FI124932B - A method for treating a porous product and a porous product - Google Patents

Description

Method of processing porous article and porous article

BACKGROUND

The invention relates to a method of processing a construction material, said construction material comprising a first surface and a second surface.

Many stones and construction materials have porosity which is the main reason for their degradability and aspect degradation. The reason for this is that water as well as polluting and corrosive species can diffuse or adsorb inside the stone, thus potentially reducing its mechanical and chemical resistance.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

Viewed from a first aspect, there can be provided a method of processing a porous article, said article consisting of a first surface and a second surface, comprising the method: hydrophobizing the first and second surfaces and at least some of the pores, and arranging hydrophilic material or precursors subsections only on the first surface of the article. Thereby an article which does not take up water may be achieved.

The method and the porous article are characterized by what is stated in the characterizing parts of the independent claims. Some other embodiments are characterized by what is stated in the other claims. Inventive embodiments are also disclosed in the Specification and Drawings of this patent application. The Inventive Content of the Patent Application may also be defined in ways other than those defined in the following claims. The Inventive content can also be formed from several separate inventions, especially if the invention is examined in the light of the expressed or implicit sub-tasks or in the view of the obtained benefits or benefit groups. Some of The Definitions Contained In The Following Claims May Then Be Unnecessary In A View Of Separate Inventive Ideas. Features of the different embodiments of the invention, within the scope of the basic Inventive idea, without being applied to other embodiments.

In the preferred structure, the method comprises processing a porous article, said article comprising a first surface and a second surface, comprising the method comprising: hydrophobizing the first and second surfaces and at least some of the pores, and arranging the hydrophilic material or precursors article only on the first surface of the article.

In one embodiment, the hydrophobizing dispersion is carried out by using a hydrophobizing dispersion comprising Silicone, Silicone precursors, and / or Silicone monomers.

In one embodiment, the hydrophobizing is carried out using a dispersion comprising hydrophobized silica (S1O2), preferably as nanoparticles.

In one embodiment, the hydrophobizing is carried out by the use of a dispersion comprising an organic material having one or more functional groups selected from phosphate, phosphonate, phosphinic acid, betadacetonate, thiol, silane, siloxane, and carboxylic acid or any salts thereof.

In one embodiment, the hydrophilic material comprises photoactive material, such as "ΠΟ2, Ag-, S-, N- or P-doped" ΠΟ2, MgTa206, ZnS, ZnO, Sn02 or precursors.

In one, the hydrophilic material or precursors of the article are arranged on the first surface of the article in a process step prior to the hydrophobic of the article.

In one, the hydrophilic material or precursors of the article are arranged on the first surface of the article in the process step after the hydrophobic of the article.

In one, the hydrophilic material or precursors of the article are arranged on the first surface after the installation of the article.

In one embodiment, the article consists of a three dimensional body, the first surface forms the front face of the article, the second surface comprises the back surface and an edge surface, the back surface being situated opposite to the front face and the edge surface being situated between the front face and the back surface.

In one embodiment, the method comprises processing a porous article, said article comprising a first surface and a second surface, resulting in the method comprising: hydrophobizing the first and second surfaces by dispersion comprising S1O2, and arranging the hydrophilic material comprising T1O2 or precursors the first surface of the article.

In one embodiment, the method comprises processing a porous article, said article comprising a first surface and a second surface, each method comprising: hydrophobizing the first surface by dispersion comprising Silicone, Silicone precursors and / or Silicone monomers, hydrophobizing the second surface by dispersion comprising S1O2, and arranging hydrophilic material comprising “ΠΟ2 or precursors of subsections only on the first surface of the article.

In one embodiment, the method comprises processing a porous article, said article comprising a first surface and a second surface, thus forming the method: hydrophobizing the first and second surfaces by dispersion comprising Silicone, Silicone precursors and / or Silicone monomers, and Arranging hydrophilic material consisting of ΠΟ2 or precursors of paragraph only on the first surface of the article.

In one embodiment, the method comprises processing a porous article, said article comprising a first surface and a second surface, resulting in the method comprising: hydrophobizing the first and second surfaces by dispersion comprising organic material having one or more functional group (s) selected from phosphate, phosphonate, phosphinic acid, betadacetonate, thiol, silane, siloxane, and carboxylic acid or any salts thereof, and arranging hydrophilic material comprising comprising2 or precursors only on the first surface of the article.

