translucent property, the stone composite also finds application in lighting design, especially in indoor and outdoor lighting.

The stone composite exhibits a number of desirable properties. For example, although its layer of stone material is relatively thin compared to the multilayered stone material from which it was peeled, the stone composite material of the present invention has the appearance of the originally thicker and heavier stone material itself. Further, the stone composite material according to the invention is relatively flexible and can withstand considerable bending and tensile loads. The need for creating a rigid, dimensionally stable base layer is largely eliminated. In addition, a single piece of the stone material may serve to produce a large area of the stone composite by splitting it into its individual layers.

Further advantageous embodiments will become apparent from the following drawings. However, the developments described there are not to be construed restrictively, but rather the features described there can be combined with one another and with the features described above to form further embodiments. Furthermore, it should be noted that the reference numerals indicated in the figure description do not limit the scope of the present invention, but merely refer to the embodiments shown in the figures. Identical parts or parts with the same function have the same reference numerals below. Show it:

1 shows an exemplary process for producing a stone composite material;

1 shows a sketch of a method for producing a stone composite material 1 , In step A becomes a support layer 2 by means of an adhesive 4 on a stone material 6 applied. This is the glue 4 preferably over a large area and area covering the top stone layer 14 of the stone material 6 applied, for example, sprayed or painted. The raw composite 8th that at least the stone material 6 as well as the base course 2 that by means of the glue 4 on the stone material 6 Applied is placed in a microwave oven 10 , which is a high frequency dryer introduced. In the microwave oven 10 Energy is in the form of microwaves 12 fed, in particular by means of a Feldrührers 16 be distributed. The stone material 6 of the raw composite 8th is thereby dried, thereby preferably a relaxation of individual layers of the stone material 6 is caused. Furthermore, the glue 4 by means of microwave radiation 12 hardened. In step C, the raw composite 8th the microwave oven 10 taken and the support layer 2 from the stone material 6 deducted. This also dissolves at least one upper layer of stone 14 of the stone material 6 , causing the stone composite material 1 is formed.

QUOTES INCLUDE IN THE DESCRIPTION

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Cited patent literature

• WO 2008/022812 A1 [0007]

Claims (11)

Process for producing a stone composite material ( 1 ) with at least one layer ( 14 ) of a multilayered stone material ( 6 ) and a supporting layer ( 2 ), comprising the following method steps: - application of the base layer ( 2 ) on an outer layer ( 14 ) of the multilayered stone material ( 6 ), - dielectric heating at least in the region of the base layer ( 2 ) to form an adhesive bond between the outer layer ( 14 ) and the base layer ( 2 ), - removing the base layer ( 2 ) together with at least one outer layer ( 14 ) of the stone material ( 6 ). Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the base layer ( 2 ) has a vapor-permeable and / or hydrous layer. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the adhesive bond between the base layer ( 2 ) and the outer layer ( 14 ) of the multilayered stone material ( 6 ) by the use of an adhesive ( 4 ) is caused. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the base layer ( 2 ) comprises a braid, a knit fabric, a fabric, a membrane, a nonwoven fabric. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the support layer comprises an animal skin, preferably leather, cotton, polyester, epoxy resin, carbon, aramids and / or boron fibers. Method according to claim 3, characterized in that the adhesive ( 4 ) has at least one polymer and / or a mineral constituent. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the dielectric heating is microwave radiation ( 12 ). Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the dielectric heating takes place in a continuous device, preferably in a continuous high-frequency dryer. Stone composite material ( 8th ) comprising at least one layer ( 14 ) of a multilayered stone material ( 6 ) and a vapor-permeable base layer adhering thereto ( 1 ). Stone composite material ( 1 ) according to claim 9, characterized in that the stone composite material ( 1 ) for the adhesive bond between the base layer ( 2 ) and the at least one layer ( 14 ) of the multilayered stone material ( 6 ) an adhesive layer ( 4 ) having. Stone composite material ( 1 ), according to one of claims 9 or 10, characterized in that the base layer ( 2 ) has an animal skin, preferably leather.

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