FR2903708A1 - MATERIAL FOR IMPROVING SOIL COATING, ESPECIALLY FOR EQUESTRIAN FLOOR, AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING SUCH MATERIAL. - Google Patents

Abstract

Absorbent flooring material, particularly for use as an equestrian track covering, comprising a composition of sand and elastic fibers. Said composition further comprises latex.

Description

EIFFAGE29.FRD.wpd Absorbent flooring material, in

  The invention relates to a material for damping flooring, in particular for equestrian flooring, as well as to a method of manufacturing such a material. We know that grass riding trails have many disadvantages. These tracks are subject to high and rapid wear caused by the action of horse hooves. In particular, the pulling of portions of land by horses requires regular repairs, which prevent the use of the track. 20 Grass tracks are also very sensitive to weather conditions. For example, these tracks are practically unusable during rain or frost. Similarly, after an extended period of dry weather, these tracks become harsh and therefore dangerous for the legs of 25 horses. They can not be used anymore. To compensate for the defects of these grass tracks, we used sand to replace the grass. However, sand tracks are also degraded rapidly due to the passage of horses. In addition, the passage of a horse in particular causes projections of sand that hinder, and possibly-hurt the pursuers. It has then been proposed to stabilize the tracks mechanically, for example by the use of grids. But this type of solution has not given complete satisfaction. Another solution was to make a mix from sand and wax. But then, the track becomes too hard for the horses. Solutions considered today to be satisfactory consist in coating the sand with wax, with the addition of elastic fibers, for example spandex, to give the track the suppleness or elasticity required.

  However, wax is very sensitive to temperature. And the tracks thus obtained become hard and brittle at low temperatures (especially below zero), and sticky at high temperatures (typically above 40 ° C on the ground).

  These tracks are therefore virtually unusable in cold weather or too hot, or in great sunlight. For the manufacture of such a material, wax and sand must be heated. And this heating, particularly when made with a hydrocarbon fuel, can generate soot formation which blackens the material. The finished product thus has an unsightly appearance that makes it unusable in practice.

  In addition, the manufacture of such a material is delicate. the addition of elastic fibers in a coating station can cause clogging of the filters of the station, and even a fire when the temperature increases. And if it has been tried to overcome these disadvantages by the addition of elastic fibers after cooling of the mix of sand and wax, this solution is not satisfactory in that it requires specific equipment. In addition, the electrostatic charge of the elastic fibers leads them to agglomerate, thus causing a largely heterogeneous finished material. So the solutions known so far are largely unsatisfactory.

  The problems and disadvantages described above are found in many fields, in which one seeks to obtain a damping floor covering. This is the case, for example, for playground surfaces or sports fields 2903708 3 An object of the invention is therefore to improve the situation by proposing a cushioning floor material whose flexibility is not impaired. by weather or temperature conditions and having the required strength. To do this, the invention provides a damping floor coating material comprising a sand and elastic fiber composition, wherein said composition further comprises latex. As will be seen further, the material according to the invention has the required flexibility and strength.

The invention also provides a method of manufacturing a damping floor material of the above type, comprising a step of mixing sand and elastic fibers, and a step of coating the sand, elastic fibers and or said mixture by latex.

Finally, the invention proposes a use of such a material as a coating for equestrian soil. Optional features of the invention, complementary or substitute, are set forth below. With regard to the material according to the invention: The proportion by weight of elastic fibers is between 1 and 50%. - The proportion by mass of elastic fibers is between 2 and 20%. Said latex is chosen from acrylic, vinyl and / or styrenic latices and copolymers thereof. - Said latex is functionalized. 2903708 4 - The material is further composed of mineral or vegetable oil, or mineral or vegetable oil derivative. The material comprises an ester of vegetable oil or tall oil. - The material has a proportion of oil or oil derivative relative to the latex of between 1 and 50% by weight. - The material has a proportion of oil or oil derivative relative to the latex of between 4 and 20% by weight. 15 - The mass proportion of latex relative to sand is between 2 and 20%. - The mass proportion of latex relative to sand is between 5 and 12%. With regard to the process according to the invention: the process comprises a step of coating the sand, then a step of mixing the sand coated with latex and elastic fibers. - The method comprises a step of mixing sand and elastic fibers, then a step of coating said mixture with latex. The process comprises a step of adding mineral or vegetable oil, or a mineral or vegetable oil derivative, to the latex, prior to the coating step. The method comprises a step of adding mineral or vegetable oil, or a mineral or vegetable oil derivative, to said mixture, to sand and / or fibers, prior to the coating step. The process comprises a step of adding mineral or vegetable oil, or a mineral or vegetable oil derivative, to said mixture, to the sand and / or to the fibers, subsequent to step d. 'coating. - The sand has residual moisture. The method comprises a step of heating the sand, fibers and / or said mixture prior to the coating step. - The method comprises a step of heating the latex prior to the coating step.