In another preferred structure, a porous article comprises a first surface and a second surface, wherein the article comprises non-conformal coatings on said first and second surfaces, so that the first surface comprises a hydrophilic material layer, and the second surface comprises a hydrophobic layer. .

In one particular the article is a brickstone, a tile, or a cladding element of a building.

In one article, the article has a shape of a slab, a frontal face of which being the first surface, and a second surface comprising the back surface and an edge surface, the back surface being situated opposite to the front face and the edge surface located between the front face and the back surface.

In one embodiment, all surfaces of the article comprise the hydrophobized layer, and the hydrophilic material arranged on the hydrophobized layer.

In one embodiment the hydrophobizing layer consists of hydrophobizing material in the pores of the article.

In one embodiment, the thickness of the hydrophobized layer is about 0.5%, 1%, 5%, 10%, or 25% of the total thickness of the article.

In one embodiment, the thickness of the hydrophilic material layer is in the range of 80 to 150 nm.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Some embodiments illustrating the present Disclosure are described in more detail in the attached drawings, in which

Figure 1 is a schematic side view of a part of a porous article,

Figure 2 is a schematic side view of a part of another porous article,

Figure 3 is a schematic side view of a part of a third porous article,

Figure 4 is a schematic side view of a part of a fourth porous article,

Figures 5a - 5c are schematic views of further porous articles,

Figure 6 is a schematic view of a first method of processing porous article,

Figure 7 is a schematic view of a second method of processing porous article, and

Figure 8 is a schematic view of a third method of processing porous article.

For the sake of clarity, the figures show the embodiments in a Simplified continent. Like reference numbers identify like elements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Figure 1 is a schematic side view of a part of a porous article. The porous article 1 comprises a first surface 3 and a second surface 4, 4 '.

The article has a three dimensional body having a shape of a slab made from a material 2. The first surface 3 may form the front face 5 of the article 1, the second surface 4, 4 'comprises a back surface 4 and an edge surface 4 '. The back surface 4 may be located opposite to the frontal face 5. The edge surface 4 'is located between the frontal face 5 and the back surface 6.

The frontal face 5 will be arranged to form a part of the fagade or frontal side of the building, the outer surface of the roof covering, the upper surface of the Flooring tile etc. The material 2 may be, for instance, natural stone, concrete, and / or burnt clay. The natural stone may be, for instance, marble, sand stone, granite, gneiss, limestone, sandstone, thermal stone, etc ..

The article 1 may be a brickstone, a tile, or a cladding element of a building. The thickness of the article may be, for instance, in the range of 10 to 120 mm.

The article 1 comprises non-conformal layers on its surfaces so that the first surface 3 comprises a hydrophilic material layer and the second surface 4, 4 'comprises a hydrophobic layer. The term "non-conformal layers" means here differently processed surfaces. The term "layer" means here either added material penetrated into pores of material 2 or material layer on the surface of material 1, or combination terms. It is to be noted here that the material layers on the surface of the material are shown separated from the material 1 and adjacent layer (s) for clarity reasons.

All the surfaces, i.e. the first surface 3 and the second surface 4, 4 'of the article 1 may comprise a hydrophobized layer 9. This layer 9 may comprise e.g. silicone.

The first surface 3 which consists of the frontal face 5 of the article 1 comprises further a hydrophilic material layer 8. This comprises a hydrophilic material, e.g. Titanium dioxide (T1O2) or precursors. The second surface 4, 4 'does not form said hydrophilic material layer 8.

Instead of T1O2 or mixed therewith some other oxides such as N or P-doped T1O2, MgTa206, or Sn02 may be used as hydrophilic material. Said oxides are photoactive or photocatalytic material. They have the ability to be exited by light radiations to create very reactive Radical species at their surface upon recombination of excitons with atmospheric water and oxygen. In a case where organic contamination deposits and lays at the vicinity of the photoactive material, a progressive decomposition of the contaminant into inertial CO2 and H20 will take the place.

The term "precursor" covers any starting compound in solid, liquid or gas form that can be converted to the desired oxide, carbonate, or phosphate directly or by post-treatments. The term "precursor" covers also materials that are not originally in the form of oxides, carbonates or phosphates, but which can be converted to such compounds by thermal or chemical treatments. Also preformed particles of the desired oxide, carbonate, or phosphate are count as precursors.

