DK2835462T3

DK2835462T3 - CV floor covering containing nonwoven as well as nonwoven

Info

Publication number: DK2835462T3
Application number: DK14002745.9T
Authority: DK
Inventors: Elvira Rempt; Stefan Gröger
Original assignee: Johns Manville Europe Gmbh
Priority date: 2013-08-09
Filing date: 2014-08-06
Publication date: 2018-07-23
Also published as: EP2835462B1; DE102013013321A1; EP2835462A1; RU2669166C2; CA2858588A1; RS57245B1; HUE036808T2; PL2835462T3; US20150044414A1; RU2014132898A

Description

Description [0001] The present invention relates to a CV floor covering which comprises a non-woven as textured layer. Furthermore, it relates to a non-woven.

[0002] CV (cushioned vinyl) floor coverings are known. In these - as well as other - floor coverings, non-wovens are used as backing material. The non-wovens used here typically consist of glass fibres, wherein the use of specific mixtures of different glass fibres for the production of corresponding glass-fibre non-woven backing is known (cf. DE 102011011056 A1, whose disclosure is part of the present application). Different methods exist for producing glass-fibre non-wovens from glass fibres and binders.

[0003] A non-woven is known from EP 1 319 746 A1, this being a hybrid non-woven comprising a base layer with 10-80 wt% glass fibres and 20-90 wt% PET fibres. Further, polyvinyl alcohol in a quantity of 5-35 wt% in relation to the combined weight of the glass fibres and the PET fibres is provided as binder. Furthermore, a secondary binder in a quantity of 5-35 wt% in relation to the combined weight of the glass fibres, the PET fibres, and the polyvinyl alcohol is provided. The secondary binder may, for example, be styrene acrylate. The glass fibres preferably have a mean diameter between 6 and 16 μηη and a mean length between 4 and 25 mm. The PET fibres also preferably have a mean diameter between 6 and 16 pm and a mean length between 4 and 25 mm.

[0004] The present invention is aimed at providing a non-woven that can be produced cost-effectively, which is suitable by reason of particularly favourable properties in this respect for, in particular, use as backing material in floor coverings and, in this use, favourably influences the properties of the finished floor covering. Furthermore, it is the aim of the present invention to provide a CV floor covering having appropriately favourable properties, with a non-woven as backing material.

[0005] This aim is achieved according to the present invention, as specified in claim 1, by a non-woven which is designed as a hybrid non-woven, comprising glass fibres, polymer fibres, and binders, wherein the glass fibres have a mean diameter between 6 and 13 pm and a mean length between 6 and 15 mm, the polymer fibres are staple fibres with a mean yarn count between 0.2 and 0.6 dtex and a mean length between 2 and 4 mm, and the proportion by weight of polymer fibres is between 5% and 20% of the dry non-woven.

[0006] In other words, therefore, a specific combination of synergistically interacting features is characteristic of the non-woven according to the invention such that, with respect to the material and with respect to the typical length and thickness dimensions, it consists of different fibres bonded to one another by means of a binder, said fibres being, namely, relatively short and - with the polymers with densities between approximately 1.2 und 1.6 g/cm3 predominantly considered for the polymer fibres - rather thinner polymer fibres on the one hand, and relatively long and rather thicker glass fibres on the other hand, wherein the proportion by weight of the polymer fibres is considerably less than the proportion by weight of the glass fibres due to the fact that the polymer fibres constitute only between 5 and 20 - preferably, between 10 and 15 - per cent by weight of the dry non-woven. The ratio between the proportion by weight of the glass fibres and that of the non-woven is typically between 5 and 8, e.g., for a proportion by weight of the binder of approximately between 20 and 30%, about 6.5.

[0007] In a thoroughly surprising way, the hybrid non-woven according to the invention is characterised by a series of very advantageous properties for the application as backing material in CV floor coverings. Thus, by reason of the specific mixture of particular glass fibres and polymer fibres used, such physical properties (mechanical strength, density, pore volume, hollow structure, etc.) result that even particularly thin hybrid non-wovens according to the invention meet the requirements that apply to textured materials of floor coverings. This is, in particular, an advantage that is not to be underestimated, because, in this way (already by virtue of the reduced thickness of the non-woven), the quantity of impregnating agent with which the non-woven is to be treated can be reduced. This results in corresponding economic advantages with respect to the prior art, and, indeed, without any loss of performance. On the contrary, the non-woven according to the invention even has a surface structure of special quality and homogeneity, so that even a floor covering produced using it is characterised by a special surface quality. This is an invaluable advantage for a surface finish - especially through printing.

[0008] In other words, with respect to its properties, the present invention provides excellent non-wovens, and indeed - because, for example, an additional coating that is advantageous in terms of material and procedural effort may be avoided - with minimal effort, and without the use of respirable glass microfibres that pose a risk to health.

[0009] From a production point of view, it is favourable for the polymer fibres to consist of a polymer with a density between approximately 1.2 and 1.6 g/cm3. It is particularly favourable if the polymer fibres wholly or at least predominantly consist of PET (polyethylene terephthalate). This is because, when such a material is used for the production of polymer fibres, the latter have such properties that are suitable for the non-woven production process, for which empirical data exists from the production of pure glass-fibre non-wovens. In this sense, according to a preferred aspect of the present invention, the hybrid non-woven according to the invention is produced by guiding the water which contains the glass fibres and the polymer fibres in a circuit through a screen belt, depositing the mixture of fibres, which is then in the form of a fibrous layer, on the screen belt with a predetermined layer thickness, withdrawing surplus circulated water from the fibrous layer, adding binder to the non-woven, and drying the fibrous layer with the added binder.