The invention is illustrated hereinafter by examples. In these examples, a latex of styrene and butadiene (also known as latex SBR) is used. Latex acrylic and vinylacrylic styrenes could also be employed. Although the Applicant does not in any way exclude the use of a particular latex, the abovementioned latexes have the best characteristics with regard to the bonding of the elastic fibers, the sand and the resistance to water and high temperatures (typically above 50 C).

The aforementioned latices may be functionalized. By this is meant that it is possible to introduce chemical functions to these latices, for example by copolymerization or grafting, in particular to further improve the bonding of the elastic fibers. The sand used may be, for example, crushed sand with a grain size of 0/2 mm. Sands of different types can be used, for example rolled sand. The elastic fibers may be of any known type, for example elastomer and more particularly elastane. Example 1 Crushed 0/2 sand, i.e., having a grain size of 0 to 2 mm, is blended at room temperature to 10% by weight of elastomer fibers.

This mixture is then coated with a SBR latex, for example a synthetic latex Y 50 of Synthomer. The proportion of latex is 10 parts per 100 of mixture. The Applicant has found that the increase in consistency of the asphalt takes place progressively. After about an hour, it is possible to make a cohesive ball of material by hand. Diving in the water, this ball does not evolve. The same material is spread in the form of a 60x130 cm plate. When 250 ml of water is poured onto the surface of this plate, the drainage is immediate and 250 ml of water can be recovered. Heated at 60 C, the material remains cohesive and flexible. Placed at -11 C overnight, it comes out stiff but if it is kneaded 20 it immediately regains its flexibility characteristics. Example 2 The mixture of Example 1 is made in identical proportions. 15% by weight of sunflower methyl ester is added to the latex prior to coating the mixture. The characteristics of the product are unchanged except the cold flexibility. Indeed, after one night at -11 C, the material remains flexible. Immersed in water and placed saturated with water at -11 ° C. for 1 week, the product remains flexible. In these proportions, the product perfectly meets the technical requirements of equestrian floors.

EXAMPLE 3 0/2 sand is coated with a mixture of 90% by weight of vinyl-acrylic latex, for example provided by LAIEX and 10% by weight of methyl ester of soya. The mass proportion of the mixture relative to the sand is 7%. Elastomer fibers are then added to the mix in a proportion of 3% by weight. Under these conditions, the product is cohesive (forming a ball in the hand) after 1 hour. It is elastic even at 60 C and flexible at -11 C in the presence or absence of water. It is therefore suitable for the desired application. Example 4 0/2 sand is blended with elastomer fibers in a proportion of 3% by weight. This mixture is coated with a mixture of 90% by weight of vinyl-acrylic latex, for example the latex of Example 3, and 10% by weight of methyl ester of soya. The mass proportion of the latex ester mixture relative to the sand is 7%.

The results are identical. EXAMPLE 5 The sand-fiber mixture of Example 4 is prepared. Soy methyl ester is added to this mixture in proportions identical to Example 4. This mixture is then coated with vinyl-acrylic latex, also in the proportions of Example 4. The results are identical. EXAMPLE 6 The coating of Example 3 is carried out. Before mixing with the elastomer fibers, the sand is heated to 120 ° C.

The rise in consistency is immediate but the end result is identical. It is noted that the use of the latex is particularly advantageous compared to that of any polymer. In effect, so as to withstand the sunlight and heating that occur at ground level, it would be necessary to use polymers at softening temperature that is to say melting points. or vitreous transition well above 80 ° C. However, polymers having such a softening temperature are particularly difficult, if not impossible, to implement in conventional installations of the road industry.

For coating, the latex can be used at room temperature. At room temperature, the latex has a viscosity close to that of water: it can thus be used in industrial machines for producing so-called "conventional" mixes, that is to say for producing asphalt for traffic lanes or pedestrians. In particular, the latex can thus be used in cold coating stations, which use bitumen emulsions of viscosity close to that of the latex. Because a rise in consistency is possible before opening the tracks, the use of latex makes it possible to overcome the drying of sands of the state of the art. The latex has a greater cohesive power than the waxes used in the state of the art. In the state of the art, fine granularity sand was to be used to block the granular granules and to avoid the risk of disintegration, as the cohesive power of the waxes is not sufficient. This was of considerable importance on equestrian tracks which must be of high quality while being subjected to heavy stresses by the hooves of horses. Incidentally, the cohesive power of the latex therefore allows the use of sand of any granularity. In particular, it allows the use of a sand of rather large granularity which increases the drainability of the final product. Indeed, the sand of fine granularity fills the interstices and thus reduces the draining character of the product. The good drainability makes it possible to quickly eliminate the water brought into the mass of the material by the latex and by the sand, facilitating the rise in consistency. In addition, good drainability is an important feature required at an equestrian track.