According to another embodiment, the hydrophobized layer 9 comprises an organic material having one or more functional groups (s) selected from phosphate, phosphonate, phosphinic acid, betadacetonate, thiol, silane, siloxane, and carboxylic acid or any salts thereof.

Examples of organic phosphates and phosphonates include, but are not limited to, fluorocarbons, hydrocarbons, mixtures of fluorocarbons and hydrocarbons, phospholipids, polymers containing phosphate or phosphonate groups, polymerizable smaller molecules including at least one of the phosphate and / or phosphonate groups. starting materials, chemical postmodifications of organic molecules introduced into or onto one of the molecules containing at least one phosphorous in its structure to form phosphate and / or phosphonate groups.

However, depending on the chemical nature of the material 2, other hydrophobization agents may be used as well.

The hydrophilic material layer 8 arranged only on the first surface 3 of the article 1 may then consist of T1O2 or precursors.

The hydrophilic material layer 8 may be arranged on top of the hydrophobic layer 9, or alternatively, at least part of the hydrophilic material layer 8 may be mixed with the hydrophobic layer 9.

The thickness of the hydrophobized layer 9 may be, for instance, about 0.5%, 1%, 5%, 10%, or 25% of the total thickness of the article 1.

Nanoscale and / or microscale particles may be used in the hydrophilic material layer 8. The thickness of the hydrophilic material layer 8 may be in the range of 80 to 150 nm, for example.

The layer 8, 9 may cover continuously and complete the entire surface it has been arranged to, or it may consist of holes, gaps or openings so that the underlying surface penetrates through said layer 8, 9.

The second surface 4, 4 'of the article 1 may have a higher degree of roughness than the first surface 3. The roughness of the second surface 4, 4' may be the result of a diamond cutting or frame saw. This kind of surface may be advantageous when purging a highly hydrophobic surface in the porous article 1. The first surface may be e.g. grinded or polished.

Figure 2 is a schematic side view of a part of another porous article. This article 1 contains only the layers shown in Figure 1 but further on the hydrophobic material layer 10.

The hydrophobic material layer 10 has been arranged on the second surface 4, 4 'only and it may comprise Nanoscale and / or microscale particles comprising e.g. Si02. The hydrophilic material layer has been arranged only on the first surface 3 of the article 1.

The thickness of the hydrophobic material layer 10 may be in the range of 80 to 150 nm.

Figure 3 is a schematic side view of a part of a third porous article. The article 1 comprises a hydrophobic layer 9, a hydrophilic material layer 8, and a hydrophobic material layer 10, 10 'according to the description above.

The article 1 comprises, in addition, a hydrophobic material layer 10 "on the first surface 3. The hydrophobic material layer 10, 10 ', 10" may thus be extended to all surfaces of the article 1. The hydrophobic material layer 10, 10' ', 10 "may comprise eg S1O2.

The hydrophobic material layer 10, 10 ', 10 "may have an equal thickness and physical structure on all surfaces it has been arranged to. The physical structure means here eg porosity or presence of holes, gaps or openings in the layer. Alternatively, he hydrophobic material layer 10, 10 ', 10 "may have first thickness and / or structure on the back surface 6 and second, different thickness and / or structure on the edge surface 7.

Figure 4 is a schematic side view of a part of a fourth porous article. This article 1 comprises a hydrophobized layer 9 that extends on the first surface 3 and on a part of the second surface, i.e. on the surface not forming a hydrophilic material layer 8. The hydrophobic layer 9 may comprise e.g. silicone.

Rest of the second surface 4, 4 'comprising a hydrophobic material layer 10, 10' that may comprise e.g. Si02. The hydrophobic material layer 10, 10 'may overlap with the hydrophobic layer 9. The hydrophilic material layer 8 comprises e.g. T1O2 has been arranged on the first surface 3 of the article 1 only.

Figures 5a to 5c are schematic views of further porous articles. The shape and profile of the article 1 may vary. The article 1 may have a profiled edge surface as shown in Figure 5a. This may facilitate e.g. fixing the articles to each other.

The article 1 may have projections and / or recesses that modify its Architectural image as shown in Figure 5b.

The article 1 may be a corner brick or stone as shown in Figure 5c.

It is not to be noted here that according to the first surface 3 consists of frontal face 5 of the article 1 only. According to another surface first surface 3 consists of frontal face 5 and at least part of the edge surface 7.

Figure 6 is a schematic view of a first method of processing a porous article. The method may consist of four main steps A to D.