[0010] The particular advantages set out above of the glass-fibre non-woven according to the invention are particularly pronounced when the mean yarn count of the polymer fibres is between 0.3 and 0.4 dtex. Excellent results can be achieved, for example, using PET fibres with a yarn count of 0.33 dtex and a mean length between 2.5 and 3.5 mm.

[0011 ] Furthermore, in accordance with another preferred further development of the present invention, it is particularly favourable if the mean diameter of the fibre is between 7 and 10 μιτι and/or the mean length of the glass fibres is between 7 and 9 mm. Particularly in combination with the preferred dimensioning of the polymer fibres specified above, particularly excellent material properties result which make the corresponding hybrid non-woven particularly attractive for the use set out above as a backing material of CV floor coverings. It is favourable thereby if the glass fibres are no longer than 15 mm and no thicker than 10 pm, because the surface properties of the hybrid non-woven deteriorate at values that exceed these dimensions. It is particularly preferable for the glass fibres to consist of C glass and/or E glass.

[0012] According to the present invention, the basis weight of the glass-fibre non-woven is between 25 and 80 g/m2, and, particularly preferably, between 40 and 60 g/m2. Once again, quite particularly advantageous properties of the hybrid non-woven according to the invention result thereby with respect to its use as a backing material in CV floor coverings with excellent properties.

[0013] With regard to the binder of the hybrid non-woven according to the invention, there is considerable scope here. According to the invention, the binder comprises urea resin or polyacrylic acid binder. The binder may also comprise polyacrylic acid. Excellent properties result if the binder comprises a mixture of urea resin and a polymer dispersion or a mixture of polyacrylic acid binder and polymer dispersion.

[0014] Considerable scope also exists as far as the proportion by weight of the binder in the hybrid non-woven is concerned, wherein, in this respect, the specific binder used in each case, as well as the use of the hybrid non-woven, may play a role. A proportion by weight of the binder between 15% and 35% - preferably, between 20% and 30% - of the overall weight of the hybrid non-woven is advantageous for the use as a backing material of a CV floor covering.

[0015] The binder may contain an additive (or several additives) which may constitute up to 50% of the overall weight of the binder. The additive (or the additives) may thereby specifically modify or optimise the properties of the binder with respect to the individual determination of the hybrid non-woven. Typical additives are, for example, kaolin and TiC>2. However, not only may the binder be technically optimised by additives, but additives are also suitable for lowering costs by reducing the need for expensive binders.

[0016] According to the aforementioned embodiments, the present invention relates equally to the untreated hybrid non-woven; to a hybrid non-woven pre-treated - in particular, provided with an additional impregnation - for further processing into a CV floor covering, wherein the impregnation agent is, in particular, Plastisol or another PVC-based agent; as well as to the finished CV floor covering produced using the hybrid non-woven according to the invention, which floor covering comprises a wear layer and a textured layer, wherein the textured layer comprises a hybrid non-woven according to the invention provided with an impregnation (see above). Although the use of the hybrid non-woven according to the invention is paramount in the production of CV floor coverings, in terms of the particular suitability of the hybrid non-woven according to the invention, various aspects of this set out above that characterise the hybrid non-woven according to the invention may, where applicable, also be used to particular advantage for other applications.

Claims

1. Nonwoven, namely hybrid nonwoven comprising glass fibers, polymer fibers and binders, having the following features: the glass fibers have an average diameter of between 6 and 13pm and an average length of between 6 and 15 mm; in the case of polymer fibers, these are staple fibers having an average fineness of between 0.2 and 0.6 dtex and an average length of between 2 and 4 mm; the weight proportion of the polymer fibers constitutes between 5 and 20% of the dry nonwoven; the binder comprises urea resin, preferably a mixture of urea resin and a polymer dispersion, or polyacrylic acid binder, preferably a mixture of polyacrylic acid binder and a polymer dispersion; the surface weight is between 25g / m2 and 80g / m2.

The hybrid nonwoven according to claim 1, characterized in that the polymer fibers consist of PET.

The hybrid nonwoven according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that the weight proportion of the binder is between 15 and 35%, preferably between 20 and 30% of the dry nonwoven.

The hybrid nonwoven according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the polymer fibers have an average fineness of between 0.3 and 0.4 dtex.

The hybrid nonwoven according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the polymer fibers have an average length of between 2.5 and 3.5 mm.

The hybrid nonwoven according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the glass fibers have an average diameter of between 7 and 10pm.

The hybrid nonwoven according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the diameter of the glass fibers is maximum 10pm and the length of the glass fibers is maximum 15 mm.

The hybrid nonwoven according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the glass fibers have an average length of between 7 and 9 mm.

The hybrid nonwoven according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the glass fibers consist of C-glass and / or E-glass.

The hybrid nonwoven according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that it has a surface weight of between 40 g / m2 and 60 g / m2.

The hybrid nonwoven according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the weight proportion of the polymer fibers constitutes between 10 and 15% of the dry nonwoven.

The hybrid nonwoven according to one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that it is provided with a further impregnation.

The hybrid nonwoven according to claim 12, characterized in that the impregnating agent is plastisol.

A CV floor covering with a use layer and a structural layer, wherein the structural layer comprises a non-woven provided with an impregnation according to claim 12 or claim 13.

The nonwoven fabrication process of claim 1, wherein - water containing the glass fibers and polymer fibers is passed around the circuit through a tape screen, - the fiber mixture is thereby deposited on the tape screen in the form of a fiber layer of a predetermined layer thickness, - excess circuit water is removed from - the fiber layer is added to binder and - the fiber layer with added binder is dried.