From the above examples, the Applicant has found that the proportion of latex relative to sand determines the cohesive and sticky nature of the mix. An advantageous compromise is obtained with a proportion of between 2 and 20% by weight, and preferably between 5 and 12%.

It is known that polymers have a very different thermal behavior from waxes. They almost never have a melting point as sharp as a wax. On the other hand, the choice of the molecular weight and the type of polymer can make it possible to obtain softening temperatures (melting point, or glass transition) well above 80 C. This temperature is the maximum value obtained on a bituminous mix in great heat without wind. On a clear equestrian floor, the latter will be weaker. The Applicant has observed that all the latexes suitable for the invention can be plasticized by judiciously chosen petroleum or carbochemical oils. It has also been found, surprisingly, that all the polymers tested can be plasticized by vegetable oils and their derivatives, especially vegetable oil esters (EHV) or tall oils (derived from pine oil). . The use of these EHVs makes it possible to adjust the stiffness point as a function of temperature. A compromise between the consistency of the product at high and low temperature is thus obtained by adjusting the proportion of EHV in the latex.

The Applicant has obtained mixtures of sand, elastomer fibers and latex which are draining, cohesive at a temperature above 60 C, and flexible at -11 C.

The proportion of EHV is advantageously between 1 and 50% by weight of the latex, preferably between 4 and 20%. These EHV may be added to the latex prior to coating, sand before coating or at the time of coating at the same time as the latex.

The material according to the invention has mainly been described for use as a flooring for equestrian flooring. Other uses may be envisaged, particularly in fields where similar problems arise and in which a damping floor covering is desired: the coating according to the invention may for example be used as a coating for game, or sports fields.

The invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiments given above but encompasses all the variants that the person skilled in the art may envisage within the scope of the following claims.

Claims (21)

claims   1. A damping floor material comprising a composition of sand and elastic fibers, characterized in that said composition further comprises latex.   2. Material according to claim 1, characterized in that the proportion by mass of elastic fibers is between 1 and 50%.   3. Material according to claim 2, characterized in that the proportion by mass of elastic fibers is between 2 and 20.   4. Material according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said latex is selected from acrylic latex, vinyl and / or styrenic, and copolymers thereof. 20   5. Material according to claim 4, characterized in that said latex is functionalized.   6. Material according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it is further composed of mineral or vegetable oil, or of mineral or vegetable oil derivative.   7. Material according to claim 6, characterized in that it comprises a vegetable oil ester or "tall garlic". 30   8. Material according to one of claims 6 and 7, characterized in that it has a proportion of oil or oil derivative relative to the latex between 1 and 50% by weight. 35   9. Material according to claim 8, characterized in that it has a proportion of oil or oil derivative relative to the latex between 4 and 20 by mass. 11 10 2903708 12   10. Material according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the mass proportion of latex relative to sand is between 2 and 20   11. Material according to claim 10, characterized in that the mass proportion of latex relative to sand is between 5 and 12.   12. A method of manufacturing a damping floor coating material according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a step of mixing sand and elastic fibers, and a step of coating the sand, elastic fibers and / or said mixture by latex.   13. The method of claim 12, characterized in that it comprises a. a step of coating the sand, then b. a mixing step of sand coated with latex and elastic fibers   14. Process according to claim 12, characterized in that it comprises 25 a. a step of mixing sand and elastic fibers, then b. a step of coating said mixture with latex.   15. Process according to one of Claims 12 to 14, characterized in that it comprises: a step of adding mineral or vegetable oil, or a derivative of mineral or vegetable oil, to latex, prior to the coating step. 35   16. Method according to one of claims 12 to 14, characterized in that it comprises: - a step of adding mineral or vegetable oil, or a derivative of mineral or vegetable oil, 2903708 13 mixture , sand and / or fibers, prior to the coating step.   17. A method according to one of claims 12 to 14, caracté-5 ière in that it comprises: - a step of adding mineral or vegetable oil, or a derivative of mineral or vegetable oil, audit mixing with sand and / or fibers after the coating step.   18. A method of manufacturing a material according to one of claims 12 to 17, characterized in that the sand has residual moisture.   19. A method of manufacturing a material according to one of claims 12 to 18, characterized in that it comprises: - a step of heating the sand, fibers and / or said mixture prior to the coating step.   20. A method of manufacturing a material according to one of claims 12 to 19, characterized in that it comprises: a step of heating the latex prior to the coating step.   21. Use of the material according to one of claims 1 to 11 as a coating for equestrian floor.