In step A article 1 may be pretreated for removing pre-adsorbed water and, if desired, crystal water from the material 2 before further surface treatment. Thereby the chemical attachment of the coatings and / or impregnation materials to the material 2 can potentially be increased.

The pre-treatment may be based on a heat treatment, vacuum treatment, chemical treatment, physical treatment or combination paragraph.

At least some surfaces of the article may also be activated in the pre-treatment. Down to the activation of the surfaces are more attractive to the hydrophobic material or precursors and and / or the hydrophobic dispersion.

The pre-treatment may comprise e.g. treatment by hydrogen peroxide, gas flame, laser, infrared radiation, ultraviolet radiation, plasma etc.

It is to be noted that the step is an optional, not essential step of the method.

In step B the first and second surfaces and at least some of the pores of the article 1 are hydrophobic arranging hydrophobic material or precursors paragraph.

The hydrophobizing step may be executed by using a suitable hydrophobizing dispersion. This dispersion may comprise e.g. Silicone, Silicone precursors and / or Silicone monomers, hydrophobized silica (S1O2), preferably as nanoparticles, having one or more functional groups selected from phosphate, phosphonate, phosphinic acid, betadacetonate, thiol, silane, siloxane, and carboxylic acid or any salts of the corresponding acids, or combination terms. Silica may be hydrophobized by e.g. arranging a hydrophobic layer on the surface of a silica particle.

The hydrophobizing dispersion may consist of a continuous medium such as water, ethanol, propanol, methanol, acetone, butanol, water, 1-methoxy-2-propanol, ethylene glycol, THF (tetrahydrofuran), DMSO (dimethyl sulfoxide), cyclohexane etc. or mixtures section.

The hydrophobizing step may be implemented by several ways. According to the implementation of the hydrophobizing dispersion is let to adsorb into the material 2 The surfaces of the article 1.

According to another embodiment, the hydrophobizing dispersion is sprayed onto the article 1 which may have been heated to elevated temperature. The continuous medium will, at least partially, evaporate. The surface of article 1 will cool down as the continuous medium evaporates.

According to still another embodiment, the hydrophobizing dispersion is applied to the article 1 by capillary condensation from a gas phase. The gas phase may be overpressurized.

According to another embodiment, the hydrophobizing dispersion is brushed on in article 1.

According to still another embodiment, the hydrophobizing dispersion is printed using e.g. an inkjet printer or piezoelectric printer.

It is also possible to combine two or more of the above methods in the hydrophobizing step.

In step C hydrophilic material or precursors subsections are arranged on the first surface 3 of the article. The hydrophilic material may be e.g. photoactive material that comprises T1O2, Ag-, S-, N- or P-doped T1O2, MgTa206, ZnS, ZnO, Sn02 or precursors.

The particles of the hydrophilic material may comprise nanosize or microsize particles or mixture parts.

The hydrophilic material or precursors may be deposited onto the article 1 by e.g. wet-methods, like spraying, dip-coating, or by other wet-chemical methods, or by a sol-gel process or deposited in a pre-formed particulate form.

In step D the article 1 is post processed. For example, a thermal treatment may be applied in order to increase the stability of the layer structure arranged in article 1.

Post processing equipment may execute e.g. plasma treatment, thermal treatment, UV treatment, IR treatment, VIS treatment, ozone treatment, laser treatment, or any combination of these. The post processing can be applied to transform precursors, if any, of the layer materials into the desired form and to further reinforce the cohesion of the impregnated and / or deposited materials by increasing the density of the strong chemical bonds to the material 2 and / or within the impregnated and deposited substances etc.

It is to be noted that the step D is optional, not an essential step of the method.

Figure 7 is a schematic view of a second method of processing porous article. This method differs from the method shown in Figure 6 in that the hydrophilic material or precursors section is arranged on the first surface 3 of the article prior to the hydrophobizing of the article 1.

The hydrophilic material or precursors may be e.g. T1O2. The hydrophobizing dispersion is applied on the T1O2 layer. The hydrophobizing dispersion penetrates through the T1O2 layer and absorbs in the material 2. A portion of the hydrophobizing dispersion can remain in and / or on the T1O2 layer.

The hydrophilic material or precursors may be applied in the process line prior to the attachment of the article 1 in its place in building, pavement etc. The hydrophobizing dispersion may also be applied to the article in the process line prior to said attachment or, alternatively, to the article that is already attached in its place.

There may be a period of time, e.g. 24 hours between step C and step B. During the period of time the hydrophobic material or precursors may make bonds to the material 2 of the article. During the period of time the article 1 may be kept in a relatively low temperature between 5 and 30 ° C, or in an elevated temperature between 30 and 200 ° C, e.g. in 90 ° C.

Figure 8 is a schematic view of a third method of processing porous article. This method differs from the methods shown in Figures 6 and 7 in that the hydrophilic material or precursors are arranged in two steps B1 and B2 on article 2.

The first hydrophilizing step B1 may include absorbing a hydrophobizing dispersion that forms the hydrophobic layer 9 shown in Figures 1-4 in the material 2 of the article.

Then the second hydrophilizing step B2 may include arranging the hydrophobic material layer 10 shown in Figures 2 - 4 on the article.

Steps B, B1 and C are preferably carried out as a factory production prior to delivering the article in the installation site. Step B2 may be carried out after installation of the article but, of course, also as factory production.

It is to be noted here that steps B, B1, B2 and C may comprise one or more sub-steps, such as thermal treatment steps, etc.

According to an embodiment, the hydrophilic material or precursors are arranged on the first surface after installing the article in the building, pavement, etc.

To summarize, for example, a stone product which does not take up water due to hydrophobized layer 9 and / or hydrophobized material layer 10, 10 ', 10 ". Said hydrophobized layer (s) 9, 10, 10 ′, 10 ″ arranged on the first surface 3 of the article 1 is / are protected against ultraviolet radiation by the hydrophilic material layer 8. The hydrophilic material layer 8 may also introduce a self-cleaning function to the article 1.

The drawings and the related description are for the purpose of illustrating the idea of the invention only. The invention may vary in detail within the scope of the claims.

Reference symbols 1 article 2 material 3 first surface 4, 4 'second surface 5 frontal face 6 back surface 7 edge surface 8 hydrophilic material layer 9 hydrophobic layer 10, 10', 10 "hydrophobic material layer A pretreatment step B, B1, B2 hydrophobizing step C hydrophilizing step D post processing step

Claims (14)

A method for treating a Building material comprising a first surface and a second surface, the method comprising: hydrophobising the first and second surfaces and at least some of the pores, and providing the hydrophilic material or precursors thereof to only the first surface of the product. The method according to claim 1, wherein the material of the product is natural stone, concrete and / or burnt clay. The process according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the hydrophobization is carried out using a hydrophobizing dispersion comprising silicone, silicone precursors and / or silicone monomers. The process according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the hydrophobization is carried out using a dispersion comprising hydrophobized silica (SiO 2), preferably as nanoparticles. The process according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the hydrophobization is carried out using a dispersion comprising an organic material containing one or more functional groups selected from phosphate, phosphonate, phosphinic acid, betadecetonate, thiol, silane, siloxane and carboxylic acid salts thereof. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the hydrophilic material comprises a photoactive material such as TiO 2, Ag, S, N or P doped TiO 2, MgTa 2 O 6, ZnS, ZnO, SnO 2 or precursors thereof. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the hydrophilic material or its precursors are arranged on a first surface of the building material in a process step prior to the hydrophobization of the building material. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the hydrophilic material or its precursors are arranged on a first surface of the building material in a process step after hydrophobization of the building material. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the hydrophilic material or its precursors are arranged on the first surface after installation of the building material. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the building material consists of a three-dimensional body, wherein the first surface forms the front surface of the building material, the second surface comprises a rear surface and an edge surface. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second surfaces are hydrophobised with a dispersion comprising SiO 2, and hydrophilic material comprising TiO 2 or its precursors is provided only on the first surface of the building material. The method of claim 1, wherein the first surface is hydrophobised with a silicone dispersion, the second surface is hydrophobised with a SiO 2 dispersion, and hydrophilic material comprising TiO 2 or its precursors is provided only on the first surface of the building material. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second surfaces are hydrophobised with a silicone dispersion, and hydrophilic material comprising TiO 2 or its precursors is provided only on the first surface of the building material. The process of claim 1, wherein the first and second surfaces are hydrophobized with a dispersion comprising an organic material containing one or more functional groups selected from phosphate, phosphonate, phosphinic acid, betadecetonate, thiol, silane, siloxane and carboxylic acid and salts thereof, providing a hydrophilic material comprising TiCl 2 or its precursors only on the first surface of the building material.